"The Mission"

Title: "The Mission"

Director: Roland Joffe
Producers: F. Ghia and D. Puttnam
Editing: Jim Clark
Composer: Ennio Morricone
Starring:
- Robert De Niro as Rodrigo Mendoza
- Jeremy Irons as Father Gabriel
- Ray McAnally as Cardinal Altamirano
- Liam Neeson as Fielding
- Cherie Lunghi as Carlotta
- Ronald Pickup as Hontar
- Chuck Low as Cabeza
- Aidan Quinn as Felipe Mendoza

Plot and Critical Review: The film is set in the 1750s and involves the "Jesuit Reductions", a programme by which the Catholic Church sought to convert and "civilize" the indigenous native populations of South America. Spanish Jesuit priest Father Gabriel enters the South American jungle to build a mission and convert a Guarani community to Christianity. Fr. Gabriel knows he is on a dangerous quest as the last priest to enter Guarani territory was rejected and killed. Undaunted, Father Gabriel scales the falls and reaches out to the Guaraní. Guarani warriors encircle Father Gabriel and prepare to kill him but are captivated when Father Gabriel begins to play an oboe. They become enchanted by his music and allow him to live, welcoming him into their village.

During his first few days with the Guarani Father Gabriel meets Rodrigo Mendoza, a mercenary and slave trader who makes his living kidnapping natives and selling them to nearby plantations. When Mendoza returns to civilization with his recent capture his fiancée, Carlotta, reveals that she is in love with his brother, Felipe. He loves them both, but cannot stand Carlotta's betrayal. Mendoza bursts into Felipe's home and finds Felipe and Carlotta in bed together. In his anger Mendoza kills Felipe in a duel. Acquitted of the killing, Mendoza spirals into depression. Father Gabriel, who has temporarily returned from his mission and learned of Mendoza's situation, visits and challenges Mendoza to undertake a suitable penance for his sins.

Mendoza accompanies the Jesuits on their return journey to the Guarani, but is made to pull a bundle filled with weapons and armor as the party scales the Iguazu Falls. After Mendoza collapses from exhaustion Father Fielding cuts away the bundle, but Mendoza recovers and re-ties the bundle, resuming the grueling journey. Fielding discusses with Father Gabriel that he and the others believe Mendoza has suffered enough, but Father Gabriel replies that only God and Mendoza may decide that. When they reach the Guarani camp a member of the tribe, who knew Mendoza only as a mercenary, threatens to cut his throat. Instead, he cuts the ropes and rolls the bundle into the river, freeing Mendoza from his burden. Symbolically absolved of his brother's murder and his past transgressions against the Guarani, Mendoza weeps and then begins to laugh.

Father Gabriel's mission is depicted as a place of sanctuary and education for the Guarani. Moved by the Guarani's acceptance, Mendoza wishes to help at the mission. Father Gabriel gives Mendoza a Bible and after spending time reading the Scriptures and devoting himself to prayer, Mendoza tells Father Gabriel he desires to become a priest. Mendoza makes the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience and becomes a Jesuit under Father Gabriel.

The Jesuit missions were hitherto safe, as they were protected under Spanish law, which applied because the Jesuit missions were located in Spanish territory. However, in Spain and Portugal, the Treaty of Madrid is signed, which reapportions the land in South America. The land on which the Jesuit missions were located was now transferred to the Portuguese, and Portuguese law allowed slavery and would not defend the Guarani from slave trade activity. The Portuguese colonials seek to enslave the natives, and as the independent Jesuit missions might impede this, Papal emissary Cardinal Altamirano, a former Jesuit priest himself, is sent from the Vatican to survey the missions and decide which, if any, should be allowed to remain.

Under pressure from both local plantation owners and the Spanish and Portuguese rulers, Cardinal Altamirano is forced to choose the lesser of two evils. If he rules in favour of the colonists, the indigenous peoples will become enslaved; if he rules in favour of the missions, the entire Jesuit Order may be condemned by the Portuguese and the European Catholic Church could fracture. Altamirano visits the missions and is amazed at their industry and success. In his report to the Pope, he states, "Your Holiness, a surgeon to save the body must often hack off a limb. But in truth nothing could prepare me for the beauty and the power of the limb that I had come here to sever." At Father Gabriel's mission of San Carlos he tries to explain the reasons behind closing the mission and instructs the Guarani that they must leave. The Guarani question his authority, and Father Gabriel and Mendoza state their intention to defend the Mission should the plantation owners and colonialists attack. Though of one mind, the priests are divided on how to do this, for Father Gabriel believes that violence is a direct crime against God. Mendoza, however, decides to break his vows in order to militarily defend the Mission. Against Father Gabriel's wishes, he takes up his sword and teaches the natives the art of war.

When the colonialists attack, the mission is initially defended by Mendoza, Fielding and the Guarani. They are no match for the military force and Mendoza is shot and fatally wounded. As the Spanish and Portuguese soldiers enter the mission village, they are slowed by the singing of Father Gabriel and the Guarani women and children, who march toward the troops unarmed, singing and holding a cross and monstrance with the Blessed Sacrament. The soldiers are reluctant to fire at a crowd. In spite of this, the soldiers' commander orders the attack and Father Gabriel, the rest of the priests and most of the Guarani, including women and children, are gunned down. Only a handful escape into the jungle.

In a final exchange between Cardinal Altamirano and a Portuguese official, the latter laments that what happened was unfortunate but inevitable because "we must work in the world; the world is thus." Altamirano replies, "No, Senhor Hontar, thus have we made the world. Thus have I made it."

