caddessh Reviews

Captain Pantoja and the Special Services (1999)

I read the book in 1988 -

[8/10 · 3 August 2002]

I read the book about 1988 and saw most of the movie on TV in Lima in June 2002. The movie captured the spirit of the book very well.

I worked as a civilian employee in a military agency for 30 years. Never during my career did I encounter an officer who was as dedicated and competent as Pantaleon Pantojas. That was the striking feature in the book and in the movie, as well.

Although Iquitos, the city on the Amazon where much of the movie was filmed, is much larger than what is shown in the movie, some elements of the life on the river are reflected in the film.

Can anyone tell me where I can purchase a VHS copy of the movie?

Hugh

Butterfly (1999)

The film was spoiled by the leftist propaganda ending

[16 September 2000]

The end of the film gives a false impression because it is not clear that the reaction of the falangistas was just that, a reaction to the atrocities of the so-called republican government. George Orwell went to Spain at the beginning of the civil war to help save democracy there, but after a few months, he returned to England reporting that the communists had taken over the elected government and there was no democracy there to save. His remarks were under-reported in the press in UK and elsewhere.