Alex Miraski  MC 377  Prof. Tremonte The Mission: Post-Colonialism in film  The Mission, a 1986 film, directed by Roland Joffé presents the Colonial conquest of South America in a harsh light. The film portrays the struggles of the Guarani Indians and the Jesuit missionaries who attempted to help them against the powers of Spain and Portugal. Post-colonial themes run through the movie as it shows the horrors that the conquest caused. Many scenes help relate these features and from the beginning through the climatic ending, Joffé uses the historical setting of South America to relate to the political problems that haunted South America in the 1980´s. Thus, The Mission is a true post-colonial text as it presents an unappealing view of the colonial discourse while attempting to give voice to the Indians.  Characters in the film, especially that of Mendoza, played by Robert DeNiro, the ex-slaver turned Jesuit priest, helps give the impression of the ills of the colonial period. Mendoza begins the film as a unfaltering member of the colonialists. He is a slave trader and takes pride in the fact he can make money off of capturing and selling the Guarani Indians to whomever will buy them, including Don Cabeza. His treatment of the Indians at this stage is very striking. In one scene, upon his return to Asuncion after a journey into the jungles, Joffé presents a picture of the treatment of the Guarani. The camera pans close into the slaves as they are herded into the square of Asuncion. They ride the horses facing backwards and tied to each other as well as being pulled along mercilessly on foot. The scene gives one a feeling of hopelessness and terror, as the Indians are subjected to treatment that is out of the ordinary. The close-ups of the faces of the Indians show looks of terror as they await their uncertain fate at the hands of Mendoza.  Mendoza does not last the whole movie as a slaver. In a subplot, Mendoza kills his brother over the love of a woman, and tortures himself for it. When offered to receive penance for his crime by Father Gabriel, Mendoza believes there is no penance great enough for such a wicked man as he. The confrontation scene shows Mendoza as a man coming to grips not only with the killing of his brother, but also of his life as a slaver. The filmmaker uses close-ups of Mendoza´s face to show the pain that is tormenting him. The absence of much conversation between the two gives a deeper edge to the facial expressions used by DeNiro.  Mendoza begins his conversion from slaver to Jesuit by carrying a large penance, a sack filled with the remnants of his former life. It is a striking scene, when Mendoza, after carrying the load through and up waterfalls and jungle, collapses in front of the Guarani mission of San Carlos. There is a scene in which a Guarani confronts Mendoza and threatens to kill him. The camera pans into close-up on the weary Mendoza and the angry Indian. But the Indian realizes the pain Mendoza has gone through with his burden and cuts loose the sack and dumps it into the river. He then hugs Mendoza while the camera gives a close-up of the surprise on Mendoza´s face, and he begins to cry at that moment. The scene is one of colonial redemption as Mendoza is cut loose from his former life upon knowing the trouble he has caused. The acceptance by the Indian represents the Guarani in a favorable light, as they are presented as capable beings, and not just the animals that the colonials make them out to be.  Mendoza´s transformation is shown is an example of the capability of overcoming the colonial thought and feelings. He changes himself in being and thought and begins to realize the same people he enslaved could be truly endearing human beings. However, a strong scene later in the movie continues to present the colonial thought, but the same man who used to be one of them attacks it. At a hearing to determine the fate of the missions as well of that of the Indians themselves, Don Cabeza gives a long discourse on why the Indians are animals and need to be enslaved to save them from the violent and subhuman behavior they have. He pleads that the Guarani have no right to be protected by the church and they can serve a greater purpose by beings enslaved for the good of the Europeans. The position of Cabeza presents an example of cultural lenses at work. He does not see the Guarani for what they could be, but only for what he wants them to be, non-European. Being non-European means that they have no authority to determine their own destiny. The film then takes great care in presenting Father Gabriel´s reply to Cabeza´s comments. The cinematography is used in a way to show the words that Gabriel says represented in the face of the Indians. He speech about the compassionate nature of the Guarani as well as the treatment of the of the Indians by the colonials is intercut by close-ups of the Indians faces and that of Cabeza and his Portuguese counterpart as they look uncomfortable as they hear the words that Gabriel says. It seems to present them as aware of what they do, but they still do not believe what they are doing is wrong. This scene goes far in showing colonialism as a tool to oppress those that are seen as inferior. The film also takes great lengths to give the Indians a voice. That voice is seen in different ways. The Guarani are shown singing at different points in the movie, and their voices present almost an angelic quality to the film and the soundtrack. Also, the Guarani keep their voice in their language, and are seen conversing many times with the Jesuits in the film. However, they have not learned the European voice. It is the Jesuits who have learned the Guarani language. The Guarani of the missions kept their unique voice, and used it to defend their rights and beliefs. The enslaved Guarani are seen as stripped of their voice. They obey commands in the European language, and have lost use of their customs and clothing. The clothing worn presents the Guarani as uncomfortable in that of the European. Even their demeanor in the clothes shows how detrimental the slavers had been to the Indians. The film also strikes a cord by presenting the colonial period and relating it to the politics of the day. At the end of the film, Joffé presents a postscript by way of a message scrolled on screen before the closing credits. It makes mention of the fact that the Indians of South America are still in a struggle to keep control of their home from others. The stand made at the end by the Indians also helps to draw a comparison between the two times. Through that battle, a realization is made that the Indians have been trying to rid themselves of colonialists for centuries without any luck. The bloody ending to many Indians as well as some of the Jesuits is a testament to how colonialism gives conquerors reasons to destroy culture and lives for the sake of a small profit. It presents the question of whether or not it is worth the problems for the small amount of money gained. In the end, The Mission presents a story of struggle, a struggle by the Indians to retain their home and lives, and the struggle by the Jesuits to persuade the Spanish and the Portuguese that colonialism has truly malevolent features. The use of the camera in certain scenes casts a negative light on the European slavers, while the portrayal of the Indians gives them a way of speaking to the audience. The text overall is a very striking and thought provoking thing to behold. It can be read a post-colonial attack on the institution of colonialism, and its attempts to give rise to meaningful national movements. Joffé does a fine job in presenting his given intention. Thus, if one were to classify The Mission, it would fall into post-colonial attempt to rewrite the colonial narrative.