Romero (1989)

The life and work of Archbishop Oscar Romero who opposed, at great personal risk, the tyrannical repression in El Salvador.

Director:

John Duigan

Writer:

John Sacret Young

Stars:

Raul Julia, Richard Jordan, Ana Alicia

2 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Raul Julia	...	Archbishop Oscar Romero
Richard Jordan	...	Father Rutilio Grande
Ana Alicia	...	Arista Zelada
Eddie Velez	...	Lt. Columa
Alejandro Bracho	...	Father Alfonzo Osuña
Tony Plana	...	Father Manuel Morantes
Harold Gould	...	Francisco Galedo
Lucy Reina	...	Lucia
Al Ruscio	...	Bishop Estrada
Tony Perez	...	Father Rafael Villez
Robert Viharo	...	Col. Ernesto Dorio
Harold Cannon	...	Gen. Humberto
Claudio Brook	...	Bishop Flores
Martin LaSalle	...	Bishop Rivera y Damas
Eduardo López Rojas	...	Bishop Cordova

Storyline

In El Salvador, the new bishop speaks out against the death squads and the terror campaign the government is using in an attempt to crush the guerilla war that is being waged against them. This is seen as disloyality and the number of priests attacked goes up and even churches are shut down by the government. Based on a true story, Romero was assassinated in March, 1980.

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Plot Keywords:

blood and gore | baptism | clapping | paranoia | social climber | 

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Genres:

Biography | Crime | Drama | History | Thriller | War

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Certificate:

PG-13

Did You Know?

Trivia

Alfonso Cuarón, the Academy Award winning Best Director for the film Gravity (2013), worked as an assistant director on this picture.

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Goofs

In the opening scene when they are taking pictures of the crowd they are advancing the film manually, but there is the sound of a motorized drive.

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Quotes

Archbishop Oscar Romero: I'd like to make an appeal in a special way to the men in the army. Brothers, each one of you is one of us. We are the same People. The farmers and peasants that you kill are your own brothers and sisters. When you hear the words of a man telling you to kill, think instead in the words of God, "Thou shalt not kill!" No soldier is obliged to obey an order contrary to the Law of God. In His name and in the name of our tormented people who have suffered so much, and whose laments cry out to heaven...
[...]

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Connections

Referenced in Mystery Science Theater 3000: Overdrawn at the Memory Bank (1997)

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Soundtracks

Canto a la Patria Revolucionaria
Written and Arranged by Grupo Yolocambaita
Performed by Grupo Yolocambaita

User Reviews

The best political thriller of them all because it's a realstory

"Romero" is about injustice in the world but presents this theme without "preaching." It draws in the viewer through the excellent performance of Raul Julia (rest his soul! he is missed!). "Romero" is also about class differences and the intolerance of the powerful towards social change. It's a great film for teaching Americans about what life is like in the rest of the world. It's a Hollywood film that managed not to go Hollywood.

Details

Country:

USA Mexico

Language:

English German

Release Date:

25 August 1989 (USA)

Also Known As:

Romero

Filming Locations:

Mexico

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$10,189, 27 August 1989

Gross USA:

$1,316,495

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$1,316,495

Company Credits

Production Co:

Paulist Pictures, Paulist Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

102 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1