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Cuba

  • 1979
  • R
  • 2h 2m
IMDb RATING
5.6/10
3.1K
YOUR RATING
Sean Connery and Brooke Adams in Cuba (1979)
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Dark ComedyAdventureRomanceThrillerWar

A British mercenary arrives in pre-Revolution Cuba to help train General Batista's Army against Castro's guerrillas while he also romances a former lover now married to an unscrupulous plant... Read allA British mercenary arrives in pre-Revolution Cuba to help train General Batista's Army against Castro's guerrillas while he also romances a former lover now married to an unscrupulous plantation owner.A British mercenary arrives in pre-Revolution Cuba to help train General Batista's Army against Castro's guerrillas while he also romances a former lover now married to an unscrupulous plantation owner.

  • Director
    • Richard Lester
  • Writer
    • Charles Wood
  • Stars
    • Sean Connery
    • Brooke Adams
    • Jack Weston
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    5.6/10
    3.1K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Richard Lester
    • Writer
      • Charles Wood
    • Stars
      • Sean Connery
      • Brooke Adams
      • Jack Weston
    • 31User reviews
    • 22Critic reviews
    • 49Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • Videos1

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    Trailer 1:56
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    Photos102

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    Top cast34

    Edit
    Sean Connery
    Sean Connery
    • Maj. Robert Dapes
    Brooke Adams
    Brooke Adams
    • Alexandra Lopez de Pulido
    Jack Weston
    Jack Weston
    • Larry Gutman
    Hector Elizondo
    Hector Elizondo
    • Capt. Raphael Ramirez
    Denholm Elliott
    Denholm Elliott
    • Donald Skinner
    Martin Balsam
    Martin Balsam
    • Gen. Bello
    Chris Sarandon
    Chris Sarandon
    • Juan Pulido
    Danny De La Paz
    • Julio Mederos
    Lonette McKee
    Lonette McKee
    • Therese Mederos
    Alejandro Rey
    Alejandro Rey
    • Faustino
    Louisa Moritz
    Louisa Moritz
    • Miss Wonderly
    Dave King
    Dave King
    • Miss Wonderly's Press Agent
    Walter Gotell
    Walter Gotell
    • Don Jose Pulido
    David Rappaport
    David Rappaport
    • Jesus
    Wolfe Morris
    Wolfe Morris
    • Gen. Fulgencio Batista
    Michael Lees
    Michael Lees
    • Roger Maxwell-Lafroy
    Tony Mathews
    Tony Mathews
    • Carrillo
    Roger Lloyd Pack
    Roger Lloyd Pack
    • Nunez
    • (as Roger Lloyd-Pack)
    • Director
      • Richard Lester
    • Writer
      • Charles Wood
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews31

    5.63.1K
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    Featured reviews

    siber-1

    Hollywood's Inaccurate History

    Although a trivial matter in regards to the plot, the film opens and a date (1959) appears on the screen. Given that Castro entered Havana on New Year's Day, 1959 and Battista had already fled Cuba on December 31, 1958, the events that transpire in the movie could hardly have occurred in 1959.
    7moggie992002

    Bond links

    There are a number of links between this film and the James Bond movies.

    As well as the obvious presence of Sean Connery, we have Walter Gotell who played Morzeny in "From Russia with Love" and then played General Anatol Gogol in 5 Bond films as well as the "James Bond Jr" TV series.

    In addition, the Spanish city of Cadiz in Andalucia was used for much of the location shooting - a location which also doubled as Cuba in "Die Another Day".

    Aside from that, the film creates a wonderfully atmospheric impression of a regime on its last legs, attempting the resist the seemingly inevitable regime change sought by the rebels.

    Not a great film but perfectly watchable (even if I did find myself looking out for familiar Andalucian scenery as much as following the plot!).
    6David198

    Fascinating backdrop but an ultimately disappointing film

    This drama/love story could have been excellent. Played out against the last months of the corrupt and US/UK-supported Batista regime, the collapse of the old society as Castro's fidelistas begin to take over is shown compellingly. The point is well made that a revolution will only succeed if the people are behind it which, in this instance, they clearly were.

    It's a shame that the movie couldn't have been filmed in Cuba, as of course all the famous landmarks of Havana are missing, but its real problems are threefold.

    Firstly the storyline is confusing, complicated and unconvincing, with none of the characters being allowed to hold one's attention.

    Secondly, the acting is poor. Even Sean Connery - who is normally excellent - seems to have had his mind on other things the whole time.

    And thirdly, for some inexplicable reason, the chanting of 'Fidel' as Castro enters Havana in triumph morphs into a Nazi crowd chanting 'Sieg Heil'. Whatever was this trying to say? When Castro actually came into power, one of the first things he did was to open all the 'whites-only' clubs to black people, and to make it clear in an early speech that there was no such thing as a superior race. To liken Castro to Hitler is a travesty of the facts.

    So, ultimately a flawed film. Watch it not for the story or the 'message' but for what is going on in the background.
    7Nazi_Fighter_David

    Lester reveals a likable if none too demanding talent for adventure and love...

    Richard Nester's 'Cuba' is set in the 1950's just in the Civil war against Batista's government...

    Sean Connery stars as a free British counter-terrorist whom Batista's associates hope will help them beat Castro's revolutionaries...

