Customer Reviews
Riveting Tale of colonial era - By: Mr. Stephen Kennedy, 05 May 2005 
I bought this movie because I am an Ennio Morricone completionist, but I was totallly unprepared for what an absorbing movie it would be.
One might think from the pedigree & the cover of the DVD that it is another Spaghetti Western of sorts, but that would be a grave injustice. The producer, Alberto Grimaldi, is indeed the long time Sergio Leone collaborator, & the opening titles could be straight from one of the dollars movies, but the film is something quite different.
The tale surrounds Marlon Brando as an Englishman sent to a Portuguese colony in the Antilles - his role, to manipulate an uprising against the Portuguese, in order for the area to be opened up to British trade, for the lucrative sugar market. His relationship with the slave who becomes a rebel leader under his guidance underpins the movie, & it is a fine performance from Brando, even if the accent is somewhat effected.
The atmosphere of the colony is brilliantly portrayed, authentic through its use of non actors in key roles & in background colour. Not least, the atmosphere is conveyed by Ennio Morricones fantastic score. This is as equallly idiosyncratic as his spaghetti western scores, but with a different flavour altogether, using tribal rhthyms & organ music to make unlikely bedfellows.
Be warned, the DVD itself has no extras, & is painfully washed out & flickers from time to time. The dubbing is not as bad as some spaghetti western lovers may be used to, but still comes across a bit strange at times. Although this would benefit from a restoration, this is a movie with a message & with character which belie the limitations of the print.
Buy this for an undiscovered Brando performance, & a terrific political tale, as long as you can thole the dubious quality of the DVD transfer itself.
7/10!