"The Mission" is one of the more curious films in the cinematic canon for it is both highly praised, and, at times, unknown. It did not show well in theaters, but that is probably because it was released on an extremely limited level. How "extremely limited"? It opened in one theater. It did go on to gain popularity, however, eventually winning one Oscar (Best Cinematography) out of 7 nominations. More importantly, "The Mission" was awarded the Palm d'Or (Golden Palm) at the Cannes Film Festival. That might not seem like much to an American audience such as we are, but the Palm d'Or (alongside the Golden Lion of Venice and the Golden Bear of Berlin) is widely considered one of the highest honors a film can receive on a global level. In many ways it is far more indicative of true cinematic greatness than any award the Academy can offer.

"The Mission" was never a moneymaker (it failed to make back it's budget), but many critics have pointed to its value as a spiritual film, often lifting it up as one of the more authentic and emotionally genuine "religious films" of our time. The Church Times, an independent Anglican newspaper, named "The Mission" the Number One Religious Film of all time. It also holds rankings on many other lists of "spiritually significant" films. "The Mission" is not an easy film to watch, but the value of watching it endures far beyond the closing credits.

My Rating: 8/10

Content to Caution:
V-3 - A tolerable amount of gore, but many are killed by the knife, sword, and bullet.
L-1.5 - No comment.
DU-1 - No comment.
RT-3.5 - The Guarani are targeted by slave traders, and their land is fought over by political forces.
H/S-2 - No comment.
CH-.5 - No comment.
S/N-? - There is "native nudity" through most of the film. There is one scene in which a couple is interrupted while kissing, and though they were naked no "sexual nudity" was shown.

The "Reel Revelation": "A Season of Penance"

Prostrate, dear Jesus, at Thy feet,
A guilty rebel lies;
And upwards, to Thy mercy-seat,
Presumes to lift his eyes. (Samuel Stennett)

Few are the stories of penance and conversion as bold and striking as the one which is provided in this film; the story of of Rodrigo Mendoza. And while "The Mission" deals with many topics and issues on spiritual, ethical, political, and historical levels, penance seems the most fitting for reflection, especially as we journey through the Season of Lent; a Season of Penance.

Some people think of penance as contrition or confession. Some might think of a Roman Catholic priest telling a person to say so many of this or that prayer at the end of the Sacrament of Confession. Others might think of a physical act one might commit in order to gain a sense of peace or nearness to God. All of these conceptions are true so long as they point to the goal of penance in whatever form; a conversion of the heart.

If penance is indeed a sort of conversion, then it must begin where all true conversion begins; within the heart. Lest we get too caught up in the sentiment, that's the very same heart of which Jeremiah spoke:

"The heart is more deceitful than all else

And is desperately sick;

Who can understand it?" (Jeremiah 17:9)

Oh...that heart. Conversion in that heart?! To the same end Solomon wrote:

"Who can say, "I have cleansed my heart,

I am pure from my sin?" (Proverbs 20:9)

Based on these readings, it looks like we're in for quite the journey. We are. God's saving grace comes in an instant, but the crucible of conversion lasts a lifetime as God continually refines, cleanses, and shapes us; creating within us clean hearts full of the joy of our salvation (Psalm 51). Penance is our recognition of God's work and our way of participating in that refining, cleansing, and shaping. Penance helps us walk away from sinful behavior and set our feet on the path of righteousness. But penance is not a fun-and-games sort of exercise, for through penance we come face to face with our sinfulness, just as Mendoza faced his own in "The Mission". Are you ready to face yours?

When you were a child, did you ever do something that angered your parents? Think of something big. Think of the worst thing you ever did as a child that got you in trouble. When the time came for you to confess your wrongdoing, were you sorry for what you had done? Some of you might say "no", and perhaps you did the same thing again, or many more times! But I suspect most of you will say "yes", that you were sorry for what you had done, and that you probably did not repeat the offense. That is the key; sorrow. If we are not truly sorry for our sins, how much more likely is it that we'll repeat them?

Centuries ago, penance (and the act of contrition) took a much different shape than it does now. Some would practice flagellantism in which they would whip themselves in order to truly experience the sufferings of Christ. This would often be done in public or as part of a public ritual. To that end there were also many forms of public penance, even to the point that some that bordered on humiliation. Did this lead people to be sorry for their sins? I'd imagine so, but it also instilled great fear in the masses; fear of how worse their next penance would be if they sinned again. Effective, but brutal.

Our penance should not be like theirs, especially if it leads to fear in any form. Let our penance help us to realize the gravity and reality of our sinfulness, yes, but may it turn our hearts toward Christ, and not toward fear. May it turn our lives away from sin altogether, for it is in that constant turning that we experience the true conversion of the heart. And that conversion must occur daily, and so our penance must become a sort of daily exercise that will remind us of how deeply sin affects our lives. There are some who present Christianity as a sort of spiritual escape from sin; as a religion that offers people the chance to never have to think on the bad things in life because God is so good. You might even be able to pull it off for a while, going about your day caught up in the bliss of God's blessings. And then, the Cross. Still smiling? There's a man hanging there. He's bleeding. He's crying. He's dying because of what we have done, and what we'll do, and what we'll continue to do until the end. You can't get to the Tomb without coming to grips with the Tragedy of the Cross. Penance.

If we had to do it on our own, this conversion of the heart, we would have to accept failure before even trying. Let us give thanks to God that we do not have to do it alone, for we walk with the Savior, with He who was without sin, and He leads us in the journey of turning from sin itself, the journey of turning from sin and facing the light of Eternal Life. Where does the journey begin?

Prostrate, dear Jesus, at Thy feet,

A guilty rebel lies;
And upwards, to Thy mercy-seat,
Presumes to lift his eyes.

See you tomorrow- E.T.