    Connery quickly figures out, almost as soon as he landed in the exotic and dangerous island, that the revolution will succeed and replace one elite with another... He gets much more interest in following an old sweetheart, and when the two see each other, memories of his first love affair come flooding back...

    Connery begins to remember when he was once deeply and ridiculously in love with her... The 'woman in red' that passed before his eyes in Havana's airport terminal was the most exotic, breath-stopping creature he had ever known... Now she is Alexandra Pulido (Brooke Adams), a highly ambitious woman who runs a cigar factory while her husband flirts with other women...

    Chris Sarandon is the profligate son of one of Cuba's wealthiest men, and the charming playboy in the romantic triangle who knows everything about Havana, 'every casino, every table, and every bed in it!'

    Martin Balsam is the general in the corrupt Batista regime, who intends to ask Castro to 'get rid of the Communists.'

    Hector Elizondo is the junior officer who realizes late in life why few were sorry about the fall of Batista...

    Jack Weston is the fat American businessman impressed by the cigar factory...

    Lonette McKee is the ardent lover who rejects all the ways of behavior in Cuba...

    Danny De la Paz is the very bad brother with a handgun license...

    Alejandro Rey is a money-grubbing menace who puts his personal ambition over public safety...

    Denholm Elliott is the soldier of fortune who buys an old airplane so quickly...

    Walter Gotell is the unfeeling father who is quite separate from the businesses run by his daughter in law...

    In 'Cuba', Richard Lester reveals a likable if none too demanding talent for adventure and love... His film lacks the detailed exposition of the many twists and turns of Michael Curtiz's 'Casablanca.' There is no club so well organized in his movie, no open arena of conspiracy, counterspies, secret plans, black market transactions, no true democrat with women, and no traditional woman enclosed by two rivals...
    7steve-raybould

    Workmanlike thriller with a touch of individual Lester charm

    An enjoyable thriller, which although filmed in Spain, manages to capture the atmosphere and lunacy of the last days of Batista's dictatorship perfectly. Probably a contractual purposes project on the behalf of director Lester, he manages to inject just enough of his own idiosyncratic style to lift this adventure flick out of the run of the mill. Connery is totally convincing in his role as Brit counter-insurgency advisor/mercenary. Brook Adams is stunning. Good anglo-american supporting cast. Plot begins to lose its impetus about a reel before the end, and at a running time of nearly two hours, is overlong. But well worth renting the video. Socialists will not find its political interpetation of events offensive, but may be puzzled or angered by the soundtrack over the final titles - as a victorious Fidel approaches the podium, chants of 'Fidel! Fidel!' are over dubbed with a Nuremberg chorus of 'Sieg Heil!'. Discuss.

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    Related interests

    Phoebe Waller-Bridge and Sian Clifford in Fleabag (2016)
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    Adventure
    Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca (1942)
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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Steven Soderbergh, director of Che: Part One (2008) and Che: Part Two (2008), in an interview with Alex Simon, said of this movie: "That's a fascinating movie. Flawed, but really the things that people disliked about it when it came out are what makes it interesting now, it's refusal to sort of play to the idea of a war-torn romance. An absolute refusal to be sentimental or easy about anything. Brooke Adams' character was really fascinating. Here's a woman who says 'Look, I don't know what little fantasy you've got in your head, but don't play it out on me, because I'm not that.' And this guy (Sir Sean Connery) who's wrestling with the fact that the kind of guy he is, is obsolete now. It's a really interesting movie."
    • Goofs
      At the start of the film, a subtitle announces "1959", indicating the year in which the story takes place. However the actual date of the last event of the film - Fidel Castro riding into Havana, marking the completion of the Revolution - was 1 January 1959. All of the preceding events must have occurred in 1958.
    • Quotes

      Maj. Robert Dapes: Why were those people shot?

      Capt. Raphael Ramirez: Perhaps they tried to escape.

      Maj. Robert Dapes: From what?

      Capt. Raphael Ramirez: From being shot.

      Maj. Robert Dapes: But how did they know they were rebels?

      Capt. Raphael Ramirez: Because they tried to escape.

      Maj. Robert Dapes: Well, wouldn't you?

      Capt. Raphael Ramirez: Of course.

      Maj. Robert Dapes: Are you a rebel?

      Capt. Raphael Ramirez: If I try to escape, I am. Wasn't it the same in Malaya? You didn't know them till they ran.

      Maj. Robert Dapes: No, it wasn't!

      Capt. Raphael Ramirez: Very well, you're here to teach us!

      [Ramirez is shot dead.]

    • Alternate versions
      The UK release was cut, cuts required to remove scenes of real cockfighting in accordance with BBFC policy relating to the Cinematograph Films (Animals) Act 1937, in order to obtain a 12 classification. An uncut classification was not available.
    • Connections
      Featured in Sneak Previews: The Electric Horseman, Cuba, Going In Style, The Black Hole, All That Jazz (1979)
    • Soundtracks
      Survival
      (uncredited)

      Written by Teddy Osei and Mac Tontoh

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    FAQ18

    • How long is Cuba?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 21, 1979 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United Kingdom
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Spanish
      • French
    • Also known as
      • Explosion in Cuba
    • Filming locations
      • Cádiz, Andalucía, Spain
    • Production company
      • Holmby Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $7,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $5,610,280
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $527,540
      • Dec 25, 1979
    • Gross worldwide
      • $5,610,280
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      • 2h 2m(122 min)
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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