Noriega: God's Favorite (2000) (TV)

Director:

Roger Spottiswoode

Writer (WGA):

Lawrence Wright (written by)

Release Date:

6 June 2001 (Italy)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

The story of Panamanian general Manuel Antonio 'Tony' Noriega, whose meteoric career, from utter poverty...

Plot Keywords:

Sanctuary | General | Decapitation | Torture | Injection

Awards:

1 win & 5 nominations

Cast

Bob Hoskins	...	Manuel Noriega
Jeffrey DeMunn	...	Nuncio
Rosa Blasi	...	Vicky Amador
Luis Avalos	...	President Nicky Barletta
Denise Blasor	...	Felicidad Noriega
Nestor Carbonell	...	Major Giroldi
Tony Plana	...	Colonel Diaz-Herrera
Sabi Dorr	...	Irwin
John Verea	...	Father Jorge
Richard Masur	...	Mark
David Marshall Grant	...	Drug Dealer
Michael Sorich	...	Fidel Castro
Jorge Luis Abreu	...	Witch Doctor
Edward Edwards	...	Oliver North
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Susan Africa	...	Adela Giroldi
Ina Alegre	...	Prostitute
Ivan Allen	...	Newscaster
Ed Aquino	...	Giroldi's Man
Ed Bouffard	...	Newscaster
Janice Brillotes	...	Yacht Woman
Jennifer Cain	...	Swiss Receptionist
Edith Castillejo	...	Party Guest
Jackie Castillejos	...	Party Guest
Rick Constantineau	...	Chuck
Bruce Cornwell	...	Harvard Professor
Rez Cortez	...	Bodyguard
Renzo Cruz	...	Plotter
Richard Cunanan	...	CIA Agent
Ivo Cutzarida	...	Hugo Spadafora
Maggie Dela Riva	...	Party Guest
Zoey Del Corro	...	Waitress
Michael De Mesa	...	Drug Lord
Janice De Padua	...	Secretary
Diego Domicoli	...	Giroldi's Kid
Teresa Elliott	...	Newscaster
Michelle Estevez	...	Noriega's Daughter
Jaime Fabregas	...	Officer
Miguel Faustmann	...	Lieutenant Contreras
Jaime Garchitorena	...	Aide
Charley J. Garrett
Rosemarie Gil	...	Señor Sarita
J. Boyce Harman Jr.	...	Tony's Doctor (as J. Boyce Harman)
Ala Hegazy	...	Mountain Man
Subas Herrero	...	Gabriel Arias
Dick Israel	...	Bodyguard
Barbara Johnson	...	Ginny
Chris Johnson	...	State Department Official
Robert Kraut	...	Priest
Micha Lil	...	CIA Agent
Samantha Lopez
Barbara Luna	...	Mama
Alicia Mansfield	...	Nun
Tonyo Meléndez	...	Pepe Velasquez
Melanie Menoza	...	Yacht Woman
Randelier Orlino	...	Mountain Man
Joanna Orros	...	Secretary
James Gregory Paolleli	...	Newscaster (as James Paolleli)
Eric Payne
Leo Rabago	...	Mountain Man
Ed Requestas	...	Disc Jockey
Leo Rialp	...	Raul Castro
Romeo Rivera	...	Officer
Alexandra Rocha	...	Giroldi's Kid
Ed Rocha	...	Enrique
Frank Roman	...	Cesar Rodriguez
Rhett Romero	...	Giroldi's Man
Camille Roxas	...	Carmen
Princess Ann Schuck	...	Giroldi's Kid
Andrew Schuten	...	Drug Dealer
Charmille Shartle	...	Noriega's Daughter
Samantha Smith	...	Yogi
Bart Suretsky	...	Kiki Pretelet
Ashley Talbert	...	Nurse
Tom Todoroff	...	The Swiss Doctor / Nestor
Noel Trinidad	...	Rebel Officer
Chandro Uttamchandani	...	Giroldi's Man
Veronica Veron	...	Chaquita
José Vicente Vibar	...	American General
Stefanie Walmsley	...	Radcliffe Student
Larry Wright	...	District Attorney
George Bush	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Jimmy Carter	...	Himself (archive footage) (uncredited)
Dave Mallow	...	Parrot (voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
Roger Spottiswoode

