Movie spotlight
Martin and Hazel Quarrier are small-town fundamentalist missionaries sent to the jungles of South America to convert the Indians. Their remote mission was previously run by the Catholics, before the natives murdered them all. They are sent by the pompous Leslie Huben, who runs the missionary effort in the area but who seems more concerned about competing with his Catholic 'rivals' than in the Indians themselves. Hazel is terrified of the Indians while Martin is fascinated. Soon American pilot Lewis Moon joins the Indian tribe but is attracted by Leslie's young wife, Andy. Can the interaction of these characters and cultures, and the advancing bulldozers of civilization, avoid disaster?
Two disparate groups of missionaries, one driven by faith and the other by economic gain, descend upon an indigenous tribe in the Amazon rainforest. Their presence, and the subsequent conflicts that arise between them and the outside world, lead to tragic consequences for the tribe's way of life and their very existence. The film explores themes of cultural clash, religious fervor, and the destructive impact of modernization on isolated communities.
At Play in the Fields of the Lord received a mixed to positive reception from critics, with many praising its ambitious scope, visual beauty, and strong performances, particularly from Aidan Quinn and Tom Waits. However, some critics found the film to be overly long and its message somewhat heavy-handed, while others debated its portrayal of the indigenous characters and the missionaries' motivations.
Visually stunning and thematically rich exploration of cultural collision in the Amazon.
Features compelling performances that anchor the film's weighty subject matter.
Some find the narrative sprawling and its moralizing overt.
Google audience: Audiences generally appreciated the film's powerful portrayal of cultural clashes and the tragic consequences faced by indigenous tribes. Many viewers were moved by the story and performances, though some noted its length and intense subject matter.
Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Cinematography (1992).
The film was shot on location in the Amazon rainforest, and many of the indigenous actors were members of the actual tribes depicted, providing an authentic and powerful presence.
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At Play in the Fields of the Lord is shot through with rich, complex irony (two characters, for instance, discuss having Indian blood, but while one is talking about having it in one’s veins, the other is talking about having it on one’s ha...