The Mission: A Film Journal

by Daniel Berrigan

The author is a Jesuit priest, poet, and advocate for denuclearization and peace. This book is his account of the making of "The Mission" (1986), the film that re-creates the splendor and eventual tragic demise of the 'Jesuit Republic' in 18th century South America. Berrigan appeared briefly in the film, which was directed by Roland Joffé and starred Robert De Niro and Jeremy Irons. He plays a Jesuit priest and served as a consultant on the film.

Genres: History

160 pages, Hardcover

First published November 1, 1986

About the author

Daniel Joseph Berrigan (May 9, 1921 – April 30, 2016) was an American Jesuit priest, college professor, anti-war activist, Christian pacifist, playwright, poet, and author.

Reviews

[Christopher Blosser · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kind of a niche read -- being that 'The Mission' is one of my favorite movies, Jeremy Irons and Robert DeNiro favorite actors, and Daniel Berrigan a Jesuit whose theological musings I generally appreciate, I found the confluence of all topics in this book compelled me to pick it up.

The day to day makings of the film didn't really hold my interest much, but I did enjoy the sections where Berrigan speculates at length -- on the meaning and purpose of cinema; idealism vs. reality of the Jesuit history that the film aims to portray; his occasional personal conversations with the actors themselves. AND there is a rather interesting section towards the end where he bluntly opines on his frustration with the ivory-tower "liberation theology" of his time that I found rather amusing.

[Erik Graff · Rating 3 out of 5]

Having been interested in the brothers Berrigan since high school and having enjoyed the film, The Mission, I grabbed this upon finding it at a local used bookstore. Upon finishing it I passed it on to Nicholas Patricca, the Catholic playwright, who had sponsored Berrigan on a visit to Loyola University Chicago.

[Jim · Rating 1 out of 5]

gave it fifty pages, never grabbed me, was reading the arc, pictures might have helped.