ActionDramaRomance

The Honorary Consul

- First they betrayed him. Then they gambled with his life.

Set in a small politically unstable Latin American country, the story follows the half English and half Latino Dr. Eduardo Plarr, who left his home to find a better life. Along the way he meets an array of people, including British Consul Charley Fortnum, a representative in Latin America who is trying to keep Revolution from occurring. He is also a remorseful alcoholic. Another person the doctor meets is Clara, whom he immediately falls in love with, but there is a problem: Clara is Charley's wife.

Release Date : 1983-09-30

Language :EnglishLatinSpanish

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : Parsons & Whittemore Lyddon Ltd.World Film Services

Production Country : United Kingdom

Alternative Titles : Beyond the Limit

Cast

Character Name : Charley Fortnum

Original Name : Michael Caine

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dr. Eduardo Plarr

Original Name : Richard Gere

Gender : Male

Character Name : Colonel Perez

Original Name : Bob Hoskins

Gender : Male

Character Name : Clara

Original Name : Elpidia Carrillo

Gender : Female

Character Name : Leon

Original Name : Joaquim de Almeida

Gender : Male

Character Name : Aquino

Original Name : A Martinez

Gender : Male

Character Name : Marta

Original Name : Stephanie Cotsirilos

Gender : Male

Character Name : Diego

Original Name : Domingo Ambriz

Gender : Male

Character Name : British Ambassador

Original Name : Geoffrey Palmer

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dr. Humphries

Original Name : Leonard Maguire

Gender : Male

Character Name : Senor Escobar

Original Name : Jorge Russek

Gender : Male

Character Name : Pablo

Original Name : Eric Valdez

Gender : Male

Character Name : Miguel

Original Name : Nicolás Jasso

Gender : Male

Character Name : Señora Escobar

Original Name : Erika Carlsen

Gender : Male

Character Name : Señora Sanchez

Original Name : Josefina Echánove

Gender : Female

Character Name : Henry Plan

Original Name : Ramón Álvarez

Gender : Male

Character Name : U.S. Ambassador

Original Name : George Belanger

Gender : Male

Reviews

CinemaSerf

@Geronimo1967

2024-12-07

With both Paraguay and Argentina under junta governments, doctor "Eduardo" (Richard Gere) returns to his homeland where he quickly befriends the eponymous gent "Fortnum" (Michael Caine) before making even closer friends with his somewhat open-minded wife "Clara" (Elpidia Carrillo). Ostensibly an upstanding member of the community it soon becomes clear that this physician is conflicted, and that comes to an head when his dipso friend is charged with driving the US Ambassador to visit a waterfall. The rebels get wind of this trip and plan to kidnap the visiting diplomat, but they get the wrong man and aren't impressed with the boozed-up light-weight that find themselves stuck with. Still, they can still use him as leverage to have some of their colleagues released from jail, or can they? Does anyone really care about this man who's frankly become a bit of a nuisance, a liability even? The only chance poor old "Fortnum" might have is if local police chief "Perez" (Bob Hoskins) can find where he is being held before his captors lose patience, or run out of whiskey! Caine is on quite good form here as he takes to the role of the alcoholic convincingly, and though he really only features sparingly his is by far the better effort. Otherwise, there's lots of sex between Gere and Carrillo, but their personas remain largely undercooked by a weak script and a rather limited supporting cast who underplay the freedom-fighting elements of the plot and render them a little better than a sideshow. It's really only a vehicle for Gere, this film, and an unremarkable one at that.