La misión

My favorite movie, ever. It works on so many levels: as a story about the dissolution of the Jesuit order in portuguese South America (and the subsequent enslavement of the natives), as an account of one man's ill-fated but necessary conversion, as a series of complex ideological battles, and, lastly, as a tale of innocence, of Eden. All this, in addition to spectacular performances, brilliant direction, a fabulous script and one of the most breathtaking soundtracks ever recorded. It simply gets better with each successive viewing.

THE MISSION is a history drama about the expulsion of the Jesuits' missions in South America in the middle of the XVIII century. By what I've learned the plot's background is accurate to history and all we see in this movie truly happened in real life, unfortunately! The search for slavery work was continuous at the time by Portuguese colonists and the Spanish in spite of slavery not being directly allowed by their crown they also used the indigenous slaves. The Spaniards which had been creating Indian reductions since the middle of the XVI century, as a form to convert and control those indigenous people, were followed by the Portuguese, and both built Jesuit reductions in their territories. But after the 1750 treatment the Jesuits would be expulsed because they refused to leave their missions where their lived together with the indians, in peace. And the indians themselves they didn't want to abandon the reductions too because they knew that in the main jungle they would be an easy target to slave traders (known as "bandeirantes" in Portuguese colony).

So it's just the main plot's topic of this movie which then focus on the personal story of father Gabriel (played by Jeremy Irons), a Jesuit missionary, and Rodrigo Mendoza (Robert de Niro) a former slave trader which was converted to the Christian faith (and to the Jesuits) after kill his brother (because of a woman). The movie has good moments, especially in the last hour, and it describes very well the feeling of injustice and desperation those native people felt by the furious anger of the greedy imperialist armies! There're a few scenes, which focus the sad and empty native children' eyes, that worth more than a thousand words!

I enjoyed this movie and the plot's main topic which portrays a sad period of our history (unfortunately empires were always built under massacres and the subjugation of other people, and I know Portuguese empire was no exception!).

This film is the finest expressions of the neglect or opposition of the spiritual in favour of political expediency I have ever seen.

The other comments for this film eloquently, or at least enthusiastically, extoll it's virtues and I can only rephrase what they have said...

Suffice to say that the Mission remains one of my favourite films. I saw it many years ago and my only regret is that I did not see it in the cinema. Regardless, the impression it made upon me has been indelible. As an artist, I only hope that I can create something that touches or moves my audience in such a way.

A wonderful film that, ever so briefly, absolves Hollywood of its sins.

Father Gabriel: "If might is right, then Love has no place in this world..."

The movie by Roland Joffe was not popular in my country when it was released since such movies were censored by the communists. When, however, the situation changed in 1989, I remember that I saw THE MISSION for the first time on Polish TV in 1995 as a part of cinema's 100th anniversary celebration. The movie moved me so much that I have come back to it several times since then. Each time I see it, I find something new in the film. Therefore, I consider THE MISSION one of the very best films ever made, a film where history meets single individuals, where sadness is conquered by joy and disbelief and skepticism by profound thoughts on humanity.

The content of the film, though historical, applies perfectly to modern times. The universal struggle of two spirits, the one of might and the one of Love, has always been noticeable wherever and whenever people live. Let us look briefly at the gist of the content: the Jesuits build a mission in the core of a jungle in South America, they understand the heart of the Gospels: Love without looking for reward. Yet, the politics of the conquerors (Spaniards and the Portuguese) steps in and destroys the mission... However, not everything dies even though goodness seems to be conquered... This story, presented here in a condensed way but developed in the film is so powerful that it leads to reflections: what, in fact, reigns in our lives; why good people have to suffer, why we are forced to do what we hate, it is so effortless to destroy while to build requires so much strength, why the world turns our good deeds into evil, etc. This aspect is the pearl of the film and the feast for the soul even though such thoughts require some courage from an individual. I reflected on the fact if I am willing to support the weak or if I rather choose might which is my master I attempt at in my actions? It's strange but we will never get to know our personalities completely... And that is what the film also shows. Altamiro (Ray Mc Anally), for instance, is a person of different psychological states hard to evaluate.

