The Milagro Beanfield War (1988)

In the tiny town of Milagro, New Mexico, where the local water is a premium resource, shady developer Ladd Devine has conceived a glitzy resort that will ultimately siphon off all the water... See full summary »

Director:

Robert Redford

Writers:

John Nichols (novel), John Nichols (screenplay)

Stars:

Rubén Blades, Richard Bradford, Sônia Braga

Won 1 Oscar. Another 1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Rubén Blades	...	Sheriff Bernabe Montoya
Richard Bradford	...	Ladd Devine
Sônia Braga	...	Ruby Archuleta (as Sonia Braga)
Julie Carmen	...	Nancy Mondragon
James Gammon	...	Horsethief Shorty
Melanie Griffith	...	Flossie Devine
John Heard	...	Charlie Bloom
Carlos Riquelme	...	Amarante Cordova
Daniel Stern	...	Herbie Platt
Chick Vennera	...	Joe Mondragon
Christopher Walken	...	Kyril Montana
Freddy Fender	...	Mayor Sammy Cantu
Tony Genaro	...	Nick Rael
Jerry Hardin	...	Emerson Capps
Ronald G. Joseph	...	Jerry G

Storyline

In the tiny town of Milagro, New Mexico, where the local water is a premium resource, shady developer Ladd Devine has conceived a glitzy resort that will ultimately siphon off all the water from the neighboring crop-fields. When handyman and farmer Joe Mondragon accidentally breaks a water valve reserved for major companies, he inadvertently sets off a small-scale water-rights war between the farmers and the developers.

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Plot Keywords:

water | governor | small town | police officer | politics | 

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Taglines:

Milagro, New Mexico. Population 426. Nothing had changed here for 300 years. But there's something about this day...

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

18 March 1988 (USA)

Also Known As:

Milagro

Filming Locations:

Espanola, New Mexico, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$22,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$13,825,794

Company Credits

Production Co:

Esparza, Universal Pictures, Wildwood Enterprises

Technical Specs

Runtime:

117 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In a scene at one of the local Milagro stores where John Heard's lawyer character is dropping off his newspapers, a woman is shopping for Newman's Own salad dressing. The store owner tells her, that's no good, buy something else - an obvious in-joke in which director Robert Redford tweaks his longtime friend and two-time co-star Paul Newman.

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Goofs

During the conversation with the mayor the position of Platt's hands changes.

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Quotes

Sheriff Bernabe Montoya: Does the name Custer ring a bell?

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Connections

Referenced in Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Thing That Couldn't Die (1997)

User Reviews

well crafted and engrossing

Maybe I'm a little biased, but any movie where Christopher Walken pops up when you don't expect him to just becomes ten times better. His role isn't big, but it's very important and he does a great job. I like Christopher Walken.

But he's only a small part of a great movie. "Milagro Beanfield War" is about a group of New Mexicans trying to save their homes from being bought by developers who want to turn it into a resort. The interaction between the townspeople is wonderful, and you probably won't find this kind of community spirit in any other movie. At some times it's touching, at others it's humorous. In fact it was a funnier movie than I expected it to be, so if you're looking for a mix of light comedy and serious subject matter, this is for you.

You can find a downside to most films, but it's tough to find one with "Milagro Beanfield War". The directing is great, the script is great, the actors are endearing, the music is great and it makes you think and feel like no other movie.