THE HONORARY CONSUL
UK, 1983, 104 minutes, Colour.
Michael Caine, Richard Gere, Bob Hoskins, Elpidia Carrillo, Joaquin de Alameida.
Directed by John Mackenzie.
The Honorary Consul is an adaptation of one of Graham Greene's most popular novels. It was published in the early 1970s. Greene has always had an affinity with Latin America - his friendship with authorities in Panama, his travels in Mexico (his travel books and The Power and the Glory) and his critique of Caribbean dictatorships in The Comedians. Here he is on familiar ground. The story, however, is contemporary with the highlighting of oppression in southern American countries and the revolutions.
The film is peopled with Greene characters. Michael Caine portrays the alcoholic consul in a remote area of Argentina. In falling in love with a prostitute, befriending a smart cynical doctor, he is mistakenly kidnapped - but rises to a kind of heroism. Needless to say, he is a lapsed Catholic. Richard Gere, with a credible English accent and showing his acting ability as in Yanks and Blood Brothers (apart from his dynamic screen presence in officer and a Gentleman, Breathless etc.) is the half Paraguayan, half English doctor - who also, unexpectedly, achieves a heroism. There is also a former priest who has become a revolutionary (and is married). It is evident that the material is an adaptation of Greene's interests from the '30s and '40s to the '70s and '80s.
Mexican location photography gives an atmosphere of authenticity. However, the film is interesting rather than exciting. Direction is by John Mackenzie (Unman, Wittering and Zigo, The Long Good Friday).
1. The popularity of the work of Graham Greene? His status as a novelist? His interest in Latin American politics and society? The adaptation of a novel to the screen - capturing its essence? The offbeat casting, especially of Richard Gere? A successful version of a Greene novel?
2. The use of Mexican locations, cities, countryside for authenticity? The atmosphere of Latin America in the '70s and '80s? Life in the cities, the smaller towns, poverty, violence, oppression, the police, rebels? The musical score - and the contribution of Paul McCartney?
3. The title and its irony? The background of authority, responsibility? Honour and being honourable? The reality as applied to Charlie Fortnum? Alcoholic, womaniser, incompetent in business, slob? The contrast with expectations of a British consul? The changing situation for Charlie, his marriage, falling in love, kidnapping, survival? An honourable survival - and his achieving honour? A typical Graham Greene character?
4. The adaptation of novel to screen - highlighting characters and situations, omissions? Leaving much for the audience to supply because of the skill in the writing and characterisation? The highlighting of Graham Greene's themes, humanity, friendship, love, betrayal? Religion, the Catholic conscience, priesthood? Death for others?
5. The response to Latin American themes in the '80s? The remoteness of Latin America from the western world? The American attitude - the fear of communism and rebellions? Traditional South American lifestyle - Spanish influence, Catholicism? Wealth, oppression? The ever-presence of rebels? The role of government? The role of the police? The tradition of Argentine fascism in the '70s (and change in the '80s)? Englishmen in this South American context? Lost British in a lost world? The visuals of Latin America: poverty, the streets, the city, cafes, brothels, homes? The life of the peasants? The contrast with hotels, doctors' waiting rooms? The homes of the rebels?
6. The audience entering the film with Dr. Plarr? His driving, arrival, the encounter in the city? Richard Gere and his image? The quality of his performance? Sympathetic? The background of England and Paraguay? His father and the rebels? The visualising of his memories - especially the ugliness and degrading nature of the torture scenes? His friendship with Leon and the others and their news of his father (and their using his love for his father as a means for getting him involved in the revolution)? His encounter with Charlie in the hotel, with Clara? His visiting Charlie? The consultation and the 100,000 pesetas? His growing friendship with Charlie, Clara and her illness? His continual visits? The encounter with Clara, the visit to the city, the beginning of the affair? Passion or not? Her pregnancy and Plarr being the father? His two-facedness with Charlie? Leon and his request to become involved? The ambiguity of his action - using his friendship with Charlie for information about the American ambassador? His friendship with the police? The visit to society and the dinner and the discussions? His social status, his work and office? The police interrogations and his lies? The policeman's warning? The kidnapping and Charlies fate? His going to Buenos Aires to plead for Charlie? Charlie's being shot and his going to tend him? The truth and Charlie's despising him? His speech about his lack of belief and his cynicism? His drive to do something? His going out, his death in the mud? Charlie and Clara naming, their child after him? A cynical figure - redeemed by the love and passion of a woman, the friendship of Charlie, laying down his life for others?
7. Michael Caine and his style as Charlie? Seeing him drunk in the brothel, an amiable Englishman, a not very honourable consul? His honorary status, his business? His marriage to Clara and his real joy? Love for her? Caring for her, calling the doctor? His friendship and calling Plarr 'Ted'? The visits together - and his being deceived by Plarr, by Clara? The ambassador's trip and its humour? The irony of his drinking and the ambassador taking the wheel? His being captured, the nature of his imprisonment, his being shot in the leg trying to escape? The importance of his discussions with Leon? The lapsed Catholic questioning the priest who had become revolutionary and who had married? Graham Greene's themes of the Catholic conscience, priesthood, celibacy? Friendship with Ted, discovery of his betrayal and his outburst? His not hating him? His fears, the attack of the police, the rebels being shot? The end with Clara ~ and accepting the ambiguity of her response and her saying she did not love Plarr? A man of values?
8. Leon and the background of the priesthood, Greene's admiration for it, criticism of priestly celibacy? The situation of Latin American priests, Paraguay? His giving up the priesthood - and the shock for Plarr? The reaction of Charlie? His wife, his becoming a revolutionary? His comments about the reaction of the archbishop? The discussions with Plarr about the use of violence? The guerrilla warfare and the plans? The pressure on Plarr? The stories of his father's torture and their being visualised? The ultimate truth about his father's death? The plan for the ambush, the mistake, holding Charlie, the discussions about him? Leon's discussions with Charlie? 'Once a priest'... His offering to give Charlie absolution? His going to die? The sketch of the other revolutionaries - his wife, the strong-minded friends and their violence? The police attacking them, the helicopter, their being surrounded, deaths in the rain?
9. Clara - the significance of her name, clear and light? The brothel, her beauty, the allure she had for Plarr? Charlie's marrying her, her- illness? Going out, the humour of the elevator rides? Her easy betrayal of her husband? Her love and passion for Plarr? Her story, the family, the need for money? Her hearing of Charlie's capture on the radio? Her pregnancy, Plarr's visit to Buenos Aires and her reaction? The baby and the end and her protest?
10. Perez and the portrait of the Latin American policeman? Charm, shrewdness, powers of observation, warnings to Plarr? His severity? The interviews, the realisation of the lies, the visit to Plarr's apartment with Clara present? His being in the truck in the rain? The final confrontation, his giving the orders to shoot? His belonging to a fascist regime - the touch of humanity?
11. The portrait of the town: the bars, the brothels and the people, the patients in the waiting room, society people and their wealth, the poor?
12. The British in an alien culture? Foreigners, lost? The pretentious dignity of the consul? The disregard of the ambassador and Plarr's encounter with him in Buenos Aires?
13. The relevance of political and social issues? Conscience, cynicism, lack of belief? Oppression, torture? Love for parents, betrayals?
14. Greene's perennial themes of the Catholic conscience, suffering. meaning in life, guilt and forgiveness? Laying down of life for others?
