(1986)
The Mission is the story of a dispute originating between a Jesuit mission and Spanish and Portuguese colonizers in the borderlands of Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil in the mid 1700s. Missions in the area offered shelter to indigenous Indians who fled from being captured and made to work as slaves on the Spanish and Portuguese plantations. Portuguese settlers would capture the Indians and then sell them to the Spanish plantation owners. Complaints about the missions reached the king of Spain who ordered the Roman Catholic church to close down the missions or risk having their activities curtailed in Europe. This all leads to acrimonious confrontations between the plantation owners and the Jesuit priests and on to a less than amicable conclusion.
Credits
Roland Joffe Director
Robert Bolt Screenplay
Robert De Niro Rodrigo Mendoza
Jeremy Irons Father Gabriel
Liam Neeson Fielding
Chuck Low Don Capesa
Ray MacAnnally Cardinal Altamirano
Questions
1. What was Rodrigo Mendoza's job at the beginning of the story?
2. What does �gdo penance�h mean?
3. What countries are involved in this film?
4. Identify the authorities in each country.
5. What church is involved?
6. What kind of power struggles do we witness in the film?
7. What are the differences between the missionaries and the plantation owners?
8. In your opinion, are the missionaries any better than the plantation owners?
9. Are there any circumstances under which you think killing is justified?
10. What did you think of the acting in this film, particularly that of De Niro and Irons?
Mixed Reaction from Roger Ebert
Quiz
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