The Mission

The Mission (1986) was a pet project for Fernando Ghia, who spent over a decade bringing this story of Jesuit missionaries in Paraguay to the screen. Teaming with producer David Putnam, director Roland Joffe and writer Robert Bolt, Ghia crafts a powerful epic about faith, religion and imperial politics. If The Mission isn't completely successful, it's certainly admirable in its ambitious treatment of a complex subject.

In 1750s Paraguay, Jesuit Father Gabriel (Jeremy Irons) spreads Christianity to the Guarani Indians, who are ambivalent towards his faith but receptive to his mission of brotherhood and civilization. He meets up with Mendoza (Robert De Niro), a slave trader who begs penance after killing his brother (Aidan Quinn) in a duel, and later joins Gabriel's order. When Papal legate Cardinal Altamirano (Ray McAnally) arrives to affect a Spanish-Portuguese partition, Gabriel pleads for him to preserve the missions. But Altamirano proves more receptive to the anti-Jesuit Portuguese, making a tragic showdown with the Guarani inevitable.

Visually and aurally, The Mission is undeniably luscious. Joffe provides spirited direction, with Chris Menges's beautiful rain forest photography striking the perfect note of otherworldly serenity. The movie's replete with arresting images: a crucified priest hurtling over a waterfall, the elegant missions, Gabriel's non-violent confrontation with rampaging Spanish troops. Ennio Morricone's remarkable score is among his best: for all the portentious percussion and angelic choirs, its heart is a simple oboe piece, which Gabriel uses to breach the cultural gap with the Guarani.

The Mission provides an intriguing depiction of Christianity. Gabriel's unwavering faith makes him a force for good, shielding the Guarani from slavery, redeeming Mendoza and defending the missions. Mendoza achieves penance by immersing himself in Guarani culture and renouncing violence, until events force his hand. Their delicate approach to missionary work "civilizes" the Guarani while respecting their culture; indeed, the Indians' "spirituality" manifests itself most strongly through music. Religion aside, the Jesuits' actions are unquestionably righteous, faith leading Gabriel and Mendoza to selfless acts of heroism.

Like Bolt's A Man for All Seasons, Mission depicts honorable men hamstrung by a church obsessed with temporal power. Altamirano proves the most intriguing character, a well-meaning but ineffectual bureaucrat all too aware of his failings. He responds spiritually to the Jesuits' efforts but proves more amenable to Spanish and Portuguese persuasino. Lacking the courage to disobey orders, Altamirano tearfully authorizes the Guarani's destruction: "Thus have we made the world. Thus have I made it."

Reflecting contemporary debates, the film contrasts progressive "Liberation Theology" with free market evangelism. Altamirano dismisses a priest's view of collectivization as radical; the priest retorts that he's echoing Christ's own sentiments. Later, the Spanish Governor (Chuck Low) pronounces the Jesuits' mission the work of Satan for opposing commercial exploitation! These parallels become more pointed considering the plight of Archbishop Romero and other left-wing priests in '80s Latin America. The Mission critiques organized religion without ridiculing faith, a tightrope less subtle films fail to navigate.

Yet The Mission doesn't fully flesh out its interesting ideas. Many elements feel half-baked and rushed in the 124 minute timeframe. Mendoza's early struggles are compelling and his penance and redemption beautifully rendered. But he largely disappears from the story afterwards, hence muffling the impact of his reluctant return to violence. On another level, the Guarani themselves are background characters largely without a voice. Additional time or a clearer focus may have better developed these angles.

Jeremy Irons (Elizabeth I) scores with a performane of quiet, unshakeable dignity. Robert De Niro's dour turn is less successful, sublimating a potentially intriguing character. Ray McAnally (Billy Budd) steals the show as the double-dealing Cardinal. Chuck Low (Goodfellas) and Roland Pickup (The Day of the Jackal) play venal politicians, and Liam Neeson has a small part. Father Daniel Berrigan can be briefly glimpsed as a Jesuit.

The Mission is a story of considerable power. It's quite interesting as an examination of personal faith and political treachery; a bit of fine-tuning might have made a classic.