At Play in the Fields of the Lord (1991)

User Rating:

6.4/10   

Director:

Hector Babenco

Writers:

Hector Babenco (writer)
Jean-Claude Carrière (writer)

Release Date:

6 December 1991 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Tagline:

An adventure beyond the limits of civilization, faith and passion.

Plot:

Martin and Hazel Quarrier are small-town fundamentalist missionaries sent to the jungles of South America to convert the Indians...

Plot Keywords:

Missionary | Tribe | Civilization | Ancient Religion | Bravery

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 1 win

Cast

Tom Berenger	...	Lewis Moon
John Lithgow	...	Leslie Huben
Daryl Hannah	...	Andy Huben
Aidan Quinn	...	Martin Quarrier
Tom Waits	...	Wolf
Kathy Bates	...	Hazel Quarrier
Stênio Garcia	...	Boronai
Nelson Xavier	...	Father Xantes
José Dumont	...	Commandante Guzman
Niilo Kivirinta	...	Billy Quarrier
S. Yriwana Karaja	...	Aeore
Jose Renato Lana	...	Uyuyu
Ruy Polanah	...	Kori
Carlos Xavante	...	Tukanu
Ione Machado	...	Pindi

MPAA:

Rated R for language and sensuality.

Runtime:

189 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Certification:

Australia:M | Argentina:13 | Finland:K-12 | Netherlands:AL | Spain:13 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Belém, Pará, Brazil

Trivia:

The town of Mae de Deus was constructed on a large piece of land owned by Pirelli. After filming, the set was distributed to the locals as firewood.

Quotes:

Leslie Huben: Moon, you're under the influence of a dangerous drug, we need to know where you are.
Lewis Moon: I'm at play... in the fields of the Lord. At play... in the fields... of the Lord...

Movie Connections:

Featured in The 69th Annual Academy Awards (1997) (TV)

Soundtrack:

Halfway to Heaven

Highly underrated

Directed by Academy Award nominated Argentinian-Brazilian writer-director Hector Babenco and co-written by a longtime Luis Buñuel collaborator Jean Claude Carriere this is a breathtakingly beautiful, masterfully directed film, that features a story of two protestant missionary couples from a small town in U.S. that come to Amazonia with an intent to preach to the wild Indians of the area and an American pilot, wonderfully played by Tom Berenger, who feels atracted to the way of life of the Indians and joins and lives with them. Following the life of it´s protagonists in Amazonian forest, the film explores many subjects, such as: religious fanaticism and intolerance, ecology, destructive external influence on an unique Indian culture and, of cause, lust and greed. It´s slowly paced and has a duration of over 3 hours but it never became boring, at least for me. I was surprised to find that this film has an average rating of only 6.3 here on IMDB. It certainly deserves much more. 8/10