Where the River Runs Black
Encyclopedia
Where the River Runs Black is a 1986
film directed by Christopher Cain
. The screenplay was written by Neal Jimenez
and Peter Silverman
, based on the novel by David Kendall
. The film was entirely shot in Brazil
.
) is a missionary priest in the Amazon. He falls in love with a beautiful and mysterious Indian woman (Divana Brandão) and together they have a son. Mahoney is killed by an anaconda, leaving the Indian woman to raise their child alone. The mother herself is killed by a band of hunters led by Orlando Santos (Cástulo Guerra
), and the child, now aged six, is left to fend for himself in the jungle. He lives an idyllic existence, swimming with the river dolphins.
The story of a feral child spreads through the towns along the river, and when the boy is ten he is captured and taken to town. There he comes to the attention of Father O'Reilly (Charles Durning
) who was an old friend of Mahoney. When he sees that the boy has Mahoney's crucifix he realizes that he is Mahoney's child. O'Reilly baptizes the boy, who does not speak or understand language, naming him Lazaro. O'Reilly places Lazaro in an orphanage run by nuns, where the boy learns to speak and is befriended by an older boy called Segundo (Ajay Naidu
). Father O'Reilly continues to visit Lazaro, taking him out for ice cream.
The orphans are presented to a benefactor of the orphanage, a successful businessman who is also a candidate for governor of the province. Lazaro recognises the benefactor as Orlando Santos, the man who killed his mother. Lazaro runs away from the orphanage, intent on finding Santos and killing him. Segundo insists on going with him. Father O'Reilly learns that Lazaro has run away and begins to search for him. Lazaro and Segundo survive by shining shoes on the streets while they search for Santos. They narrowly elude Father O'Reilly at an ice cream stand he had previously frequented with Lazaro. They follow a campaign vehicle to Santos's house, where a political fundraiser is underway. Santos is giving a speech to his guests. Lazaro takes a sharpened stake from the garden and uses it as a spear, hurling it at Santos's head. It narrowly misses. Lazaro makes his escape, but Segundo is caught by Santos's security people. Santos questions Segundo, and comes to realize that Lazaro can link him to his long-ago crime.
Santos sends Segundo to a quarry he owns to serve as an indentured laborer - and as a lure for Lazaro. Sure enough, Lazaro turns up at the quarry and helps Segundo to escape. Together they head into the jungle, intending to return to Lazaro's childhood home by the river. Santos tracks them through the jungle. Meanwhile, Father O'Reilly travels up the Amazon by boat, acting on a hunch that Lazaro might return home. Lazaro reaches the banks of the river and is about to plunge in when Santos catches up with him, grabbing him from behind, carrying him into the river and trying to drown him. But Lazaro is saved when the river dolphins he grew up with attack Santos, butting him with their snouts and causing him to drown. Father O'Reilly arrives and is reunited with Lazaro.
of The New York Times
described the film as a film for kids and found the film to be incredibly slow with its pacing:
Roger Ebert
of the Chicago Sun-Times
enjoyed the film and rated it 3 stars out of his 4 star rating system and had praise for Cain's direction:
1986 in film
-Events:*April 12 - Actor Morgan Mason marries The Go-Go's Belinda Carlisle.*April 26 - Actor Arnold Schwarzenegger marries television journalist Maria Shriver.*May - Actress Heather Locklear marries Mötley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee....
film directed by Christopher Cain
Christopher Cain
Christopher Cain is an American screenwriter, actor, director, and singer. He married Sharon Thomas in 1969 and adopted her two sons, Roger and Dean Cain. The couple's daughter Krisinda Cain Schafer was born in 1973....
. The screenplay was written by Neal Jimenez
Neal Jimenez
Neal Jimenez is a screenwriter and film director. He is best known for the writing of his macabre 1980's film River's Edge. He was a member of the dramatic jury at the Sundance Film Festival in 1994...
and Peter Silverman
Peter Silverman
Peter Guy Silverman, O.Ont is a Canadian broadcast journalist based in Toronto, Ontario. His television journalism career began in 1974 as a reporter for Global Television Network's first years. In 1981, he moved to Citytv where he became a reporter for that station's CityPulse news program...
, based on the novel by David Kendall
David Kendall
David Evan Kendall is an American attorney who advised President Bill Clinton during the Lewinsky scandal and represented Clinton during the impeachment trial.-Background and Education:Kendall was born in 1944 and grew up in Sheridan, Indiana...
. The film was entirely shot in Brazil
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
.
Plot
Father Mahoney (Peter HortonPeter Horton
Peter Horton is an American actor and director. He played the role of Prof. Gary Shepherd on the popular television series Thirtysomething until 1991.-Early life:...
) is a missionary priest in the Amazon. He falls in love with a beautiful and mysterious Indian woman (Divana Brandão) and together they have a son. Mahoney is killed by an anaconda, leaving the Indian woman to raise their child alone. The mother herself is killed by a band of hunters led by Orlando Santos (Cástulo Guerra
Castulo Guerra
Cástulo Guerra is an Argentine actor who found success appearing in American films and television. Film roles include: Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Cold Heaven, The Usual Suspects, Meet Me in Miami, Where the River Runs Black and The Celestine Prophecy""...
), and the child, now aged six, is left to fend for himself in the jungle. He lives an idyllic existence, swimming with the river dolphins.
