The Milagro Beanfield War (1988)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

Robert Redford

Writers:

John Nichols (novel)
John Nichols (screenplay)

Release Date:

18 March 1988 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Fantasy | Drama

Tagline:

Milagro, New Mexico. Population 426. Nothing had changed here for 300 years. But there's something about this day...

Plot:

In Milagro, a small town in the American Southwest, Ladd Devine plans to build a major new resort development...

Plot Keywords:

Water | American Southwest | Small Town | Governor | Pig

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 1 win & 2 nominations

Cast

Rubén Blades	...	Sheriff Bernabe Montoya
Richard Bradford	...	Ladd Devine
Sonia Braga	...	Ruby Archuleta
Julie Carmen	...	Nancy Mondragon
James Gammon	...	Horsethief Shorty
Melanie Griffith	...	Flossie Devine
John Heard	...	Charlie Bloom
Carlos Riquelme	...	Amarante Cordova
Daniel Stern	...	Herbie Platt
Chick Vennera	...	Joe Mondragon
Christopher Walken	...	Kyril Montana
Freddy Fender	...	Mayor Sammy Cantu
Tony Genaro	...	Nick Rael
Jerry Hardin	...	Emerson Capps
Ronald G. Joseph	...	Jerry G

Also Known As:

The Milagro Beanfield War (Australia)

Runtime:

117 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Spanish

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

USA:R (certificate #29090) | Singapore:PG | Iceland:12 | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Finland:K-12 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Espanola, New Mexico, USA

Company:

Esparza

Trivia:

In a scene at one of the local Milagro stores where John Heard's lawyer character is dropping off his newspapers, a woman is shopping for Newman's Own salad dressing. The store owner tells her, that's no good, buy something else - an obvious in-joke in which director Robert Redford tweaks his longtime friend and frequent co-star Paul Newman.

Goofs:

Continuity: As Bernie pulls up to the Forest Service office during the scene with Joe's cow, his truck creates a large dust cloud which sweeps over everyone. In the next shot, the cloud is completely gone.

Quotes:

Ruby Archuleta: What good is a hometown if everyone you know is gone?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Mystery Science Theater 3000: The Thing That Couldn't Die (#9.5)" (1997)

One of the best. Underrated and unappreciated.

I lived in Santa Fe, NM for 20 years which is only about 20 miles from Truchas, NM where TMBW was filmed. This movie was right on the money in its portrayal of Northern New Mexico, both in its culture and in its politics. The movie itself is one of the most sublime films I've ever seen in the true sense of the word. It has grandeur of thought, emotion and spirit. It has been bashed in this comment area by those raised on Star Wars, Predator, and the Matrix. To enjoy a movie like TMBW, you have to have a sense of awe, wonder and joy...and a good sense of humor. If you don't, you may get bored. If you do, then you'll find two hours well spent. I obviously love this movie. The music alone will transport you to a pleasant part of your mind, and the absolutely gorgeous New Mexico scenery will make you want to go there to see if it's really real. Try it, you'll like it.