Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV News
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily Entertainment GuideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsCannes Film FestivalStar WarsAsian Pacific American Heritage MonthSummer Watch GuideSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • FAQ
IMDbPro

Beyond the Limit

Original title: The Honorary Consul
  • 1983
  • R
  • 1h 44m
IMDb RATING
5.7/10
1.7K
YOUR RATING
Beyond the Limit (1983)
Home Video Trailer from Paramount
Play trailer1:35
1 Video
27 Photos
DramaRomanceThriller

During the Dirty War, a half-English doctor in Argentina befriends the police, the rebels and the alcoholic Honorary British Consul, whose Latino wife he seduces. When the consul is mistaken... Read allDuring the Dirty War, a half-English doctor in Argentina befriends the police, the rebels and the alcoholic Honorary British Consul, whose Latino wife he seduces. When the consul is mistakenly kidnapped by the rebels, he must pick a side.During the Dirty War, a half-English doctor in Argentina befriends the police, the rebels and the alcoholic Honorary British Consul, whose Latino wife he seduces. When the consul is mistakenly kidnapped by the rebels, he must pick a side.

  • Director
    • John Mackenzie
  • Writers
    • Graham Greene
    • Christopher Hampton
  • Stars
    • Michael Caine
    • Richard Gere
    • Bob Hoskins
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    5.7/10
    1.7K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • John Mackenzie
    • Writers
      • Graham Greene
      • Christopher Hampton
    • Stars
      • Michael Caine
      • Richard Gere
      • Bob Hoskins
    • 17User reviews
    • 7Critic reviews
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 2 BAFTA Awards
      • 4 nominations total

    Videos1

    The Honorary Consul
    Trailer 1:35
    The Honorary Consul

    Photos27

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 23
    View Poster

    Top cast25

    Edit
    Michael Caine
    Michael Caine
    • Charley Fortnum
    Richard Gere
    Richard Gere
    • Dr. Plarr
    Bob Hoskins
    Bob Hoskins
    • Colonel Perez
    Elpidia Carrillo
    Elpidia Carrillo
    • Clara
    Joaquim de Almeida
    Joaquim de Almeida
    • Leon
    • (as Joaquim De Almeida)
    A Martinez
    A Martinez
    • Aquino
    Stephanie Cotsirilos
    • Marta
    Domingo Ambriz
    • Diego
    Eric F. Valdez
    • Pablo
    • (as Eric Valdez)
    Nicolás Jasso
    • Miguel
    • (as Nicolas Jasso)
    Geoffrey Palmer
    Geoffrey Palmer
    • British Ambassador
    Leonard Maguire
    • Dr. Humphries
    Jorge Russek
    Jorge Russek
    • Senor Escobar
    Erika Carlsson
    • Senora Escobar
    • (as Erika Carlsen)
    Josefina Echánove
    Josefina Echánove
    • Senora Sanchez
    • (as Josefina Echanove)
    Ramón Álvarez
    • Henry Plarr
    • (as Ramon Alvarez)
    George Belanger
    • U.S. Ambassador
    Juan Antonio Llanes
    Juan Antonio Llanes
    • Gruber
    • (as Juan Antonio Llanez)
    • Director
      • John Mackenzie
    • Writers
      • Graham Greene
      • Christopher Hampton
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews17

    5.71.6K
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    6ma-cortes

    Intrigue , politics and a loving triangle intermingle in this rendition based on a known novel

    Emotive political, drama, thriller set in the border between Argentina, Paraguay dealing with a twisted love story and an intrigue behind. It is set during the rule of cruel right wing military dictatorships commanded by Alfredo Stroessner in Paraguay and General Videla in Argentina. It concerns a doctor called Eduardo : Richard Gere , he is a half-English and half-Paraguay man who becomes involved with the revolutionary guerrilla : A. Martinez , and a former priest played by Joaquin de Almeida. He returns to work in the little town of Corrientes . Eduardo quickly starts forming new acquaintance such as the English honorary consul : Michael Caine , he is a drunk man married to a beautiful Argentinian wife , an ex-whore : Elpidia Carrillo. Then Eduardo seduces her and both of whom fall in love .Things go wrong when Eduardo is asked for help the rebels to kidnap the US Ambassador to force the Paraguayan Junta release political inmates , including Eduardo's father.

