Customer Reviews
| Rating |  | | Date | April 16, 2005 | | Summary | WHERE IS THE DVD? | Content
 | This great film has been extensively reviewed on this website and for good reason--perfect casting, terrific acting, gripping story, intelligent dialogue, superior production. What more can you ask for?
The DVD has been 'hinted at' for well over a year. WHERE IS IT? How can a film this great not have a DVD release, ESPECIALLY WHEN this website has been indicating for a VERY long time that it will be out on DVD?
Kathy Bates as the wife of a missionary who goes loco (that is, she does, not the missionary). Darryl Hannah as another wife of a missionary who's more than intrigued by the native Amazon culture--in particular when she's approached by Tom Berenger, former small craft pilot, who's undergone a startling transformation. Even Tom Waits in a small part is great. John Lithgow and Aidan Quinn as the two missionaries supply the right chemistry to exacerbate the tension that drives this story with a momentum that does not let up.
This is a near-perfect film. SO WHERE IS THE DVD? |
| Rating | | | Date | December 28, 2004 | | Summary | Illusions of the white man | Content
| After watching this movie it made me more aware that the so called civilization of 'primitive' cultures is generally more destructive than helpful.
It showed how we have to make everything our way - but it also shows that people who choose to live among different cultures in understanding get farther.
But to end all scenes is when Kathy Bates has a nervous break down and dances around naked, covered in mud and shaking palm branches - as serious as I take the movie this particular scene has me rolling in laughter! |
| Rating | | | Date | December 10, 2004 | | Summary | Viewer Discretion Required!!! | Content
| Do not watch this movie if you are looking for entertainment that a regular movie usually provides. Let me warn you- this movie has no romantic themes which make people want to slip into the characters and enter a dreamy world neither does it have any dramatic action sequence where the `bad guy' finally gets killed and you are left with the feeling that the world is once more `safe'. This is a movie about conflicts rising up from cultural differences and the consequences they might finally lead to. This is a movie that shows obvious sides of human life but it will make you really uncomfortable.
Leslie Huben (John Lithgow) a missionary head who believes he can share the greater glory of God by converting the Niaruna Indians into Christians. As a result of his religious hypocrisy, he is far away from winning the trust of the Indians. Instead he ends up losing the trust of his own wife. On the other hand Lewis Moon (Tom Berenger), a half-breed Indian, leaves all his western attachments and attempts to become one of the tribe members. For the Niaruna Indians the strange people that encroach upon their land become a threat to their own existence. Although Moon learns to speak and look like an Indian, he remains a `white man' in the eyes of the Indians because of his acquired western values. After all the efforts, Moon is still in search for his identity.
The chaos that is created by the cultural clashes is really disturbing. This movie certainly focuses on the problems from different viewpoints and the understanding about different cultures is much deepened. However, the answers just seem to raise more questions and the solution of the problem seems ever elusive. With the present global condition with many cultural dominances and religious wars, this movie raises quite relevant questions. Giving our thoughts to those questions may be quite challenging but it will certainly be very rewarding. I wish you greatest level of conscience for watching the movie.
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| Rating | | | Date | December 09, 2004 | | Summary | Eye-opener | Content
| This movie, having not read the book, was great. It is filmed on site, in the Amazon, which makes everything seem much more realistic and really makes an impact. Also, the casting was very good I thought. John Lithgow played a great crooked missionary and definitely fit the part. This is one of those movies you are told in class that we have to watch and you dread it, until it actually starts. It is definitely a long movie, but I don't think I took my eyes off the television set until it was over, and then wanted to watch parts again. I especially liked how actual natives were used in the movie. It emphasized how real their culture was and the impact the Americans were making on it. The missionaries pretty much destroyed their life and culture by trying to convert them to Christianity. They had no right to change everything, they weren't hurting anyone, in fact, they had their way of life and just didn't want someone else changing it. You see the negative impact of the Americans when almost everyone in the tribe falls sick to influenza. They had never been exposed to an illness like that, and it kills tons of them. The missionaries came to "save" the Niaruna, but actually ended up killing many of them. This movie also shows how a "half-breed", Moon struggles with himself to find his place. He ends up in the village with the natives, trying to be one of them, but realizes he is still a white man. Altogether a great film, and I would recommend it to anyone that wants a real eye-opener to how different cultures are. |
| Rating | | | Date | December 09, 2004 | | Summary | Tragic Mission.... | Content
| The first thing I noticed about the film, "A Play in the Fields of the Lord" is that it was very, very long. There was a very complex plot line to the film, and no possible aspect of the story was left untouched. Although it may not have the superficial `happy ending' which some viewers might crave, the story presents a strong, and fascinating message to the viewer, and left me entertained. Personally, I enjoy a film that leaves me thinking at the end, and this film, with its many complex themes and social criticisms does exactly that.
The story revolves around two missionary couple who try their luck to convert the "savages" in the rain forests of South America. Their optimistic journey becomes tragic as things start to go wrong and tragedy strikes. The story provides an in depth look into native culture and religion.
Casting for this film was exceptional. Both Aiden Quinn and Kathy Bates were perfect for their roles and the Quarrier couple. Having seen the movie now, I want to read the book, and if you are someone who has already read the book, you should definitely watch this film!
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