Where the River Runs Black

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Where the River Runs Black Photos

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Movie Info

This drama concerns the clash of two worlds in the person of a young boy. The small boy (Alessandro Rabelo) is the offspring of a missionary who died before the he was born, and a Native American who is later killed by white prospectors. Father O'Reilly (Charles Durning) comes to hear about the legend of the orphan born to a holy man and a "sorceress" and guesses the truth about his parentage. He manages to bring the young boy to a Catholic orphanage where the lad is confronted with "civilized" behavior and is quite shocked by it. Meanwhile, Father O'Reilly is having second thoughts as the boy indirectly teaches him something about the values of his "primitive" culture.

Rating:

PG (adult situations/language, violence)
Genre:

Action & Adventure, Drama, Kids & Family
Directed By:

Christopher Cain
Written By:

Neal Jimenez, Peter Silverman
In Theaters:

Jun 1, 1986 wide
On Disc/Streaming:

Oct 18, 2011
Runtime:

96 minutes
Studio:

Twentieth Century Fox Home Entertainment

Cast

Charles Durning
as Father O'Reilly

Alessandro Rabelo
as Lazaro

Ajay Naidu
as Segundo

Divana Maria Brandao
as Eagle Woman

Peter Horton
as Father Mahoney

Conchata Ferrell
as Mother Marta

Dana Delany
as Sister Ana

Chico Díaz
as Raimundo

Paulo Sergio Oliveria
as Jose

Castulo Guerra
as Orlando Santos

Marcelo Rabelo
as Lazaro at 4 Years

Ariel Coelho
as Francisco

Paulo Sergio Oliveira
as Jose

Mario Borges
as Brother Carlos

Francois Thijm
as Luis

Geraldo Salles
as Priest in Confessional

Sandro Soviatt
as Calmanero

Raimundo Carvalho
as Waika man

Richardo Jose Matos
as Ice Cream Vendor

C. David Russel
as Floyd Jenkins

Telmo Maia
as Miner in Truck

Paulo Quindere
as Man getting shoeshine

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Critic Reviews for Where the River Runs Black

All Critics (5) | Top Critics (3)

Except for Mr. Durning, who is not called on to exert hmself, the acting is as elementary as the screenplay.

May 21, 2003 | Full Review…

Walter Goodman
New York Times
Top Critic
The movie sags beneath a phony lyricism -- slow-motion shots of water droplets, close-ups of Rabelo's innocent moon face, and post-card-pretty nature photography.

Jan 1, 2000 | Full Review…

Paul Attanasio
Washington Post
Top Critic
Concerns the clash between Indian and white cultures, the low tolerance of organized religion, and the bonds which can be established between dolphins and human beings

Aug 26, 2004 | Rating: 3/5 | Full Review…

Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat
Spirituality and Practice