Beyond Rangoon (1995)

Laura is trying to pick up the pieces of her life after the murder of her husband and son, and goes on vacation with her sister to Burma. After losing her passport at a political rally, she... See full summary »

Director:

John Boorman

Writers:

Alex Lasker, Bill Rubenstein

Stars:

Patricia Arquette, U Aung Ko, Frances McDormand

2 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Patricia Arquette	...	Laura Bowman
U Aung Ko	...	U Aung Ko
Frances McDormand	...	Andy Bowman
Spalding Gray	...	Jeremy Watt
Tiara Jacquelina	...	San San - Hotel Desk Clerk
Kuswadinata	...	Colonel at Hotel (as Kuswadinath Bujang)
Victor Slezak	...	Mr. Scott
Jit Murad	...	Sein Htoo
Ye Myint	...	Zaw Win
Cho Cho Myint	...	Zabai
Johnny Cheah	...	Min Han
Haji Mohd Rajoli	...	Karen Father
Azmi Hassan	...	Older Karen Boy
Ahmad Fithi	...	Younger Karen Boy
Adelle Lutz	...	Aung San Suu Kyi

Storyline

Laura is trying to pick up the pieces of her life after the murder of her husband and son, and goes on vacation with her sister to Burma. After losing her passport at a political rally, she is left on her own for a few days, during which time she falls in with students fighting for democracy. She and their leader, U Aung Ko, travel through Burma, whilst witnessing many bloody acts of repression by the dictatorship, in an attempt to escape to Thailand. Based on a true story.

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Plot Keywords:

burma | escape | dictatorship | doctor | travel | 

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Taglines:

Truth has a witness

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Genres:

Action | Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for depiction of violent political oppression

Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 August 1995 (USA)

Also Known As:

Rangoon

Filming Locations:

Georgetown, Penang, Malaysia

Box Office

Budget:

$23,000,000 (estimated)

Gross USA:

$5,750,110

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$14,700,000

Company Credits

Production Co:

Castle Rock Entertainment, Columbia Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min 93 min (TV)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital SDDS DTS Dolby

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.39 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Patricia Arquette's role was originally intended for Meg Ryan.

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Goofs

U Aung Ko suggests bribing the soldier with 50 kyat - worth about 10 US cents at the time.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Laura Bowman: The trip was Andy's idea. It was easier to say yes than argue. Always that way with my sister. She meant well. Touch of the exotic east would get me away from all the things that reminded me of what happened. But it didn't. Where ever I looked, I saw only the moment when my life ended.

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Connections

Featured in Looking Beyond Rangoon: Truth Has a Witness (2009)

User Reviews

A Story of the Brave

John Boorman, I like your movies. Your movies are cerebral, but do not rely on symbolism or language to convey thought. They seem to rely on emotions, sometimes clichéd (not always a bad thing, and you do handle it well, in that your people say what one would expect a person to really say in that situation, even if it has that feel of a cliché), and lots of water and green vegetation, mud, earth, breath in the cold, dragon's breath, stuff like that.

Your films remind me of David Lean and David Attenborough, which makes sense, but, as you would probably agree, more dreamy.

A possible misgiving is an expectation set up with your stuff that right away tips me in a certain direction, and takes away possible surprise.

Not so with Beyond Rangoon, which I found was beyond the others you have done that I am most familiar with (Emerald Forest, which I need to see again, and Excalibur).

Beyond Rangoon is the story of one woman set against the backdrop of events in Myanmar (Burma). The story makes no attempt to give us a comprehensive picture of those events, just an introduction, but it is a solid introduction. I feel I know a lot more, and I have a sense of connection with those people that I did not have before, however tenuous from my place of privilege.

Overall I found the story moving and filled with meaning. I always like Patricia Arquette, and her leading man in this film is just great. Actually, she's the lead in this film, and that is what is great.

So much of the film is told with film language, that is, images, that I can see some critics being a little impatient with it, but it is probably because they overanalyze and find it fearful to feel anything too deeply.

Anyone out there wondering if this movie is worth it should watch it to find out. It will not be a waste of your time, whether you like it or not.