Writing credits (WGA)
Lawrence Wright		(written by)

Produced by
Nancy Hardin	....	producer
J. Boyce Harman Jr.	....	line producer
Lope V. Juban Jr.	....	producer
Arnon Milchan	....	executive producer
Roger Spottiswoode	....	executive producer
Tom Todoroff	....	co-producer
Nick Wechsler	....	executive producer
Lawrence Wright	....	co-producer

Cinematography by
Pierre Mignot

Film Editing by
Mark Conte

Casting by
Judith Holstra

Production Design by
Owen Paterson

Art Direction by
Colin Gibson
Roy Lachica

Set Decoration by
Sammy Aranzamendez

Costume Design by
Florence-Isabelle Megginson

Makeup Department
Haidee Balicha	....	hair stylist
Chat Baun	....	assistant makeup artist
Nick Dudman	....	makeup department head
Linda Satsatina	....	hair stylist
Ana Emelda Villaflor	....	assistant makeup artist
Teresa Villaflor	....	makeup artist (as Maria Theresa Villaflor)
Candy L. Walken	....	hair department head

Production Management
J. Boyce Harman Jr.	....	unit production manager
Angelito N. Mabalot	....	unit production manager
Chad Tomasoski	....	post-production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Ada Bautista	....	third assistant director
Nick Dodet	....	second assistant director (as Nicolas Dodet)
Cellin Gluck	....	first assistant director
Carlos P. Medina	....	second assistant director
Arturo Soquerata	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Ben Campita	....	set dresser
Camilo Felipe	....	supervising painter
Daniel Fernández	....	assistant art director
Gilbert Garantuza	....	set dresser
Romulo Janapin	....	construction supervisor
Greg Lipit	....	property supervisor
Eddie Macasu	....	construction foreman
Salustiano Maestro	....	assistant property supervisor
Bong Pangilinan	....	set dresser
Edgar Valencia	....	key assistant set dresser
Rodel Villar	....	set dresser

Sound Department
William H. Angarola	....	supervising sound editor
Georges Bossaers	....	sound mixer
Ken Brocious	....	boom operator
Zane D. Bruce	....	foley artist (as Zane Bruce)
Kevin Patrick Burns	....	sound re-recording mixer (as Kevin Burns)
Tim Cooney	....	production sound mixer
Robert Deschaine	....	adr mixer
Jim Fitzpatrick	....	sound re-recording mixer
Mark Harris	....	foley recordist
Rick Hinson	....	supervising sound editor
Anna MacKenzie	....	sound editor
Maciek Malish	....	sound editor
Mike Marchain	....	sound editor
Todd Orr	....	sound re-recording mixer
Cindy Rabideau	....	sound editor
Joseph T. Sabella	....	foley artist (as Joe Sabella)
Donald Santos	....	boom operator
Ray Spiess	....	sound editor
Tami Treadwell	....	adr recordist

Special Effects by
Richard Guevara	....	special effects supervisor
Manny Macapagal	....	special effects supervisor
Tons Munoz	....	special effects supervisor
Ed Sto. Domingo	....	special effects supervisor

Visual Effects by
Andy Barrios	....	compositing artist: Rainmaker Digital Pictures
Brian Battles	....	compositing artist
Tim Belcher	....	visual effects coordinator
Brigitte Bourque	....	compositing artist: Rainmaker Digital
Scott Harper	....	digital supervisor: Rainmaker Digital Pictures
Karen Kutcka	....	visual effects coordinator
Will McCoy	....	compositing artist
Misato Shinohara	....	visual effects supervisor

