In the Time of the Butterflies

Last week in our local paper there was a photo and a story of the surviving Mirabal sister. I read the story, thought it was awful about the sisters murder, but kind of blew off the article as: "old news", "get over it already". Today I turned on the TV and this movie was on. I wasn't going to watch the whole thing, but got to putzing around and got kind of into just watching it while I did other stuff. I thought it was taking place in Mexico until I heard the part about the Haitians and figured out it was Santo Domingo. It was 3/4 of the way through the movie before I figured out it was the sisters I had read about in the paper. What a profound moment for me. These women were real heroes and their story should be told. I felt like such a jerk. It was a real lesson for me: you should never "blow anyone off" until you have heard their story. If you take the time, you may come to like and, maybe, even admire them. And you may learn something about them and yourself. No wonder their sister never stops telling their story.

Three sisters fight the evil Trujillo in this well-mounted mini-epic. Great acting somewhat marred by predictable dialogue, but the story works anyway. The women are gorgeous and sincere. James Olmos plays the three-dimensional lusty Trujillo. Good location photography in Mexico. Could have used more explanation of the politics.

So many things to say about this amazing movie. This has to be one of the saddest movies i have ever watched and the really sad part about it is that this is all true, Rafael Trujillo really existed and he really did most of the things shown in the movie. I think that this movie really brings out how it must have been when he ruled, his power, his fortune and the peoples attitude towards his rule. I would liked to have seen a little more of how badly he treated black people as I myself am a black person. I Think the role of Rafael Trujillo was portrayed well by the actor who played his role, actually I think he brought him out a little too well. After the movie I was left wondering if he was that inhumane.

With so much horror loose in this century, we forget some of the recent horrors of the last. Few people who vacation in the Dominican Republic today are aware of the brutal regime which flourished there --- like a poisonous tropical flower --- until recent times. This is a splendid depiction of it and of the struggle to overthrow it. Surprisingly there is no reference to the United States' shameful support of Trujillo or to the Castro revolution in nearby Cuba. I also wonder why it was filmed in Mexico rather than the Dominican Republic itself. But no matter. It is a gripping and thoughtful piece of cinema.

This story about the Mirabal sisters who, in 1960, were murdered for resisting tyranny is a remarkable film. The acting, directing and writing excellent.

Importantly, the cast was not Anglicized. Unlike, say, The Mask of Zorro, which is set in Spain but has Antonio Banderas as the only Hispanic actor in a lead role, this film opts for authenticity from top to bottom. Which serves a sign of respect for the powerful, compelling drama that is rendered.