Movie Review: Burn
The movie Burn! is a 1969 film directed by Gillo Pontecorvo. The main characters are Marlon Brando starting as Sir William Walker and Evaristo Marquez starting as Jose Dolores (The Internet Movie Databases). The movie takes place during the mid-19th century on the island of Queimada, a Portuguese colony located in Antilles(Burn!). The British send Sir William Walker to Queimada, an English secret agent, to start a rebellion against the Portuguese regiment, to benefit the British Sugar traders. In order to accomplish this, William must persuade the slaves to fight for their liberty and freedom. William saw the potential in Jose Dolores, a baggage carrier, to become the leader of the slave rebellion. The rebellion was successful in overthrowing the Portuguese regiment, and Dolores proclaimed Queimada a Republic. Teddy Sanchez, a plantation owner, becomes the president of Queimada. William Walker leaves after the revolution; ten years later he returns to Queimada. This time Walker is hired by the Royal Sugar Company and the Queimada government to find Jose Dolores and his army, which are disturbing England’s economic interest in producing sugar. His army is killed, and he is captured and then hanged (Burn!). The director argues that once Queimada obtains its independence from Portugal, Jose Dolores struggles to rebuild the government and there was little change. I agree with the director’s argument. He does a good job presenting his argument and then backing it up with examples.
In order for a revolution to start there has to be something or someone that initiates it. In the movie, Sir William Walker was the one who initiates the rebellion in Queimada. The first thing he did was try to find a slave that had the potential to lead the revolution (Burn!). He saw the potential in Jose Dolores, a slave who worked as a bag carrier. Walker planned to rob the bank with the help of Jose and his men. He promised Jose and his men that once they robbed the gold from the bank a
In order for a revolution to start there has to be something or someone that initiates it. In the movie, Sir William Walker was the one who initiates the rebellion in Queimada. The first thing he did was try to find a slave that had the potential to lead the revolution (Burn!). He saw the potential in Jose Dolores, a slave who worked as a bag carrier. Walker planned to rob the bank with the help of Jose and his men. He promised Jose and his men that once they robbed the gold from the bank a
Bibliography: Burn! Dir. Gillo Pontecorvo. Perf. Marlon Brandon, Evaristo Marquez, and Norman Hill. United Artists, 21 October 1970. Film. Charlip, Julie A. and E. Branford Burns. Latin America: An Interpretative History. Ed. Jeff Laser. 9th ed. Prentice Hall, 2011. The Internet Movie Databases. 2011. Internet Movie Database Ltd. October 16, 2011.