The Comedians (1967)

Set in the Haiti of "Papa Doc" Duvalier, The Comedians tells the story of a sardonic white hotel owner and his encroaching fatalism as he watches Haiti sink into barbarism. Complications ... See full summary »

Director:

Peter Glenville

Writers:

Graham Greene (novel), Graham Greene (screenplay)

Stars:

Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, Alec Guinness

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 3 wins.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Richard Burton	...	Brown
Elizabeth Taylor	...	Martha Pineda
Alec Guinness	...	Major H. O. Jones
Peter Ustinov	...	Ambassador Manuel Pineda
Paul Ford	...	Smith
Lillian Gish	...	Mrs. Smith
Georg Stanford Brown	...	Henri Philipot
Roscoe Lee Browne	...	Petit Pierre
Gloria Foster	...	Mrs. Philipot
James Earl Jones	...	Dr. Magiot
Zakes Mokae	...	Michel
Douta Seck	...	Joseph
Raymond St. Jacques	...	Captain Concasseur
Cicely Tyson	...	Marie Therese

Storyline

Set in the Haiti of "Papa Doc" Duvalier, The Comedians tells the story of a sardonic white hotel owner and his encroaching fatalism as he watches Haiti sink into barbarism. Complications include a friendship with a rebel leader, politically "charged" hotel guests, an affair with the wife of a European ambassador, and the manipulations of a conniving British arms dealer.

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Plot Keywords:

haiti | arms dealer | rebel | bribery | tears | 

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Taglines:

They lie, they cheat, they destroy...they even try to love.

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Approved

Details

Country:

USA France

Language:

English French Haitian Spanish

Release Date:

31 October 1967 (USA)

Also Known As:

Los comediantes

Filming Locations:

Benin

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM), Maximillian Productions, Trianon Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

150 min 152 min (TCM print)

Sound Mix:

70 mm 6-Track

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

To get Elizabeth Taylor to do the film at a "bargain" salary, producer/director Peter Glenville told her that he had offered it to Sophia Loren. She promptly cut her customary $1 million salary in half and signed on.

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Goofs

In the last few shots in the movie, as the Character is leaving the airport, there is initially a departing Vickers VC10 airliner flying overhead from right to left, this changes to a close up, followed by a shot of the same airliner now flying into the distance - unfortunately this is different 4 engine Jetliner, probably a Boeing 707.

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Quotes

Dr. Magiot: Papa Doc allows us to study the theory of communism. If there were no communists at all, what help would he get from the United States?

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Connections

Featured in Lionpower from MGM (1967)

User Reviews

overly long story of unrest in Haiti

Based on the novel by Graham Greene, The Comedians is a look at Haiti that nearly 40 years later remains the same - political unrest, poverty, corruption, and brutality. Set during the time of Papa Doc, the story centers on Richard Burton as the white owner of a hotel left to him by his mother. He is in love with the wife (Elizabeth Taylor) of an ambassador (Peter Ustinov) and has managed to remain apolitical. However, events force him to enter the fray.

The Comedians holds one's interest, although it's on the long side. The cast is remarkable: Burton, Alec Guinness, Peter Ustinov, Taylor, James Earl Jones, Lillian Gish, Georg Stanford Brown, Roscoe Lee Brown, and, in a small role, Cicely Tyson. Taylor is very beautiful, although her accent is all over the place. She sounds French in the beginning, then English, then like Elizabeth Taylor, and then in the middle of the movie, we find out she's German.

Though Burton went the schlock for cash route in his career, he was a wonderful, handsome actor with a remarkable voice. Towards the end of the film, he has a scene with Guinness that is well worth the wait - two great actors in a subdued and remarkable scene.

The Haitian scenery belies what lies underneath. It's a film that is perhaps more timely today than it was in 1967.