A masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (21 November 2016)

When Spain and Portugal colonized South America the Amerindians were the main losers. European diseases killed thousands but many more were eventually killed by new settlers. However, in Europe, intellectuals debated the possibility of Indians having souls (the certainty that black people had no soul was the excuse used to allow their slavery without remorse). Okay... for us, all this seems horrible and surreal because we learn with this mistakes and change the way we think but, at that time, this debate was very important. If it were true, then it was an universal duty to evangelize the Indians and protect them from slavery. It's in this context that Jesuit missions are founded, going against the will of the settlers, who had every interest in maintaining that source of cheap labour (keep in mind that European settlers were a minority in the new lands, despite Spain and Portugal sent millions of men there). The action of the Jesuit priests, though blessed by the Church, displeased the two empires, which saw themselves, from time to time, at war because of the exact demarcation of their frontiers in that region. And it's precisely in this historical context that the film unfolds, portraying the efforts of the priests to protect the Indians and their missions, and the governmental attempts to get them closed. Portugal, in particular, maintained in this period a bad relation with the Jesuits, that would end up being expelled from the Kingdom few years after the period portrayed in the film.
The film is truly capable of humanizing all these issues, showing a human side that is often overlooked in history lessons. The merit goes to Robert Bolt, who wrote the screenplay, and to director Roland Joffé, whose efforts deserve no negative note. The film has excellent characters and a luxury cast. Father Gabriel (Jeremy Irons) represents very well the ideals of the Jesuits, imbued with the combative and evangelizing spirit that still characterizes this Catholic order today. Irons was totally at ease with the character and made, in this film, one of the most remarkable work of his career. Robert De Niro gave life to Don Rodrigo Mendoza, a contradictory character who begins by being one of the most active captors of Indians. His redemption, however, leads him to join the missionary effort to the point of becoming one of his most active advocates. And how interesting it was to see De Niro in a human and emotional role, in such an obvious contrast with the characters he usually represents... The film also features Ray McAnally as a cardinal sent by the pope to evaluate the complaints of the Iberian kingdoms.
The shooting sites are magnificent. The film was partially shot in Iguazú Falls, in the South of Brazil, very close to the places where these dramas were felt in real life. Finally, it's necessary to mention the incomparable original soundtrack composed by Enio Morricone, still considered today one of the most emotional, touching and melodious already created for the cinema.