The Honorary Consul

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

Sep 30 1983 R 1h 44m
Drama, Romance, Thriller

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.

Plot

During the rule of brutal right wing military juntas in Paraguay and Argentina, Dr. Eduardo Plarr, half-English and half-Paraguayan medical doctor, returns from Buenos Aires to work in the small town of Corrientes, Argentina, where he first arrived after his escape from Paraguay years earlier. He quickly begins to form new friendships such as the one with the alcoholic British Honorary Consul, Charley Fortnum, whose beautiful Argentinian wife, a former high-class prostitute named Clara, Eduardo seduces and they have a passionate affair. He also re-establishes old ones like the one with junta's Colonel Perez and Leon, a former priest turned rebel leader, who also happens to be Eduardo's childhood friend from Paraguay. All of this comes together to create a serious problem for Eduardo when he is asked to help the rebels kidnap the US ambassador, who's coming to visit Corrientes and whose kidnapping might force the US to force the Paraguayan junta to release several political prisoners, including Eduardo's father who may or may not still be alive.

Written by

Graham Greene, Christopher Hampton

Directed by

John Mackenzie

Production Countries

United Kingdom

Production Companies

Parsons & Whittemore Lyddon Ltd., World Film Services

Languages

English

Awards

Nominated for 2 BAFTA 4 nominations total

Scores
# of Votes
1,717
Average Rating
5.7 out of 10
Metascore
NA
Popularity
NA