Cuba (1979)

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.

Director:

Richard Lester

Writer:

Charles Wood

Stars:

Sean Connery, Brooke Adams, Jack Weston

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
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

Storyline

End fifties a British hireling is send to Cuba to train the Basistas. They must be trained to fight Castro's army. In Cuba he encounters an old love, who is married in the mean time. While Castro's army wins more and more their love revives...

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Plot Keywords:

cuba | revolution | mercenary | satire | christmas party | 

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Taglines:

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

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Genres:

Adventure | Romance | Thriller | War

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish French

Release Date:

21 December 1979 (USA)

Also Known As:

Explosion in Cuba

Filming Locations:

Cádiz, Andalucía, Spain

Company Credits

Production Co:

Holmby Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

122 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Prior to this movie, Brooke Adams and Sean Connery both had actually appeared in The Great Train Robbery. Connery was in a starring role whereas Adams was in a much small uncredited part. Both movies were released in 1979, that movie at the beginning of the year and this movie towards the end.

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Goofs

When they cut to the Hotel Roma about forty five minutes in, the television said Channel 6, it should have said Chanel 6. It was filmed in Spain, and the movie was about Cuba.

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Quotes

Gen. Bello: Major, tell me what your favorite weapon is, and I'll get it for you, whatever it is.
Maj. Robert Dapes: Brains!

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Connections

References Casablanca (1942)

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Soundtracks

"Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas"
(uncredited) (1943)
Written by Hugh Martin and Ralph Blane
Instrumental version heard at Christmas party

User Reviews

Remade as 1990's "Havana"?

There have been many stories of people going to countries on the eve of a revolution and finding out why there's a revolution. "Cuba" is kept afloat by strong performances. Sean Connery plays Maj. Robert Dapes, sent to Havana to help Batista fight the revolutionary army, but he soon figures out that the revolution is clearly going to succeed. In the process, he meets Alexandra (Brooke Adams), an old flame now married to a philandering cigar factory owner.

I guess that overall, there's nothing here that we haven't seen before. But the way that they filmed it gives one the feeling of a society about to explode. Also starring Jack Weston, Hector Elizondo, Denholm Elliott, Martin Balsam, Chris Sarandon, Lonette McKee, and Alejandro Rey (aka Carlos Ramirez on "The Flying Nun"). Worth seeing.

One more thing that I have to ask is whether or not Sydney Pollack remade this as "Havana". The two movies don't have the exact same plots, but they're certainly pretty close.