The Mission
Director: Roland Joffé Run Time: 126 min. Rating: PG Release Year: 1986
Starring: Aidan Quinn, Jeremy Irons, Liam Neeson, Ray McAnally, Robert De Niro
Sweeping and visually resplendent, The Mission is a powerful action epic about a man of the sword (Robert De Niro) and a man of the cloth (Jeremy Irons) who unite to shield a South American Indian tribe from brutal subjugation by 18th-century colonial empires. It reunites key talents behind The Killing Fields: co-producer David Puttnam, director Roland Joffé and cinematographer Chris Menges. Winner of the 1986 Cannes Film Festival Best Picture Award, the film earned seven Academy Award nominations (including Best Picture) and won a Best Cinematography Oscar. Robert Bolt’s thoughtful screenplay and Ennio Morricone’s rich score won Golden Globe Awards. The Mission is screen storytelling that weaves a haunting spell.