The Honorary Consul (film)
The Honorary Consul, also known as Beyond the Limit in North America, is a 1983 British-Mexican drama film directed by John Mackenzie and starring Michael Caine, Richard Gere, Bob Hoskins, and Elpidia Carrillo. It is based on the novel The Honorary Consul by Graham Greene.[4][5]
| The Honorary Consul | |
|---|---|
 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | John Mackenzie |
| Produced by | Norma Heyman[1] |
| Screenplay by | Christopher Hampton |
| Based on | The Honorary Consul by Graham Greene |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Stanley Myers |
| Cinematography | Phil Méheux |
| Edited by | Stuart Baird |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures (USA & Canada) Fox-Rank (UK & Ireland) |
Release date |
|
Running time | 103 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom Mexico |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $11.8 million[2] |
| Box office | $5,997,566[3] |
Synopsis
Set in a small politically unstable Latin American country,[lower-alpha 1] the story follows the half-English, half-Latin doctor, Eduardo Plarr (Richard Gere), who left his home to find a better life. Along the way he meets an array of people, including the British Consul Charley Fortnum (Michael Caine), a representative in Latin America who is trying to keep a revolution from occurring, who is also a remorseful alcoholic. Another person the doctor meets is Clara (Elpidia Carrillo), whom he immediately desires, but there is a problem: Clara is Charley's wife.
Cast
- Michael Caine as Charley Fortnum, Consul
- Richard Gere as Eduardo Plarr
- Bob Hoskins as Colonel Perez
- Elpidia Carrillo as Clara Fortnum
- Joaquim de Almeida as Leon
- A Martinez as Aquino
- Geoffrey Palmer as British Ambassador
Production
The film was produced by Norma Heyman, marking the first time that a British woman entirely produced an independent feature film in history.[1]
The movie was filmed on location in Coatzacoalcos, Veracruz|Veracruz, Mexico]] and Mexico City, and at the Shepperton Studios in Surrey, England.
Response
The film was successful in Europe, and particularly in the UK as it was a British production. In the United States, it only earned about $6 million in box office receipts and was not well received by critics.
Notes
- In Greene's novel the setting is northern Argentina
References
- MacNab, Geoffrey (2 July 2011). "David Heyman: Man behind the magic". The Independent. Retrieved 29 October 2012.
- "The Unstoppables". Spy. November 1988. p. 92.
- The Honorary Consul at Box Office Mojo
- The Honorary Consul on IMDb
- "The Honorary Consul (1983)". bfi.org.