    Entertaning but cold and slow film with a central theme, a triangular romance and political details about South American dictatorships in which a doctor eventually must confront moral conflicts and the complex relationship with an alcoholic consul , at the same time the dirty war , tortures, kidnap, political upheaval and riots take place . Passable acting by Richard Gere as an England/Paraguay doctor who has a passionate as well as risked affaire and excellent Michael Caine as the cynical older diplomat who befriends to him while disagree over politics and about an attractive young latina girl, the newcomer Elpidia Carrillo . But the film relies heavily on the relation between the protagonist and his lover that reaches some strong problems connected with the alcoholic honorary consul .This is the second and worst rendition based on the prestigious novel by Graham Greene , first and the best was The Quiet Man 1958 by Joseph L Mankiewicz with Michael Redgrave , Audie Murphy, Giorgia Moll , Claude Dauphin , Bruce Cabot and third retelling was The Quiet Man 2002 by Phillip Noyce with Brendan Fraser , Thi Hai , Tzi Ma, Rade Serbedzija and Michael Caine himself. And this second version by John McKenzie written by Christopher Hampton who also wrote the 2002 remake , it boasts a nice cast with special mention for Bo Hoskins as a brutal Colonel who pursues and tortures rebels . It displays an atmospheric cinematography by Phil Meheux , though a perfectly remastering being absolutely necessary. And an evocative musical score by Stanley Myers , including South American sounds .

    The motion picture was regular but profesionally directed by John Mckenzie , being nominated for two Bafta Film Awards . John was an expert on thriller and drama such as Blue heat, Ruby , The infiltrator , The innocent , A hinge of freedom, Act of vengeance , Quicksand , Made , Voyage , When sky falls , Aldrich Ames traitor within . His greatest hits were Long god friday and Fourth protocol . Rating : 6 . Average but passable and acceptable. The picture will appeal to Richard Gere and Michael Caine fans

    ..
    filmbuff-31

    Subtle approach to be appreciated

    This is a mildly interesting picture for viewers who like a hint of subtlety to spice their viewing experience. The problem is that this film also contains quite a lot of uneven action and performances.

    The action is based upon a book by Graham Greene, a morality tale in which Greene shows how a seemingly mild injustice leads to catastrophic consequences for an apparently innocent man. The movie details the relationship between Dr. Plarr and the British "Honorary Consul" and the consul's wife. The movie, true to the original author's intent, makes this relationship central to the plot development. Greene wants to show how this relationship reveals a tragic flaw in his protagonist. On this level the movie succeeds, but there are too many loose ends in the plot and some lackluster performances. In the final analysis, though it starts nobly, the movie does not accomplish what it set out to do: i.e., bring a faithful adap- tation of Graham Greene to the big screen. It does not do justice to the subtle, thoughtful perspective of Greene's novel.

    Dr. Plarr, played by Richard Gere, certainly is the amoral character Greene intended him to be. But this role, as directed in this movie, appears to be a vehicle for Richard Gere. It is drawn in the mold of movies that Gere had worked on at that time. These include movies such as "American Gigolo" and "Breathless." To turn the character of Dr. Plarr into a showcase for Richard Gere represents a totally inappropriate intrusion of the director into the story's subject matter.

    To make matters worse, Gere plays his role mechanically, without passion, almost as though he were reading his lines directly from the script or sleepwalking through them. He is emotionally uninvolved in his character.

    The revolutionaries in the picture are similarly unengaging characters. One has a hard time seeing how anyone could support their cause. This is chiefly because the movie does not do a satisfactory job of explaining who or what the group is fighting against. As a result, it is not clear with any accuracy just what the group is fighting for. The movie resorts to cliches here. We are supposed to believe that a Latin American dictator has been committing atrocities, but what effective recourse the revolutionaries have against him is never fully explained. The action that follows becomes muddled and the the motivations of the characters confused.

