MOON OVER PARADOR

US, 1988, 105 minutes, Colour.
Richard Dreyfuss, Raul Julia, Sonia Braga, Marianne Sagebrecht, Jonathan Winters, Sammy Davis Jr.
Directed by Paul Mazursky.

Moon Over Parador is a pleasing parody of South American politics. Richard Dreyfuss brings subtlety to a role that could have been hammed up: a film star who takes the place of a dead president for a year. While the film is played for laughs, there is a strong feeling underneath for the so-called banana republics, their poverty, CIA influences and the wealthy families and exploiters (and ex-Nazi connections). It is The Prisoner of Zenda transferred to the Third World with a touch of hope of oppressed peoples and a touch of critique for American foreign policy. It is a Paul Mazursky film with Raul Julia as a jokingly sinister power broker and Sonya Braga as an Eva Peron on the side of good. Mazursky's other films range from Bob and Carol and Ted and Alice to Blume In Love to Down and Out in Beverly Hills to Moscow on the Hudson.

1.Enjoyable comedy, satire? Latin America? U.S. policy? The nature of acting - in theatre, in politics?

2.Parador and the Latin American landscapes, lifestyle, carnival, the affluent palace? The musical score and the songs?

3.The title of the film, echoes of Moon Over Miami, the play on Paraguay and Ecuador? Romance and hope, a touch of the moonstruck?

4.Jack and the casting office, telling the story to his friends? Flashbacks, the end, whether to believe him or not? The television with Madonna and the people? His achievement?

5.Filming in Parador, Jack's acting, the stunt work, the light touch, the end of the film, the cast working amongst themselves, the reception, the president and his style, Jack invited to mimic him?

6.Meeting his friend the businessman (and the CIA irony later)? The carnival and its images, Jack mugged, the president at the carnival, Roberto with him, his heart attack and death? Political crisis?

7.Jack and Roberto, the friendship, the proposition in the car, in the freezer, the job? Make-up, meeting people, Jack testing himself out with the staff (and they able to see through him)? The talk, his decision to keep on going? Mannerisms of the president, practising?

8.Jack and Roberto and the film fan talk and knowledge? Jack learning, the videos, the making of the speech and winning the hearts of the people? Settling in, getting used to the people? Meeting Madonna, off guard, the truth? The bond and the rapport between the two? His taking her with him on journeys? Jack as president - the performance, the quality of acting, the amount of applause?

9.The beginnings of trouble, the CIA influences, the television incident with Ed Asner visiting the guerrillas? The guerrilla warfare and training? The opening and the carry-on by the president? The attack, the deaths, his escape, disguised as a woman? Getting back to the palace? Roberto and Jack's reaction to repression and the burning of the village?

10.Jack's change, going on television, apologising - and the ironic approbation of the CIA officer? His plans and wanting to improve Parador, the support of Madonna?

11.Roberto's presence in the country, his power, his restaurant? His appearance, Germanic? The barber? The ruling clique and their meetings, power and control?

12.The new film, Link and his stunt work? The plan, the assassination stunt, Jack's escape, flying away, the farewell to Madonna?

13.Jack's achievement for himself, the comparisons to de Niro and Hoffman? Wanting to be in plays? The larger audience, the quality of the performance, humanity? The relationship with Madonna? A saviour-figure for the people?

14.The satire on the life of Latin America, its exuberance, government and dictators, cliques and figureheads, pomp and style, echoes of Marcos wealth and extravagance? The people and their support? Need for changes? The government exploiting the people, even destroying them? Guerrilla warfare? Echoes of American policy in Central America in the '80s, the CIA and Nicaragua?

15.A gently telling comedy about humanity and politics? A Prisoner of Zenda of the Third World?