You are here:

Havana

Name: Havana
Director: Sydney Pollack
Released: 1990
Duration: 144 min

Representation Score

3.8/10

Limited

1990

Director

Sydney Pollack

Runtime

144 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Havana is a film that prioritizes geopolitical and ideological complexity over demographic diversity. It succeeds in its cultural critique, using the Cuban revolution to challenge Western-aligned institutions and traditional power dynamics. However, the film lacks diversity in its casting and character dynamics. The perspective is heavily Western-centric, focusing on American experiences while treating the local population as a secondary element to the main plot. Ultimately, the work trades traditional representation for a nuanced exploration of systemic upheaval and the tension between individual ability to act and political change.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does Havana have LGBTQ+ representation?

Minimal

The film follows a traditional structure where the central romance is built on a conventional dynamic between the protagonist and a revolutionary's wife.

How does Havana portray gender?

Fair

Male characters drive the primary political and musical plots. Women have emotional presence and play supporting roles, but their actions are largely influenced by the male characters' journeys.

How racially and ethnically diverse is Havana?

Limited

The narrative focuses on white American protagonists. The Cuban population serves as an atmospheric backdrop to the ideological shifts of the American characters.

How does Havana represent religion and culture?

Good

The film critiques Western hegemony and capitalist stability. It presents the Cuban revolution as a complex, situational struggle rather than a simple moral tale.

Does Havana include disability representation?

Minimal

There are no prominent depictions of physical or neurodivergent disabilities serving as central character arcs or plot devices.

Present on Screen

Sophisticated engagement with anti-capitalist and anti-Western themes.
Nuanced exploration of the breakdown of traditional social orders.
Female characters have complex, secondary roles.

Limited or Absent

The narrative lens is overly focused on white American protagonists.
The film adheres to traditional romantic structures.
Male characters dominate the primary plot drivers.

Official Synopsis

During the revolution, a high-stakes gambler arrives in Cuba seeking to win big in poker games. Along the way, he meets and falls in love with the wife of a Communist revolutionary.

How are these scores produced? →