Fires Within (1991)

Released after years as a political prisoner, a Cuban rejoins his wife and daughter in Miami.

Director:

Gillian Armstrong

Writer:

Cynthia Cidre

Stars:

Jimmy Smits, Greta Scacchi, Vincent D'Onofrio

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jimmy Smits	...	Nestor
Greta Scacchi	...	Isabel
Vincent D'Onofrio	...	Sam
Luis Avalos	...	Victor Hernandez
Bertila Damas	...	Estella Sanchez
Raúl Dávila	...	Reuben (as Raul Davila)
Bri Hathaway	...	Marivi
Daniel Fern	...	Jorge
Earl Hindman	...	Sergeant
Kevin Duffis	...	Jaime
Victor Rivers	...	Angel
Lázaro Pérez	...	Raul (as Lazaro Perez)
Angelina Estrada	...	Olga Rodriquez
Julia Rodriquez Elliot	...	Nancy Hernandez
Maria Vidal	...	Michele

Storyline

Released after years as a political prisoner, a Cuban rejoins his wife and daughter in Miami.

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Plot Keywords:

political prisoner | f rated | breasts | sex scene | nudity | 

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Genres:

Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

Because she'd never had them done previously, Greta Scacchi had to have her ears pierced especially for her role as Isabel, so that she would be able to wear the large gold hoop earrings favored by many Cuban women.

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Goofs

In the flashback scene where Nestor receives a phone call while in bed, Isabel's earrings keep disappearing and reappearing throughout the scene. At the start of the scene, she's wearing small gold studs in both ears, but in the close-up shot where Nestor kisses her, she isn't wearing any earrings at all. As the scene continues, Isabel is again wearing the same small gold studs in both ears. When Nestor is getting ready to walk out of the door at the end of the scene, the earring in Isabel's left ear has vanished and she's just wearing one in her right ear.

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Soundtracks

Pa bravo yo
Written by Ismael Miranda
Performed by Justo Betancourt
Courtesy of Fania Records

User Reviews

slim but reasonable film

Beautiful film that is skewered not only by the distracting editing, as your previous commentator mentions, but also by the confused message...anti-Castro Cubans in the USA are numerous, but we have learned - often from the movies, like Scarface or that excellent film about a gay Cuban poet who flees Cuba - that there are many ambiguities in that life - they are simplified and reduced here too much. Isabel is very passive and perhaps traumatised to an extent that is not really illuminated. it is a terrific idea that the Cuban husband is a mild-mannered type and that the American who saved her from the sea is hot - interesting to watch; in fact, also, it is the American (d'Onofrio) who makes the point of the film, that is so under-stated and ambivalent - that the Cuban husband must choose between politics and his family. the film is interesting and exasperatingly under-stated. this could have been developed into something far more intriguing - one other good point: it is fascinating to see Hispanic Miami in all its glamour and tawdriness, however. overall, the film is really underdeveloped.

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

28 June 1991 (USA)

Also Known As:

Little Havana

Filming Locations:

Florida, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer (MGM)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

86 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1