Camera and Electrical Department
Ernesto Baltonado	....	assistant supervising electrician
Julian Baltonado	....	supervising electrician
Geoffroy Beauchemin	....	first assistant camera
Dionisio Cebuano	....	grip
Antonio Colobong Jr.	....	grip
Cirio Bong Conde	....	third assistant camera
Fred Conde	....	camera operator: "b" camera (as Freddie Conde)
Jean Courteau	....	chief lighting technician
Angelo De Guzman	....	first company grip
Dennis De Guzman	....	second company grip
Daniel Delina	....	first assistant camera: "b" camera
Richard Foreman Jr.	....	still photographer (as Richard Foreman)
Bernardo Gabilo	....	second assistant camera: "b" camera
James R. Hall Jr.	....	second assistant camera
Lito Moya	....	grip
Paul Murphey	....	24 frame video operator
Rufo Orita	....	dolly grip
Raldo Rey	....	grip
Peter Wunstorf	....	additional photographer

Casting Department
Eduardo Rocha	....	casting consultant
Lori Sugar	....	casting assistant: Los Angeles
Julie Ysla	....	casting coordinator

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Mike Ambrosio	....	second wardrobe assistant (as Mike Ambrocio)
Wynn Arenas	....	wardrobe supervisor
Alex Argente	....	first wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Adam Clark	....	color timer
Tim King	....	executive in charge of post-production
Roger La Prairie	....	telecine colorist
Robert C. Rodriguez	....	post-production coordinator
Nick Spark	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Kathryn Dayak	....	music editor
Peter Iselin	....	music coordinator
Gael MacGregor	....	music administrator
Spencer Proffer	....	supervising music producer
Gael MacGregor	....	music co-supervisor (uncredited)

Transportation Department
Primo Guina	....	transportation captain (as Firmo Guina)
Rey Mahinay	....	assistant transportation captain

Other crew
Robert L. Catron	....	production coordinator
Rick Constantineau	....	production accountant
Jeremiah Domingo	....	assistant production coordinator
Linda Gillespie	....	post-production accountant
Michael Klastorin	....	unit publicist
Pablo Lucelo	....	production accountant
Corazon C. Maitim	....	production secretary
Pancho Mansfield	....	creative executive
Danilo Medina	....	set production assistant
Joselito Munoz	....	set production assistant
Joji Nolasco	....	production coordinator
Leslie Park	....	script supervisor
Sammy Pasha	....	assistant: Mr. Hoskins
Romulo Ramos	....	location manager
Byron Wagner	....	technology services
Claudia Ziesche	....	assistant to director

Production Companies

• Industry Entertainment
• Regency Enterprises
• Showtime Networks (as Showtime)

Distributors

• Showtime Networks

Runtime:

120 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Finland:K-16 | UK:15 | Spain:18

Filming Locations:

Metro Manila, Luzon, Philippines

Company:

Industry Entertainment

Trivia:

Near the end of the movie, the Nuncio warns Noriega that if he isn't careful, he'll end up like Mussolini, strung up by his heels. Bob Hoskins, who played Noriega, had already met that fate in the 1985 movie biography of Mussolini, whom he played.

Quotes:

Major Giroldi: With God and the gringos on our side, how can we fail?

It's supposed to be a comedy!

The truth is, I have not seen this movie. But I wanted to write something because all the reviews I've seen of this movie so far seem to miss an extremely critical point. This movie is based on a book, which was a fictionalized account of the fall of Noriega, titled "God's Favorite." That book is one of my best-loved reads. It's not at all supposed to be a truthful recounting of the actual events, it's a dark comedy loosely based on fact. If you watch this movie thinking it's serious, I have no doubt you will be disappointed. If you approach this movie knowing it's a comedy, maybe you'll have better luck. Then again, if you still don't like it, maybe try looking up the book sometime. Based on my great experience with the book, I'm looking forward to seeing this movie sometime soon. (I didn't even know there was a movie made until I went hunting for a review of the book to share with friends.)