THE MISSION

Great Britain, 1996, 125 minutes.
Robert de Niro, Jeremy Irons, Ray Mc Annally, Aidan Quinn, Liam Neeson, Daniel Berrigan, Cheri Lunghi.
Directed by Roland Joffe.

In 1758, the Vatican begins to take a highly critical view of the Jesuit missions in Paraguay. Complaints about the Jesuits include their involvment in trade activities, their influence on European rulers, their missionary work among the Indians in South America. Spain and Portugal are particularly antagonistic.

In his care for the Indians in Paraguay, Fr Gabriel travels into the mountains, attracting the Indians with his music and drawing them to the settlements. Many begin to study.

Rodrigo Mendoza, a slave trader, traps Indians and sells them to colonial families. Mendoza experiences a conversion and joins the Jesuit community. In a symbolic journey, he literally carries his armour and weapons on his back until he has to cast them off. He finds obedience difficult, especially when the missionaries have to take a stand against the military attacks by the Spanish and Portugese.

Fr Gabriel obeys orders not to take up arms and is martyred, standing in solidarity with the Indians outside the Church. Mendoza prefers to go and fight with the Indians. The soldiers also massacre them.

The Jesuit order will soon be suppressed by the Pope (1773).

Distinguished playwright and screen writer Robert Bolt wrote The Mission (and later adapted it as a novel). Bolt had received acclaim for such films as Lawrence of Arabia, Doctor Zhivago, Ryan's Daughter, Lady Caroline Lamb and The Bounty as well as for his best-known work, A Man for All Seasons. Here he combines his love for sweeping saga with his interest in religion, Church and conscience.

Filmed on location in South America and with a now-famous score by Ennio Morricone, The Mission is impressive for the eye and the ear. It is also impressive in its portrait of 18th century missionary work. It was counter-cultural to the prevailing Hispanic ethos and respectful of the Indians. The missionaries were willing to die with the Indians being oppressed by Spanish and Portuguese military might.

Robert de Niro is the slave-trader and Jeremy Irons the gentle Fr Gabriel. Aidan Quinn and Liam Neeson also appear. They were both at the beginning of their successful careers. Anti-war campaigner, Daniel Berrigan SJ, appears as a missionary. The movie was directed by Roland Joffe (The Killing Fields, City of Joy, Vatel).

1.The film’s acclaim, win at Cannes, Oscar nominations, with religious bodies?

2.The work of Robert Bolt, writer, A Man For All Seasons, a non-believer, his Catholic sensibilities and sensitivities? Insight into Catholic church history?

3.Audience knowledge of church history, attitudes, towards the 18th century, Spanish empire and Portuguese empire, in South America and colonialism? The papacy, its temporal power? Relationships with Spain and Portugal? Papal nuncios? Political decisions – and their repercussions on religious activity? The missions, the Jesuits and the building up of the Reductions in Paraguay? Their success? Social development? Religious culture? The Spanish and slavery, trade, wealth, power, the colonial attitude to religion, culture and customs (and the scene of the Indian boy singing and the Spanish and Portuguese saying that he was merely like a parrot)?

4.The location photography, Colombia and Argentina, the beauty, the waterfalls, the water, the plains, forests, the villages, the Hispanic city, the mission plant and its development? The churches?

5.The Ennio Morricone score, its themes, its contributing to the atmosphere of the film?

6.The framework of the words of the papal nuncio? Dictating his letter to the pope, his secretary, his comments about the mission, about the Spaniards and colonialism, the strict wording of the letter, his description of the Indians, the music, the making of violins? His reappearance throughout the film? Sent from Rome, his arrival, stating that he had been a Jesuit? His meeting with the authorities, meeting with the Jesuits, the various lobbying groups? His holding the plenary session, the views, the criticism of the natives? Rodrigo and his outburst, the demand for an apology? The concert? The racist attitudes of the Spanish and Portuguese authorities? Father Gabriel and his visit to the mission, the experience of the mission, his decision, the decision to close the mission? Wanting obedience? The consequences, the taking up of arms, the massacre of the innocents, especially the women and children? The final letter, mission accomplished? His questioning of the grandees about their massacre and their justification of it? The post-credits scene – and the papal nuncio looking at the audience? Judgment on him?

7.The voice-over, the description of the missions, the Indians, the music, the violins? The portrait of the priest martyr, the Indians in the jungle, putting him on the cross, the waterfall? Gabriel taking responsibility, John and Sebastian working with Gabriel, their wanting to go into the mountains, Gabriel going alone, ascending, playing the flute, attracting the Indians, the chief and his breaking the flute, the others mending it, his staying, establishing the mission? The report to the superior, the children, some converts? Changing the Indians’ way of life, trades, music? The conversions? The Indians not wanting to leave the mission when the nuncio commanded it? The decision to fight, the deaths of the Indians, the massacres of those with Father Gabriel?

8.The natives, slavery, Rodrigo hiding in the forests, above the falls, Gabriel defying him, Rodrigo reporting to Cabeza? His own personal decisions? With Carlotta, with Felipe, training the horses? Discovering Carlotta and Felipe together, his anger, quarrelling in the marketplace, Felipe chasing him, Rodrigo stabbing him to death? Carlotta and her grief? Rodrigo’s own grief, going to Gabriel, received by him, staying with him, the repentance, the change? The trek, carrying the burden of his armour and weapons, John cutting him loose, his going back down, the struggle up the mountainside, bearing the burden, the natives cutting it away, freeing him, his laughing? A new phase of his life?

9.The decision to receive Rodrigo as a novice, different, the community, the local members of the Jesuits, the way of life in the mission? The slaves being rounded up? The visit of the nuncio? Rodrigo and his temper? Gabriel asking him to compromise, his public apology – and twisting the words to attack the grandees?

10.The nuncio’s visit, seeing the mission, being delighted, listening to the singing, the detail of the way of life in the mission? Meals, assemblies, Gabriel as superior, decisions? The nuncio and his reaction? The decision that the mission must be closed? The political background? The child finding Rodrigo’s sword, giving it to him? Rodrigo practising, John and the others joining in the rebellion, Rodrigo wanting Gabriel’s blessing, Gabriel unable to give it? Not wanting blood shed? Their embrace?

11.Gabriel staying, his not wanting to live in a world where might is right, with the absence of love? His being with the women and children, taking the monstrance, coming outside the church, blessing them, advancing towards the army, his being shot?

12.The mercenaries, scaling the cliffs, the fighting tactics, the guerrilla resistance of the natives? Rodrigo and his fighting with them? The deaths, John shot in the canoe, going over the waterfall – and the mercenaries following and going over? Rodrigo, rescuing the child, the explosives on the bridge, the commander taking him away, Rodrigo shot, seeing Gabriel die?

13.The Marquis de Pombal, Portuguese and Spanish attitudes, against the church, 18th century bigotry, Spain and Portugal and their power struggle, the role of the Jesuits and their influence, the suppression of the Jesuits in 1773, the death of the missions?

14.An intelligent and sympathetic film about the Catholic church, its history, spirituality? The background of liberation theology in the latter part of the 20th century in Latin America?