A film about the amazing missionary work that the Jesuits managed to build in South America during the colonial times. On the other hand, the greed, avarice and injustice that have managed to destroy beautiful and beneficial works countless times in the history of mankind. The historical events in this story took place on the borders of Argentina, Paraguay and Brazil around 1750.

The Jesuit reductions are the refuge of the Indians from the raids of the settlers. From these places, the religious spread the word of God further to the Indians living on the plateaus.

One of the main characters, Captain Mendoza, is an Indian slave trader. Rodrigo even kills his brother in one incident, which results in him wanting to die himself. A Jesuit, Father Gabriel convinces Rodrigo to try and change his life. To do so, he goes to the plateau accompanied by the nuns, dragging behind him a net filled with iron as a sign of repentance for his sins.

Together with the Jesuits, Mendoza enhances the San Carlos Mission, experiencing the joy of a simple, peaceful and meaningful life there. He is happy because he no longer lives for himself, but for others. He begins to read the Bible and in time, after being addressed by the Word of God, he too becomes one of the Jesuits.

The settlers are bothered by the Jesuits’ considerable influence in the country. They are trying to convince even the Church’s top leaders of the harmfulness of their influence. It is advantageous to the local Spanish and Portuguese traders that there should be no protection over the Indians. It is also advantageous to them to transfer them to the Portuguese administration, because the Portuguese laws, unlike those of Spain, still permit slavery.

Parents Guide: A provocative outfit for a woman interested in Mendoza. More times half-naked Indians and a few times exposed breasts of indigenous women. One scene with a couple caught in the act of fornication. Multiple times of murder. The disobedience of a cardinal.

Cast: Robert De Niro, Jeremy Irons, Ray McAnally, Aidan Quinn, Cherie Lunghi, Ronald Pickup, Liam Neeson, Álvaro Guerrero, Chuck Low, Fred Melamed

Crew: Roland Joffé

United Kingdom, 1986

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