The story of a feral child spreads through the towns along the river, and when the boy is ten he is captured and taken to town. There he comes to the attention of Father O'Reilly (Charles Durning
Charles Durning
Charles Durning is an American actor. With appearances in over 100 films, Durning's memorable roles include police officers in the Oscar-winning The Sting and crime drama Dog Day Afternoon , along with the comedies Tootsie, To Be Or Not To Be and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, the last two...
) who was an old friend of Mahoney. When he sees that the boy has Mahoney's crucifix he realizes that he is Mahoney's child. O'Reilly baptizes the boy, who does not speak or understand language, naming him Lazaro. O'Reilly places Lazaro in an orphanage run by nuns, where the boy learns to speak and is befriended by an older boy called Segundo (Ajay Naidu
Ajay Naidu
Ajay Kalahastri Naidu is an American actor.Naidu was born in Evanston, Illinois He attended Evanston Township High School. As an actor, he trained with the American Repertory Theater's Institute for Advanced Theatre Training at Harvard University.His first professional acting job was the film ...
). Father O'Reilly continues to visit Lazaro, taking him out for ice cream.
The orphans are presented to a benefactor of the orphanage, a successful businessman who is also a candidate for governor of the province. Lazaro recognises the benefactor as Orlando Santos, the man who killed his mother. Lazaro runs away from the orphanage, intent on finding Santos and killing him. Segundo insists on going with him. Father O'Reilly learns that Lazaro has run away and begins to search for him. Lazaro and Segundo survive by shining shoes on the streets while they search for Santos. They narrowly elude Father O'Reilly at an ice cream stand he had previously frequented with Lazaro. They follow a campaign vehicle to Santos's house, where a political fundraiser is underway. Santos is giving a speech to his guests. Lazaro takes a sharpened stake from the garden and uses it as a spear, hurling it at Santos's head. It narrowly misses. Lazaro makes his escape, but Segundo is caught by Santos's security people. Santos questions Segundo, and comes to realize that Lazaro can link him to his long-ago crime.
Santos sends Segundo to a quarry he owns to serve as an indentured laborer - and as a lure for Lazaro. Sure enough, Lazaro turns up at the quarry and helps Segundo to escape. Together they head into the jungle, intending to return to Lazaro's childhood home by the river. Santos tracks them through the jungle. Meanwhile, Father O'Reilly travels up the Amazon by boat, acting on a hunch that Lazaro might return home. Lazaro reaches the banks of the river and is about to plunge in when Santos catches up with him, grabbing him from behind, carrying him into the river and trying to drown him. But Lazaro is saved when the river dolphins he grew up with attack Santos, butting him with their snouts and causing him to drown. Father O'Reilly arrives and is reunited with Lazaro.
Principal cast
| Actor | Role |
|---|---|
| Charles Durning Charles Durning Charles Durning is an American actor. With appearances in over 100 films, Durning's memorable roles include police officers in the Oscar-winning The Sting and crime drama Dog Day Afternoon , along with the comedies Tootsie, To Be Or Not To Be and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas, the last two... |
Father O'Reilly |
| Peter Horton Peter Horton Peter Horton is an American actor and director. He played the role of Prof. Gary Shepherd on the popular television series Thirtysomething until 1991.-Early life:... |
Father Mahoney |
| Dana Delany Dana Delany Dana Welles Delany is an American film, stage, and television actress, producer, host and health activist.After various roles in the early career, Delany garnered her first leading role in 1987 in the short-lived NBC sitcom Sweet Surrender and achieved wider fame in 1988–1991 as Colleen McMurphy... |
Sister Ana |
| Alessandro Rabelo | Lazaro (age 10) |
| Marcelo Rabelo | Lazaro (age 6) |
| Ajay Naidu Ajay Naidu Ajay Kalahastri Naidu is an American actor.Naidu was born in Evanston, Illinois He attended Evanston Township High School. As an actor, he trained with the American Repertory Theater's Institute for Advanced Theatre Training at Harvard University.His first professional acting job was the film ... |
Segundo |
| Divana Brandão | Eagle Woman |
| Cástulo Guerra Castulo Guerra Cástulo Guerra is an Argentine actor who found success appearing in American films and television. Film roles include: Terminator 2: Judgment Day, Cold Heaven, The Usual Suspects, Meet Me in Miami, Where the River Runs Black and The Celestine Prophecy""... |
Orlando Santos |
| Conchata Ferrell Conchata Ferrell Conchata Galen Ferrell is an American actress. She is best known for playing Berta the housekeeper in the CBS sitcom Two and a Half Men, for which she received two Emmy Award nominations in 2005 and 2007.-Personal life:... |
Mother Marta |
Critical reception
Walter GoodmanWalter Goodman
Walter Goodman was a British painter, illustrator and author.The son of British portrait painter Julia Salaman and London linen draper and town councillor, Louis Goodman , he studied with J. M. Leigh and at the Royal Academy in London, where he was admitted as a student in 1851...
of The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
described the film as a film for kids and found the film to be incredibly slow with its pacing:
Roger Ebert
Roger Ebert
Roger Joseph Ebert is an American film critic and screenwriter. He is the first film critic to win a Pulitzer Prize for Criticism.Ebert is known for his film review column and for the television programs Sneak Previews, At the Movies with Gene Siskel and Roger Ebert, and Siskel and Ebert and The...
of the Chicago Sun-Times
Chicago Sun-Times
The Chicago Sun-Times is an American daily newspaper published in Chicago, Illinois. It is the flagship paper of the Sun-Times Media Group.-History:The Chicago Sun-Times is the oldest continuously published daily newspaper in the city...
enjoyed the film and rated it 3 stars out of his 4 star rating system and had praise for Cain's direction: