The Mission (DVD)

Winning the 1987 Oscar for the best cinematography, and recipient of many other international awards – including several for Ennio Morricone's evocative musical score – this British production is set in the South American jungle during the 18th century. Jesuit missionary Father Gabriel (Jeremy Irons) ventures into hitherto unexplored territory with the aim of establishing a mission in order to civilise and Christianise the indigenous population. His efforts are hindered by the likes of mercenary and slave trader, Rodrigo Mendoza (Robert De Niro) who – paradoxically – later later becomes a convert himself!

An investigation team is sent by the church in order to report back its findings on the work claiming to being achieved at this and other missions in the area; allegedly in the interests of religion. However, the team is already in the pockets of either the Spanish or Portuguese politicians; two violently opposed factions – one of which simply regards the converts at the mission as being nothing more than savages and wild animals.

To my pleasant surprise, Jeremy Irons makes an excellent priest; while apart from De Niro, the hand-picked cast also includes Aidan Quinn; Cherie Lungie; Ronald Pickup; and Liam Neeson.

Not always a comfortable film to watch, it is deftly handled by Oscar-nominated director Roland Joffe... and is a significantly satisfying contribition to being one of the best films of the 1980's.

A visually stunning epic, THE MISSION recounts the true story of two men--a man of the sword (Robert De Niro) and a man of the cloth (Jeremy Irons)--both Jesuit missionaries who defied the colonial forces of mighty Spain and Portugal to save an Indian tribe from slavery in mid-18th-century South America. Mendoza (De Niro) is a slave trader and colonial imperialist who murdered his own brother (Aidan Quinn) and seeks penance for his sins by becomining a missionary at Father Gabriel's (Irons) mountaintop mission; Gabriel is a devout and idealistic man who extols nonviolence and peaceful interaction with the natives and colonialists. Despite their differences, the two men must unite to save the mission when Spain, Portugal, and the Catholic church begin negotiating their boundaries in the area negotiations that will affect both the freedom of the natives and the well-being of the Jesuit missionaries who have set up safe havens for them. Director Roland Joffe's sweeping masterpiece is a haunting account of the unjust treatment of the Guarani Indians of South America and the men who fought desperately, in very different ways, to save them. The film features a mezmerising musical score by Ennio Morricone that weaves a stunning combination of church choirs and native Indian panpipes into the lush images of the Brazilian rainforest.

General

Studio:	Warner Bros
Country of origin:	South Africa
Release date:	August 2004
Actors:	Jeremy Irons • Liam Neeson • Robert De Niro
Dimensions:	192 x 137 x 15mm (L x W x T)
Format:
Video format:	Widescreen 2.35:1
Age restriction:	PG
Categories:	DVD > Drama DVD > Feature Film
LSN:	XYY-VEP-4FH-6
Barcode:	6003805040633

Is the information for this product incomplete, wrong or inappropriate? Let us know about it.

Does this product have an incorrect or missing image? Send us a new image.

Is this product missing categories? Add more categories.

Review This Product

No reviews yet - be the first to create one!