Taking a look at the dozen films I have listed as my favourite in the section introducing myself on this weblog, I felt that if at all any among my choices would surprise a cineaste it would be The Mission. I took a look at what other critics say about this film directed by Roland Joffe and written by Robert Bolt.



Here are two reviews, both from the Washington Post:

1 ‘… as ponderous as it is powerful’

2 ‘… everything a movie should be – magnificently produced, epic in scope, serious in theme – everything, that is, but good’

Among the awards this film starring Jeremy Irons and Robert de Niro won are the Palme d’Or at Cannes, the Academy Award for best cinematography and the BAFTA award for best score.

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Another fact I noticed is that apart from The Mission, there are two other films in my list from 1986! (A spectacularly good year then, eh?) Andrei Tarkovsky’s The Sacrifice won the Special Jury Prize at Cannes that year and Oliver Stone’s Platoon was the recipient of the Best Film Academy Award.