What promotes this to the level of our recommendation here, however, is the portrayal of the journalists thereof, their attitudes and motivations in a country not their own and not really impacting their lives – immersed yet professionally distant. Journalists are (or at least were) often given free rein in such situations, serving as neutral parties and impartial observers of the conflicts, much like medical personnel being permitted to aid the wounded and civilians while distinctly prohibited from being targeted. Allowing journalists to witness firsthand what is going on is a measure of, to put it bluntly, righteousness – “You can see for yourself, we have nothing to hide and are doing nothing wrong.” It is often in the interests of all parties within a conflict to permit free access by journalists – until and unless there really is something to hide. Yet the journalists are also on their own in such situations, in as much danger as they dare to put themselves, and this is immediately evident in Nolte’s portrayal of photojournalist Russell Price right at the very beginning of the film, clearly driven more by snagging the dramatic image than by remaining safely out of the line of fire. Dedicated? Foolhardy? That’s a perspective up to the viewer to determine.
Neutrality and mere observation is a key factor to these pursuits, however, and many journalists have struggled with the internal conflicts that occur when their social, compassionate nature reacts to the events unfolding – it isn’t possible to entirely shut off such reactions, no matter what their career demands. The handling of this within the film is superb, allowing the viewer to realize what changes are taking place without being heavy-handed about it, and one can begin to understand that there may be a disconnect between ‘proper’ and ‘right,’ and even how those terms are defined by individuals.
The background is the efforts of the Sandinista National Liberation Front (FSLN) to depose the ruling regime of Nicaragua under Anastasio Somoza, who was aided and backed, at least diplomatically, by the US. Like far too many of our affairs in Central America, the American public had a poor understanding of Somoza’s actions and policies, and it remains hard to believe that US diplomats were just as unaware; more likely, the US government was willingly aiding and supporting a rather nasty dictator and keeping the knowledge of such behavior from the US public. The film remains fairly distant from most political commentary, despite the fact that the events therein had already passed, but the intrigues and actions of the Nicaraguan government and military make things more evident as the film progresses.
As an interesting historical aside, the Sandinistas/FSLN did in real life gain control of the Nicaraguan government and ruled for many years. The infamous Iran-Contra Affair in the US, breaking around 1985 and thus two years after this film, revolved around the private funding of the Nicaraguan Contras, a rebel group opposed to the FSLN, by covert monies from the US, obtained by selling arms illegally to Iran. While in the hearings that followed, the attempt was made to portray the Contras as noble freedom fighters, the evidence of their behavior firmly belied this, to say nothing of why our government should be inclined to hide its involvement. The history of US/CIA-backed puppets in both Central America and the Middle East is a disturbing one, while at the same time, trying to determine which side is more “just,” or even to fully comprehend the politics of any foreign country, is far too complicated to reduce to simple black-or-white perspectives.
Getting back to the film, the acting is almost all excellent; director Roger Spottiswoode brought out the best from the cast and there is nothing that takes you out of the film. Ed Harris is notorious for playing diverse roles, and his portrayal as a mercenary here becomes more captivating as the story progresses. Joanna Cassidy is one of those actors that deserves more recognition, and here she carries the part of an American journalist far beyond the ‘love interest’ that many writers or directors would have aimed for. Jean-Louis Trintignant delivers some of the best lines in the film, yet while he identifies the FSLN derogatorily as the “poets,” implying that they are more about rhetoric than about politics, he and Somoza’s representatives offer the only meaningless platitudes, while the the Sandanistas express a bitter practicality; a line from a nurse within an aid station is brutally poignant. The one exception in these performances is the character of PR representative Hub Kittle (Richard Masur,) who is too superficial and clumsy. I feel obligated to mention that Nolte’s camera equipment and handling is entirely believable – real photojournalists should find little to annoy them.
Despite some heavy-handed ‘tension’ music at a key part, Jerry Goldsmith’s soundtrack fits well, unique yet expressive; I am not one to speak of notes and chords and how they work on our emotions, but the underlying feel that I get from the music seemed to express the mood of a country sundered from within. There is not the triumphant fanfare or the grim resolve of a typical ‘war’ film soundtrack, but more of a plaintive despair as the people find their government has no concern for them.
Overall, the entire film makes you think as well as portraying believable and nuanced characters, that still do not overwhelm the story itself. Definitely worth checking out.
[For the time being at least, this is available to stream for free from Tubi.]