Cuba (1979)

User Rating:

5.6/10   

Director:

Richard Lester

Writer:

Charles Wood (writer)

Release Date:

21 December 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Adventure | Thriller | War

Tagline:

Part Heaven... Part Hell... Pure Havana.

Plot:

A British mercenary arrives in pre-Revolution Cuba to help train the corrupt General Batista's army against Castro's guerrillas while he also romances a former lover now married to an unscrupulous plantation owner.

Plot Keywords:

Cuba | Revolution | Mercenary | Infidelity | 1950s

Cast

Sean Connery	...	Maj. Robert Dapes
Brooke Adams	...	Alexandra Lopez de Pulido
Jack Weston	...	Larry Gutman
Hector Elizondo	...	Capt. Raphael Ramirez
Denholm Elliott	...	Donald Skinner
Martin Balsam	...	Gen. Bello
Chris Sarandon	...	Juan Pulido
Danny De La Paz	...	Julio Mederos
Lonette McKee	...	Therese Mederos
Alejandro Rey	...	Faustino
Louisa Moritz	...	Miss Wonderly
Dave King	...	Miss Wonderly's Press Agent
Walter Gotell	...	Don Jose Pulido
David Rappaport	...	Jesus
Wolfe Morris	...	Gen. Fulgencio Batista

Runtime:

122 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 | Australia:M | Sweden:15 | Finland:K-16 | USA:R | UK:12 (cut) | West Germany:12

Filming Locations:

Cádiz, Andalucía, Spain

Company:

Holmby Pictures

Trivia:

The role of Alexandra was offered to Diana Ross who turned it down.

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The story is supposed to take place in 1959 but the limousine is a 1961 Chrysler.

Quotes:

Maj. Robert Dapes: Why were those people shot?
Capt. Raphael Ramirez: Perhaps they tried to escape.
Maj. Robert Dapes: From what?
Capt. Raphael Ramirez: From being shot.
Maj. Robert Dapes: But how did they know they were rebels?
Capt. Raphael Ramirez: Because they tried to escape.
Maj. Robert Dapes: Well, wouldn't you?
Capt. Raphael Ramirez: Of course.
Maj. Robert Dapes: Are you a rebel?
Capt. Raphael Ramirez: If I try to escape, I am. Wasn't it the same in Malaya? You didn't know them till they ran.
[...]

Movie Connections:

References Casablanca (1942)

Bond links

There are a number of links between this film and the James Bond movies.

As well as the obvious presence of Sean Connery, we have Walter Gotell who played Morzeny in "From Russia with Love" and then played General Anatol Gogol in 5 Bond films as well as the "James Bond Jr" TV series.

In addition, the Spanish city of Cadiz in Andalucia was used for much of the location shooting - a location which also doubled as Cuba in "Die Another Day".

Aside from that, the film creates a wonderfully atmospheric impression of a regime on its last legs, attempting the resist the seemingly inevitable regime change sought by the rebels.

Not a great film but perfectly watchable (even if I did find myself looking out for familiar Andalucian scenery as much as following the plot!).