The performances are exceptionally powerful which makes THE MISSION a very nice piece of film art. Jeremy Irons gives a very powerful performance as Father Gabriel expressing all values a good Christian should own: goodness, gentleness, patience, courage, and purity. He has this blink in his eyes that makes his portrayal particularly memorable. Robert De Niro... I would say frankly that this is his very best acting. People concentrate on different films when they hear of De Niro's performances, particularly in Michael Cimino's THE DEER HUNTER (1978) or in Martin Scorsese's CAPE FEAR (1991). Some of them skip THE MISSION. Yet his portrayal of Rodrigo Mendoza is a masterpiece in its own. This role is difficult to portray since Mendoza is a man of two contradictory spirits: from a slave trader to the devoted Jesuit. Nevertheless, De Niro does a marvelous job. One moment caught my attention from the first view of the film: Mendoza's death and this nostalgic look at Jesus in the Eucharist (even while writing about this moment a tear appears unintentionally in the eye). Ray McAnnally portrays Altamiro, a bishop who is forced to do what he actually does not intend to. He seems to be touched by the mission and in spite of that, he finally allows for slaughters. In the final shot, he expresses one thing powerfully: a face of a man whose conscience will forever suffer. "Thus we have made the world...thus have I made it," which are his words said at the end by him clearly show what kind of person he was.

Another powerful aspect of the film is music. Ennio Morricone is famous for having written music to many films but here, in THE MISSION, he did something absolutely sublime. I bought a CD listening to music alone and it was an unforgettable experience for me. People who heard it and did not see the film asked me where I got such wonderful tunes. Indian rhythms combined with Christian spirituality and ecclesiastic chorus - UNFORGETTABLE! I promise you that having seen this film, you will never forget, among other things, these lovely tunes.

The filming locations, which obviously constitute an additional aspect in any film, add a thrill and authenticity to everything. It is hard to imagine other places in THE MISSION. The movie is shot mostly in the places where the historical events took place. We see the mighty Iguazu waterfalls, the jungle where Guarani Indians live, the city of Cartagena in Colombia as well as the hills of the Brazil-Argentinian border.

What more is there to say? I think that most readers will agree with me that THE MISSION is a masterpiece, a film that opens people to new horizons of understanding the profound thoughts that are there in our lives if we are willing to reflect on them or not. Speaking religiously, Christ has once died on the Cross but then all was conquered by Love.

The final scene gives an answer to Father Gabriel's thought that I entailed at the beginning. A silent sunny day in the jungle... we see a small group of Indian children who have survived the destruction. A little girl picks up a violin that she finds in the river and they begin to row a small boat towards the future...

Father Gabriel, you are right. It seems that Love perhaps has no place in this world and might may seem to be right but it is always Love that wins since "the spirit of the dead will survive in the memory of the living."

In 1750, Spain ceded part of Jesuit Paraguay to Portugal. The Jesuits had converted many of the Guaranis. The Guaranis above the waterfalls still reject the church sending a crucified priest over the falls. Father Gabriel (Jeremy Irons) climbs up the falls and converts the tribe with his music. He confronts slaver Rodrigo Mendoza (Robert De Niro) who is now hunting above the falls. Mendoza returns to town to find his fiancée and his brother Felipe (Aidan Quinn) are now in love. In a jealous rage, he kills his brother. He is despondent and Gabriel offers him work with the Guaranis as penance. Together with Gabriel and other brothers like Fielding (Liam Neeson), they make the mission thrive. Papal emissary Cardinal Altamirano (Ray McAnally) arrives to decide if the church will continue to protect the missions from the slave running Portugese now that the land has been transfer from Spanish protection.

The location is magnificent. The actors are terrific. And the music score from Ennio Morricone is both epic and haunting. This is an amazing historical drama. The story ends in a heart wrenching battle. Director Roland Joffé pulls together one of the best movie of the year.