    The one character who is neither confused nor mechanical is the honorary consul, played by Michael Caine in an outstanding per- formance. Charley Fortnum first comes across as a boozing has-been, but in the end, he is the voice of reason and humanity in the face of an insane, inhuman mess. His is also the voice of mercy in the picture.

    "Beyond the Limit" may not be as thoughtfully developed as it should be, but it is interesting to see the film's producers try to convey the important moral message of the original novel. I give it two stars.
    7paul2001sw-1

    The Competent Adaptation

    Competent adaptation of a typical Graham Greene story, a tale of moral dilemma, forgiveness and redemption in a quasi-fascist South America. Direction and acting are ordinary, although Michael Caine and Richard Gere are at least well cast; Bob Hoskins (an Argentinian policeman!) less so. Not badly done, but slightly detached; Greene packs a bigger punch on the page.
    tireless_crank

    Surpassingly mis-cast film

    It was difficult to watch this film because of the miscasting of Richard Gere who seems at last partially anesthesthetized through the entire movie. There is not one bit of passion in his manner or his speech and, whenever he is on the screen, there is a hole through which all tension drains. Bob Hoskins is not a convincing Latin at all, neither in accent nor in manner. Better casting in these two parts would have improved this film immeasurably.

    An interesting, semi-error shows many of the main characters sweating through their shirts. In tropic and sub-tropic regions, locals have heat adapted well enough so that they sweat almost unnoticeably in normal conditions and thus can appear crisp and unruffled in temperatures where those of us from more temperate climates sweat like water buffalo.
    5sol-

    My brief review of the film

    Intriguing music and lighting choices with some good camera movement and angles keep this film relatively interesting on an audio and visual level. However, they do not compensate for the film having quite a limited story of just a lightly developed romance during political unrest. There are political themes and morality issues in it, however they are not too well explained. It is also far too slowly paced, dragging between the story action. It is not a bad film though, and it is arguably interesting to watch… however it misses the mark for greatness. Despite Caine and Hoskins receiving BAFTA nominations for their roles, it is Gere who delivers the most effectively.

    More like this

    Final Analysis
    5.9
    Final Analysis
    Yanks
    6.4
    Yanks
    No Mercy
    5.7
    No Mercy
    Mr. Jones
    5.8
    Mr. Jones
    Sommersby
    6.3
    Sommersby
    The Jigsaw Man
    5.1
    The Jigsaw Man
    Betrayed
    6.4
    Betrayed
    Bullet to Beijing
    5.4
    Bullet to Beijing
    The Destructors
    5.9
    The Destructors
    Malone
    5.8
    Malone
    Breathless
    6.0
    Breathless
    Miles from Home
    5.7
    Miles from Home

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Director John Mackenzie spent two weeks in Argentina doing research for this movie. A day after he left, the Falklands War began. Production moved to Mexico instead.
    • Quotes

      Colonel Perez: Who is in here?

      Dr. Eduardo Plarr: Signora Fortnum.

      Colonel Perez: Oh, I see... Is this why you've been lying to me?

      Dr. Eduardo Plarr: An affair always involves a few lies.

    • Alternate versions
      NBC edited 6 minutes from this film for its 1987 network television premiere.
    • Connections
      Referenced in Michael Caine: Breaking the Mold (1994)
    • Soundtracks
      Theme
      Composed by Paul McCartney

      ©COPYRIGHT MCMLXXXIII MPC COMMUNICATIONS LTD.

      Performed by Paul McCartney & John Williams

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    FAQ18

    • How long is Beyond the Limit?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 30, 1983 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United Kingdom
      • Mexico
    • Languages
      • English
      • Spanish
      • Latin
    • Also known as
      • Graham Greene's the Honorary Consul
    • Filming locations
      • Veracruz, Mexico
    • Production companies
      • World Film Services
      • Parsons & Whittemore Lyddon Ltd.
      • Estudios Churubusco Azteca S.A.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $11,800,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $5,997,566
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $2,208,976
      • Oct 2, 1983
    • Gross worldwide
      • $5,997,566
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 44 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Beyond the Limit (1983)
    Top Gap
    By what name was Beyond the Limit (1983) officially released in India in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb app
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb app
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb app
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.