Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
William Hurt | ... | Doctor Bernard Rieux | |
Sandrine Bonnaire | ... | Martine Rambert | |
Jean-Marc Barr | ... | Jean Tarrou | |
Robert Duvall | ... | Joseph Grand | |
Raul Julia | ... | Cottard | |
Jorge Luz | ... | Old Man with the cats | |
Victoria Tennant | ... | Alicia Rieux | |
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Atilio Veronelli | ... | Dr. Horacio |
Francisco Cocuzza | ... | Miguel | |
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Laura Palmucci | ... | Miguel's Wife |
Norman Erlich | ... | Dr. Castel | |
Marcos Woinsky | ... | Doctor Grunewald | |
Duilio Marzio | ... | Judge Orbon | |
Pancho Ibáñez | ... | Newscater | |
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Horacio Fontova | ... | Attendant |
In the 1990s, a South American city is rocked by the imminent outbreak of a plague. While many attempt to flee the city, Dr. Bernard Rieux sends his sick wife away and does his best to care for the plague's victims. The plague means different things to different people: to the doctor, it's a disease to be cured. To a pair of French journalists, it's a breaking news story. To religious leaders, it's punishment for sins. As the sense of isolation and hopelessness grow, Dr. Rieux and his associates begin to question their previously-accepted feelings of justice, loneliness, and love. Written by Murray Chapman <muzzle@cs.uq.oz.au>
Don't even think of watching this without first reading the book. And if you have read the book don't put yourself through this mockery of one of the most outstanding novels ever. This movie takes from one of the greatest works ever crafted by man and somehow screws it all up. It takes way too many liberties with the story and replaces almost all of the themes and metaphors with simplistic and uninspired doppelgangers. Although the book was exemplary this movie only takes from it slightly. The screen writers probably didn't even read the book. The themes are inane. The dialogue is downright horrible(except when taken from Camus exactly). The Actors while well meaning do not hit the mark with their characters. And serious flaws in the story line are plentiful like weeds. Also plentiful is female nudity, but it's not erotic or even meaningful it's just obnoxious and quite frankly sickening.
Unless you want to see a version of the Plague that puts Oran in South America in 199..., changes the Rambert character to a woman who fingers herself in a cafe while checking for Buboes, changes Tarrou and Grand into giggling novelties, and replaces the enlightening separation theme from the second part of the novel and changes it so that the characters and merely horny, than this is for you.
This "Plague" is an insult and owners of the rights to Camus' works should be shot for letting this mockery manifest itself. Don't bother with this awful movie. Bullets are cheaper and provide the same feeling when put into heart.
If you are at all interested in renting or buying this awful movie, don't! Read the book! It is one of the best you will ever read I guarantee. Plus it turns this movie into a comedy as you laugh at the possible thoughts of the producer, screenwriter, actors, director, grips, cinematographer, etc... It's apparently impossible to give no stars with a review. So now the makers of this film owe me one.
However bad the movie was the book made up for it in spades. If you enjoyed the movie (shame on you) read the book and be amazed at how good it could have been.