Mond über Parador

While "The Kiss of the Spider Woman" cast Raul Julia as a political prisoner in an unidentified Latin American country, this time he works for a dictator in a fictional Latin American country. Specifically, the dictator suddenly drops dead, so Julia replaces el presidente with a Broadway actor (Richard Dreyfuss) shooting a movie in the country. From there, Dreyfuss has to figure out how to be a dictator, all the while balancing it with his own life.

Is it appropriate to turn the tense situation in Latin America into comedy? Well, "Moon Over Parador" does a good job with it. No matter what they do in this movie, they pull it off. It just goes to show why Richard Dreyfuss is one of the greatest actors of our era, and what we lost when Raul Julia died. Definitely worth seeing. Also starring Sonia Braga (who co-starred with Raul Julia in "TKOTSW"), Jonathan Winters and Sammy Davis Jr.

I agree: the first lady is hot.

This is strictly speaking great. It's difficult to conceive of this movie working with any replacements in the cast - not only because the cast are so good, but also because they work so well together and because the production and direction are so excellent as well.

The cast are absolutely fabulous; the screenplay is better than the best; the directing leads to so many incidental perks the screenplay itself could not have indicated; this is a very funny and even touching film.

It's a small film in a way but it's a masterpiece. You might have to have a connection with or knowledge of the world of the theatre to get it (to appreciate it) but it's all there and everyone working on this movie had a ball, that much is certain.

We first saw this years ago on late night telly; we bought a video copy immediately; now it's back on late night telly again and it's great, it's wonderful.

It's such a refreshing change to see something intelligent that's well done. This isn't exactly the Hollywood norm. Movies like this one really entertain: you can judge this by calculating how long after the closing credits you're still feeling good.

This one can last for days.

Hilarious comedy with Dreyfuss playing an actor who is asked by tough guy Julia to impersonate a dictator who has turned cold and very dead. Lots of laughs to be credited to director Mazursky, who makes an appearance in drag as the dictator's mother.

I enjoyed this film. It was funny, cute, silly, and entertaining. Had a fine cast and really got hammered by some critics for reasons that I truly don't understand. No, it wasn't "The Grapes of Wrath" or "Casablanca" or even "Moonstruck", but it was an enjoyable film.

Julia was excellent playing the psychotic 'man behind the man'. The story is a little silly to be sure, but it this isn't high drama, folks. I happened to see a review of the film, probably the only good one it got and then ran into it one night when looking for a movie. I never heard it was supposed to stink until after I saw it, and I'm glad I saw it. Eventually bought the VHS tape on the bargain pile, and I watch it a couple times a year.

Superb comic farce from Paul Mazursky, Richard Dreyfuss, plays Jack Noah a fairly successful actor- who is On location shooting a film in a fictitious Latin American banana republic Parador,Ruled by the Fascist, Alfonse Sims who unfortunately has succumbed of a heart attack after indulging in too many local cocktails! Raul Julia plays the oily chief of police who forces the reluctant Noah To impersonate the Just deceased dictator who Noah bears a remarkable resemblance, Sonia Braga plays the dictator's glamorously lusty mistress, who gives Noah a few lessons in how to 'act' like a dictator, Jonathan Winter's literally rounds off the cast as a CIA man In Parador posing as a hammock salesman. Can Noah win over the people of Parador? and hold off the rebels? And give the performance of a lifetime without losing his in the process? Sammy Davis Jnr,has a cameo as himself who amusingly croons the national anthem of Parador as well as Begin the Beguine, Frog Number one(Fernando Rey pops up as a kindly servant, Charo is also on hand as A busty maid, The score by Maurice Jarre,is excellent.