"The Mission" (1986) -- good structure study

[Randall_Oelerich]

Watched "The Mission" movie last night. 1986, Robert de Niro, Jeremy Irons, Liam Neeson. Besides being a great movie and an inspiring soundtrack, I noticed it follows an almost formulaic plot structure with turning points, etc.; thus I mention it as a great movie to watch to study screenplay plot structure and character arc. Add to that it deviated somewhat by almost having two heros, although De Niro's character (Captain Mendosa) seems to be the main hero of the story.

 

[DogDay]

Lets not forget Aidan Quinn who gave a stellar performance. Its a fabulous film. Some of the images are Iconic...You know which ones I mean.


Dogday.

 

[Randall_Oelerich]

yeah i forgot about Quinn, he is a great actor imho.
Do you think the 'Hero' was De Niro's character (Captain Mendoza), or Jeromy Irons character (Gabriel), or both? I first thought it is might be a double hero story which would be odd, but I think Irons's character (Gabriel) might play more the role of the Mentor for the hero Captain Mendoza? Again, classic plot points almost to the minute, and good character arc for the hero.

Lets not forget Aidan Quinn who gave a stellar performance. Its a fabulous film. Some of the images are Iconic...You know which ones I mean.

 

[DogDay]

I think this notion of "The Hero" has stolen the focus of something much more important and that is theme and variation there of.

So if we take a step back we gain a wider perspective and see that all the roles eminate from a single being the dramatist who splits themselves into many fragments. Ibsen was a master at this. His characters were so locked into each other the one not being able to exist without the other. The very nature of their conflict well defined.

So for me those characters ( De Niro & irons ) are a yin/yang night/day light/darkness they are the same but when they meet are at different points of the Archetypic wheel...Thats how I see it.

The main character is "The Spirit" and it happens to inhabit these beings who struggle with their relatinships to "It" within them.

Stages of enlightment could be an alternative title.


Dogday.