Cuba (1979)

User Rating:

5.6/10   

Director:

Richard Lester

Writer:

Charles Wood (writer)

Release Date:

21 December 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Thriller | War

Tagline:

Part Heaven... Part Hell... Pure Havana.

Plot:

A British mercenary arrives in pre-Revolution Cuba to help train the corrupt General Batista's army against Castro's guerrillas while he also romances a former lover now married to an unscrupulous plantation owner.

Plot Keywords:

Cuba | Revolution | Mercenary | Infidelity | 1950s

Cast

Sean Connery	...	Maj. Robert Dapes
Brooke Adams	...	Alexandra Lopez de Pulido
Jack Weston	...	Larry Gutman
Hector Elizondo	...	Capt. Raphael Ramirez
Denholm Elliott	...	Donald Skinner
Martin Balsam	...	Gen. Bello
Chris Sarandon	...	Juan Pulido
Danny De La Paz	...	Julio Mederos
Lonette McKee	...	Therese Mederos
Alejandro Rey	...	Faustino
Louisa Moritz	...	Miss Wonderly
Dave King	...	Miss Wonderly's Press Agent
Walter Gotell	...	Don Jose Pulido
David Rappaport	...	Jesus
Wolfe Morris	...	Gen. Fulgencio Batista

Runtime:

122 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 | Australia:M | Sweden:15 | Finland:K-16 | USA:R | UK:12 (cut) | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Cádiz, Andalucía, Spain

Company:

Holmby Pictures

Trivia:

The role of Alexandra was offered to Diana Ross who turned it down.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The story is supposed to take place in 1959 but the limousine is a 1961 Chrysler.

Quotes:

Maj. Robert Dapes: Why were those people shot?
Capt. Raphael Ramirez: Perhaps they tried to escape.
Maj. Robert Dapes: From what?
Capt. Raphael Ramirez: From being shot.
Maj. Robert Dapes: But how did they know they were rebels?
Capt. Raphael Ramirez: Because they tried to escape.
Maj. Robert Dapes: Well, wouldn't you?
Capt. Raphael Ramirez: Of course.
Maj. Robert Dapes: Are you a rebel?
Capt. Raphael Ramirez: If I try to escape, I am. Wasn't it the same in Malaya? You didn't know them till they ran.
[...]

Movie Connections:

Features Dracula (1958)

A fascinating character study

Set during the days leading up to Castro's revolution in 1959, "Cuba" is a wide-ranging character study that also happens to be a convincing portrayal of the unrest -- political, social and otherwise -- surrounding that event. It also has a great cast attached to it, including Sean Connery, Brooke Adams, Chris Sarandon, Martin Balsam, Denholm Elliott and Jack Weston (who is particularly good as the opportunistic American businessman). And look for David Rappaport -- future Time Bandit -- in a small role (sorry, bad joke) as the cigar factory overseer.

This was director Richard Lester's fifth and final film with writer Charles Wood, a collaboration which produced such 1960s classics as "The Knack," "Help!," "How I Won the War" and "The Bed Sitting Room." "Cuba," which came ten years later, can most definitely be added to that list.