Salvador (1986)

A journalist, down on his luck in the US, drives to El Salvador to chronicle the events of the 1980 military dictatorship, including the assasination of Archbishop Oscar Romero. He forms an... See full summary »

Director:

Oliver Stone

Writers:

Oliver Stone, Rick Boyle

Stars:

James Woods, James Belushi, Michael Murphy

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
James Woods	...	Richard Boyle
James Belushi	...	Doctor Rock
Michael Murphy	...	Ambassador Thomas Kelly
John Savage	...	John Cassady
Elpidia Carrillo	...	María (as Elpedia Carrillo)
Tony Plana	...	Major Maximiliano 'Max' Casanova
Colby Chester	...	Jack Morgan - State Department Analyst
Cynthia Gibb	...	Cathy Moore (as Cindy Gibb)
Will MacMillan	...	Colonel Bentley Hyde Sr.
Valerie Wildman	...	Pauline Axelrod
José Carlos Ruiz	...	Archbishop Romero
Jorge Luke	...	Colonel Julio Figueroa
Juan Fernández	...	Army Lieutenant
Salvador Sánchez	...	Human Rights Leader
Rosario Zúñiga	...	Human Rights Assistant

Storyline

A journalist, down on his luck in the US, drives to El Salvador to chronicle the events of the 1980 military dictatorship, including the assasination of Archbishop Oscar Romero. He forms an uneasy alliance with both guerillas in the countryside who want him to get pictures out to the US press, and the right-wing military, who want him to bring them photographs of the rebels. Meanwhile he has to find a way of protecting his Salvadorean girlfriend and getting her out of the country.

---

Plot Keywords:

el salvador | reference to donald duck | photographer | place name in title | nun raped | 

---

Taglines:

Based on a true story.

---

Genres:

Drama | History | Thriller | War

---

Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

23 April 1986 (USA)

Also Known As:

Outpost: Salvador

Filming Locations:

Alameda County, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$4,500,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hemdale Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

122 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film was part of a cycle of pictures made during the 1980s that featured journalists covering war. The movies include Salvador, Under Fire, Circle of Deceit [Die Fälschung], Witness in the War Zone, Cry Freedom, The Killing Fields and The Year of Living Dangerously.

---

Goofs

At minute 41:44, when Major Max is giving his speech at the dinner table, as he circles the table you can clearly see the camera and boom operator reflected in the black window behind him.

---

Quotes

Richard Boyle: [drunk] Cathy, talk to Maria. I gotta get Maria back. Just talk to Father Paul, she'll listen to him.
Cathy Moore: Richard, you're forty-two years old. You're old enough to be her father, forget her.
Richard Boyle: I'm in love with her!
Doctor Rock: [also drunk] I love you, Richard.

---

Connections

Featured in Into the Valley of Death (2001)

---

Soundtracks

"El Campecino"
Written by R. De De A.
Performed by Trios Hermanos Carcamo
Courtesy of Discos Lando Records

User Reviews

Fear and Loathing in El Salvador

With a touch of the Hunter Thompsons, Oliver Stone created a quality film about reporter Richard Boyle and his troubles in El Salvador during a civil war that breaks out around him.

Compared to other Stone films, I think this is his best, he has managed to take the true story of Boyle and craft it into a film in which you actually care about the on-screen characters, something he lost later on.

The performances are classic; James Woods, he was clearly on edge and it shows, he produces one of his finest to date. Doc would really have been only a fringe character if it wasn't for the fact he was played by James Belushie in fine form, he fits into the role of the degenerate with ease, he begins as somewhat uptight, but slowly dissolves into the seedy culture of Salvador in contrast to Boyle being ostracised by everyone he deals with.

As with most Stone biopics, there is an element of "you weren't there man!" anger as he unleashed another tirade against the US government and military through this film. You can take that as you like, what I found most fascinating about this film is the similarity to Fear and Loathing, right down to the battered red car they make most of the journey in. I found it fascinating that Boyle could live the kind of story that Thompson made his name creating, the two would make a cracking team, should they not die getting the story, just make it up.

If you're undecided on Olly Stone, but haven't seen this film, give it a try before you decide whether he is an overrated paranoid madman or an impassioned filmmaker with a message in there somewhere if you can get past all the shouting.