The Plague (1992)

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... See full summary »

Director:

Luis Puenzo

Writers:

Albert Camus (novel), Luis Puenzo

Stars:

William Hurt, Sandrine Bonnaire, Jean-Marc Barr

1 win & 5 nominations.

Cast

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
Atilio Veronelli	...	Dr. Horacio
Francisco Cocuzza	...	Miguel
Laura Palmucci	...	Miguel's Wife
Norman Erlich	...	Dr. Castel
Marcos Woinsky	...	Doctor Grunewald
Duilio Marzio	...	Judge Orbon
Pancho Ibáñez	...	Newscater
Horacio Fontova	...	Attendant

Storyline

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.

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Plot Keywords:

psychotronic film | plague | doctor | french | bubonic plague | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for grim images, nudity and some language

Did You Know?

Trivia

William Hurt and Raul Julia appeared in Kiss of the Spider Woman (1985).

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Quotes

[first lines]
Jean Tarrou: [bed ridden] The sound... The sound of the plague, can you here it?

User Reviews

Can you hear it? Can you hear the sound of a dead author turning in his grave?

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.

Details

Country:

France UK Argentina

Language:

English French

Release Date:

26 August 1992 (France)

Also Known As:

The Plague

Filming Locations:

Argentina

Company Credits

Production Co:

Compagnie Française Cinématographique (CFC), The Pepper-Prince Ltd., Oscar Kramer S.A.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

122 min (cut) 105 min (cut) 115 min (cut)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color