The Mission (1986)

 The Mission (1986)

I must be one of the only people that truly believe The Mission is a great movie. Do not get me wrong as the film got solid reviews and was a big player during awards season, but I do not believe it got the true recognition it deserves. This movie is a passionate, fiery film about religion and imperialism. It comes as no surprise that Roland Joffe is the man behind the camera as he tackled the likewise passionate The Killing Fields. The film expresses some important ideas within the historic background. As an avid student of history, the entire Jesuit history in South America perked interest in me. To me, it comes as no surprise that the film is powerfully directed by Joffe with two outstanding performances from Robert De Niro and Jeremy Irons.

 

The film was written by Robert Bolt. I really liked how Bolt decided to tell this story. The story is mostly told in flashbacks through a series of letters. This could have easily gone astray but Bolt kept everything on track and made the story believable. His screenplay was able to bring the history to the screen. By that, I mean that he was able to bring forth the differences between the imperialist slave traders who wanted to use the natives and their lands for riches and slaves, while the Jesuits believe they can turn the natives, the Guarani, into peaceful Christians. The story was based on the Treaty of Madrid which in 1750, Spain ceded some South American territory to the Portuguese who wanted to use the natives for slavery which Spain had abolished at the time. Interesting stuff!

 

You cannot talk about the movie without talking about Ennio Morricone’s score, which is definitely a gift from heaven itself. Talk about getting emotional multiple times during the movie. Thank you, Ennio! From “Gabriel’s Oboe” to the haunting choir rendition of “Ave Maria,” this is one of the best scores of all time. Also, Chris Menges’s Oscar-winning cinematography. Even though the movie was released in 1986, his views of the South American jungles are stunning. Maybe its that waterfall, but this could make a good travel movie in terms of location as it was filmed in Brazil and Argentina.

 

The film centers around Father Gabriel (Jeremy Irons), a missionary whose goal is to transform the native Guarani into Christians. It is hard work for him considering they deeply mistrust white men in general for their thieving and murdering ways. Rodrigo Mendoza (Robert De Niro) is an unlikely addition to the mission as he seeks redemption from the tragic death of his half-brother. The arrival of Cardinal Altamirano (Ray McAnally) spells trouble when he brings news that the land is now Portugal’s and they want to enslave the natives. Mendoza, a former slaver, wants to fight back with armed rebellion but Gabriel believes in the power of prayer. Can these two men put aside their differences in order to save the mission?

 

The performances from the two men are nothing short of excellent. Robert De Niro is awesome as usual and I loved his headstrong, emotional performance. That said, this is Jeremy Irons’s movie. He nailed it as the priest. This is actually one of those performances that will convince people to become a priest…or at least help people that are in need. His final scenes are powerful and will never leave my mind. Any Liam Neeson or Aidan Quinn fans reading this? If so, keep your eyes peeled!

 

Overall, I believe The Mission to be a great movie. If I had to make a complaint, the battle scenes can be confusing because the editing is choppy at certain points. Regardless, I loved the message this movie relayed. It is a complicated story thematically with different ideas about religion and colonialism. It also talks about a sad history that I am positive not many people know about. Joffe’s sure-handed and fiery direction, Irons’s godly performance, and Morricone’s triumphant score make this film an emotional must-see.

 

My Grade: A