Where the River Runs Black (1986)

An orphaned boy who was raised in the Amazon jungle is brought back to civilization by a priest who knows his father.

Director:

Christopher Cain

Writers:

Neal Jimenez, David Kendall (book),

Stars:

Charles Durning, Alessandro Rabelo, Ajay Naidu

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Charles Durning	...	Father O'Reilly
Alessandro Rabelo	...	Lazaro
Ajay Naidu	...	Segundo
Divana Brandão	...	Eagle Woman
Peter Horton	...	Father Mahoney
Castulo Guerra	...	Orlando Santos
Conchata Ferrell	...	Mother Marta
Dana Delany	...	Sister Ana
Chico Díaz	...	Raimundo (as Chico Diaz)
Marcelo Rabelo	...	Lazaro - 4 Years Old
Ariel Coelho	...	Francisco
Paulo Sergio Oliveira	...	Jose
Mario Borges	...	Brother Carlos
François Thijm	...	Luis
Geraldo Salles	...	Priest in Confessional

Storyline

Father O'Reilly, an older priest, tells the story of Father Mahoney, Eagle Woman, and their son Lazaro. It's magic realism in the Amazon. Mahoney is a radical priest who ventures upstream where the river runs black. He encounters the beautiful and enchanting Eagle Woman, who can change from a dolphin to a woman. A few years later, their child Lazaro witnesses inter-loping gold prospectors commit a brutal and traumatizing murder. He goes to the city in Father O'Reilly's care, and there he sees the murderer, who's a politician. Lazaro seeks revenge, which puts him in further danger. He runs back into the jungle, where the dolphins may be his best hope for help.

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Plot Keywords:

dolphin | jungle | escape | based on book

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Genres:

Adventure

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

19 September 1986 (USA)

Also Known As:

Lazaro

Filming Locations:

Brazil

Box Office

Gross:

$676,166 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

CBS Entertainment Production, Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Digitrac Digital Audio System

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Connections

Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Episode dated 20 September 1986 (1986)

User Reviews

Mysterious, adventurous and thought provoking.

I was fourteen years of age when I first saw this film. For me, the experience was magical. I didn't know what this film had that created an aura of mysteriousness and intrigue, but I remember seeing it again a few years later and looking everywhere to purchase a copy.

The young boy, Lazarus, has an affinity with the dolphins of the Amazon jungle and it is wonderfully captured in the screenplay. As young actors go, this boy is wonderful as Lazarus. His expressions are true to life and the scenes where he is brought from the wild to adapt to civilisation are naturally brought out. The scene where he is mischievous with his orphan friend under the water tap captures the magical experience of childhood.

The scene where his father rows quietly along the river makes you feel as if you're in the boat with him.

I think you need to watch this film two or three times to fully appreciate the story it is telling.