The Comedians (1967)
Director: Peter Glenville
Starring: Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor, Alec Guinness
Synopsis:
A cynical British hotelier returns to Haiti to resume his relationship with a diplomat's wife and foreign investors amid the the tyrannical reign of Papa Doc Duvalier.
Impressions:
The film opens to a disconcerting children's chorus singing a paean to Papa Doc Duvalier. It doesn't get any easier from there. Don't get me wrong. This is actually a rather good movie boasting an impressive star-studded cast. The setting is depressing as all get out, though. Interestingly, this was made when Papa Doc was still in power, so Benin was used as a stand-in for Haiti. You could draw some parallels to Casablanca with the plot of a cynical foreigner being drawn into political intrigue. Richard Burton plays the part of said cynic well and Sir Alec Guinness is amusing as the weaselly Major Jones. James Earl Jones lends his considerable screen presence to the role of Dr. Magiot and I liked seeing screen veterans Paul Ford and Lillian Gish as the clueless Smiths, who get their illusions shattered rather cruelly. I wasn't a huge fan of the romantic subplot, but I rarely am of such things. It really is a powerful look at the day-to-day oppressiveness of a tin pot dictatorship. There's also a sequence with a Vodoun ceremony which is pretty powerful. I can be rather depressing, but I'd certainly say it's worth a watch.
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