During the 1840's, Britain sends Sir William Walker to the Caribbean island of Queimada to agitate the slaves into rebelling against their Portuguese overlords. The scheming bath-dodgers want to take over the island's sugar interests.
Essentially, that's the plot of Queimada, or Burn, as it's sometimes called, a superb film from Gillo Pontecorvo of The Battle of Algiers fame. It contains a Morricone score that's close to the maestro's best, and stars Marlon Brando as the sly yet foppish Walker. And that's not all:
Walker: "The sugar cane cutters enter the city, set it afire and sack the store. The army has to intervene, 32 dead."
~~ Queimada
Possible spoiler alert::
Tony, I saw the end of a movie years ago starring Brando as an English gent up against a black fella who leads some sort of revolution. In the end Brando has this fella executed - for which the man is quite happy as he believes his legend will have more power once he is dead. Brando gets killed in the end. Is this that movie? I hope so cause I've wanted to watch it ever since but never knew what it was called.
Reminded me of a Joseph Conrad style of story.
Posted by: pat | 13 February 2006 at 19:14
That is most definitely the movie, Pat. It's a beauty.
Posted by: Tony.T | 13 February 2006 at 19:42
Excellent. Now to find it.
Posted by: pat | 13 February 2006 at 20:29
Good thinkin'. I just oredered the soundtrack.
Posted by: Tony.T | 13 February 2006 at 21:10
I could try my old man's method and write to Fox requesting it. I must check with him but I'm pretty sure he has been waiting (and regularly re-writing requests) for something like 3 years or more for a rerun of The List of Adrian Messenger so he can tape it. He's quite mental you know.
Posted by: pat | 13 February 2006 at 21:42
Things move quickly when you go straight to the top. Just tell him to call and ask for Rupert.
Posted by: Tony.T | 13 February 2006 at 21:54
I thought that said Bum, and now I'm disappointed.
Posted by: hungbunny | 14 February 2006 at 05:47
I have the movie on tape somewhere, but never labelled it and can't be arsed looking for it. Otherwise I'd help you for sure.
Posted by: ns | 14 February 2006 at 13:20
Despite what IMDB would have you believe it is available from Amazon in region 1, should set you back less than AU$27 delivered.
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000B6CO3E/
Posted by: Matthew Walker | 14 February 2006 at 13:30
I've found http://www.dvdpacific.com/ pretty good too for odd films delivered quickly at decent prices.
Incidentlly if 22 more comments are made here, this thread will reach 32. Pretty spooky hey?
Posted by: Nabakov | 14 February 2006 at 13:44
It's tempting to ...
Posted by: Tony.T | 15 February 2006 at 12:57
do this ...
Posted by: Tony.T | 15 February 2006 at 12:58
but I'm bigger than ...
Posted by: Tony.T | 15 February 2006 at 12:59
that.
Posted by: Tony.T | 15 February 2006 at 12:59
It's a terrific movie and once heard, Morricone's score will stick with you for good.
SBS has screened a fine widescreen print a couple of times, it ought to appear again on their cycle shortly.
Posted by: Sandeano | 15 February 2006 at 21:35
Tiger Blumfield? Interesting email address, Sandeano. Sure you couldn't pick a more illustrious Tiger. Someone great like Ashley Blurton, Todd Menegola or Daryl Freame?
Posted by: Tony.T | 16 February 2006 at 15:38
Yeah, I know.
I was going out with the gal who was a rabid Bomber supporter and Blumfield was her favourite player. When he joined the Tiges I opened this account to stir her. Of course he was pathetic in his time at Punt Road and yes, I haven't corresponded with her in a couple of years.
But I have so many things linked to this account that I can't be stuffed changing it.
At least she wasn't a Bulldog or Hawk barracker or else I'd be listed as "Tiger Hudson".
So I suppose it could be worse.
Posted by: Sandeano | 16 February 2006 at 17:42