En liberté dans les champs du Seigneur

Far from the boundaries of the modern world, live a primitive people who have existed naturally for thousands of years undisturbed. However, beginning with the European invasion of the 15th century and continuing unabated to the present, their culture, their tribal beliefs and even their very existence have come under siege. From a healthy population of thousands, they have been wantonly slaughtered and decimated to a handful of survivors. This film is one of a few which has the courage to illuminate the culprits of destruction. The Movie is called " At Play in the Fields of the Lord. " The story is that of Martin and Hazel Quarrier (Aidan Quinn and Kathy Bates) and their son Billy (Niilo Kivirinta) who were convinced by Leslie Huben (John Lithgow) and his wife Andy (Daryl Hannah) to move to South America and run a missionary outpost in the Brazlian jungle. Although it's Mr. Huben who's the fervent evangelical and enthusiastic force behind the mission, Martin desires to emulate him despite his inner doubts and misgivings. Into this mix is Lewis Moon (Tom Berenger) a modern Cheyenne originally hired to destroy the indigenous tribesmen, changes his mind and embraces their jungle life. Although warned by Commandante Guzman (Jose Dumont) and resident Catholic priest, Father Xantes (Nelson Xavier) not to expect success, the missionaries insist on forcing the natives to accept religious imposition despite the cost to the established tribes. The notion of change is contrary to the established peoples, but insisted on by the invading missionaries and their soul seeking agenda. Added to their destructive presence are the foreign businesses seeking wealth at the cost of the forest. The movie is a revelation of what is transpiring even now. The destruction of an entire Eco-system, the Rain Forest and the disappearing tribes are at the heart of this movie. Questioning his faith, Martin re-evaluates his decision when his son is stricken and his wife goes insane. The scenery of the pristine jungle and the tribes as well as the top notch acting of the cast is a plus for this incredible film. In the addition, its a prime candidate to become a Classic, despite it's length. ****

In "At Play in the Fields of the Lord", the remarkable Hector Babenco (Pixote, Kiss of the Spider Woman) paints a portrait of disillusion and despair on a canvas of sun-dappled green.

This is no mere tract on the consequences of cultural imperialism, but an examination of the myriad ways in which human folly, ignorance and arrogance (with an assist from the heedless juggernaut of Nature) conspire to overcome idealism, innocence, and the fragile constructs of civilization. This is not a "feel-good" flick, but it is a powerful and affecting one.

The actors involved--including Tom Berenger, Aidann Quinn, John Lithgow and Daryl Hannah (!)--all give intelligent and well-modulated performances. And, once again, the astonishing Kathy Bates blows everyone else away with her wrenching turn as Quinn's reluctant (and ultimately devastated) wife.

The film is long, dark and stubbornly pessimistic-- but also visually lush and emotionally cathartic; ultimately, the viewer will find it unforgettable.

A late adaptation of author-naturalist Peter Mathiessen's 1965 novel about missionaries in South America (Aidan Quinn and John Lithgow), their wives (Kathy Bates and Darryl Hannah, respectively) and their chance encounter with an American Indian (Tom Berenger) who is trying to exorcise the ghosts of his life on the reservation by joining a stone age tribe that the missionaries are trying to convert. This is a remarkable cast for a movie with such intense, personal themes, and each of the actors delivers an excellent performance. Berenger was perhaps an odd choice to play an American Indian, but he does the best that he can with the role.

Mathiessen is one of the great writers of the late twentieth century--an American answer to Graham Greene or Joseph Conrad, perhaps--whose literary canvas is literally almost the entire world. This is an appropriately challenging and demanding interpretation of his always challenging and demanding (though under-appreciated) work.

I purchased the video of this film after it passed through the theatres so fast I was unable to see it. I had read and reread Peter Matthiessen's award winning book and still gift it to friends and family. The film remained true to the novel. No film can truly portray in three or even in five hours all the complexities that a good writer can express. This film did however do an exceptional job for the time it had.

Some have said this film is anti Protestant, or just anti missionary. That is just too simplistic and misleading a label for this story. There is far more to digest than those labels could ever suggest. Here is the deliberate forced movement or destruction of a tribe to gain gold mining opportunities. This is happening with local government officials looking the other way ignoring current federal obligations to the native population. There is a built in irony that Moon (Tom Berenger) is part Cheyenne Indian. The current South Dakota reservations came about by our government reneging on deals in order to get access to gold in the Black Hills. The result was an ecological and cultural disaster for the Sioux nation.

This film was as about the symbiosis of culture and environment. Missionaries in Micronesia told the islanders in Yap that taboos on fishing were just superstition. An island bio-system that could once support 10,000 people can now not even support 1, 000. Missionaries tell South American tribes that their occasional drug inspired journeys are pure evil. There are ways these ancient cultural traditions can be kept without any threat to Christian doctrine. Instead, especially for western protestant missionaries, conversion is often more about cultural than religious conversion. This results in the ultimate economic and ecological destruction that follows.

Everyone should see this film, and better yet read the incredible book that inspired it.

I'm watching it for the third time on TV. I'm glad there are no commercials [with a film of this length it helps to have no interruptions; the narrative is also much easier to follow].

It's true that it is not a feel-good movie; but it is profound, illuminating, and with humorous moments. It seems immensely true to human nature in the ways I know it--interpersonal, native & religious. Some characters are a bit too stereotyped, but how long would the movie be if they were drawn more slowly?

A comparison: I couldn't watch the movie "The Mission" three times. To me that seemed only painful.

The only nudity I had a problem with was Daryl Hannah's--it seemed a bit gratuitous.

Great acting in many quarters. The Indians were superb. I liked Tom Berenger better than in any other of his movies. I liked the use of the setting, the camera work, the editing, the soundtrack...

I want the DVD!