You are here:

At Play in the Fields of the Lord

Name: At Play in the Fields of the Lord
Director: Héctor Babenco
Released: 1991
Duration: 189 min

Representation Score

5.1/10

Fair

1991

Director

Héctor Babenco

Runtime

189 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

New Showbiz Analysis

Héctor Babenco’s drama serves as a rigorous deconstruction of Western hegemony and colonialist frameworks. The film’s primary strength is its refusal to frame missionary work as benevolent, instead portraying it as a destabilizing force. By prioritizing the perspective of indigenous tribes, the narrative challenges the perceived superiority of Western social structures. However, the film remains limited by its adherence to conventional straight-centered structures and a lack of representation for LGBTQ+ and disabled characters. While it successfully critiques institutional imposition, these omissions prevent a more comprehensive diversity profile. Ultimately, the work stands as a notable piece of post-colonial cinema. It succeeds by framing the 'civilizing mission' as an invasive threat to the natural and cultural autonomy of the Amazonian region.

Watch this, not that →

Category Breakdown

Does At Play in the Fields of the Lord have LGBTQ+ representation?

Limited

The film does not include any LGBTQ+ characters or non-straight relationships. The interpersonal dynamics focus on traditional romantic and sexual tensions between missionaries and the local population.

How does At Play in the Fields of the Lord portray gender?

Fair

Female characters like Hazel play a significant role in driving the story through their emotional responses to the environment. The film avoids glorifying traditional masculinity, instead showing it as a source of instability.

How racially and ethnically diverse is At Play in the Fields of the Lord?

Excellent

The narrative excels by centering indigenous Amazonian populations and their autonomy. Using indigenous actors provides an authentic presence amidst the clash with Western expansionism.

How does At Play in the Fields of the Lord represent religion and culture?

Excellent

The film offers a sophisticated critique of Western religious institutions as disruptive forces. It questions the validity of Western doctrines against the lived reality of Amazonian tribes.

Does At Play in the Fields of the Lord include disability representation?

Minimal

There are no significant or central depictions of visible or invisible disabilities within the film.

Present on Screen

Authentic portrayal of indigenous Amazonian populations using indigenous actors.
Sophisticated critique of Western religious and colonialist institutions.
Prioritizes the ability to act and survival of indigenous social structures.

Limited or Absent

Lack of LGBTQ+ characters or non-straight relationships.
Absence of visible or invisible disability representation.
Reliance on traditional straight-centered romantic dynamics.

Official Synopsis

Martin and Hazel Quarrier are small-town fundamentalist missionaries sent to the jungles of South America to convert the Indians. Their remote mission was previously run by the Catholics, before the natives murdered them all. They are sent by the pompous Leslie Huben, who runs the missionary effort in the area but who seems more concerned about competing with his Catholic 'rivals' than in the Indians themselves. Hazel is terrified of the Indians while Martin is fascinated. Soon American pilot Lewis Moon joins the Indian tribe but is attracted by Leslie's young wife, Andy. Can the interaction of these characters and cultures, and the advancing bulldozers of civilization, avoid disaster?

How are these scores produced? →