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Ruben Blades, Richard Bradford, Sonia Braga, Julie Carmen, James Gammon ... see more see more... , John Heard , Melanie Griffith , Carlos Riquelme , Daniel Stern , Chick Vennera , Christopher Walken , Freddy Fender , Robert Carricart , M. Emmet Walsh , Tony Genaro , Jerry Hardin , Mike Gomez , Basil Hoffman , Ronald G. Joseph , Fredrick Lopez , Olga Merediz , Alberto Morin , Trinidad Silva , Natividad Vacio , Sam Vlahos , Ronald C. Frazier , Mario Arrambide , China Bell , Patricio Chavez , Tom Connor , Margo Cutler , Rudy Fernandez , Juanita Nicholas , Gene Ornales , Frederico Roberto , Nat Shipman , Eric Treisman , Pablo Trujillo , Eloy Vigil , Lynda Witz , Philip L. Mead , Jimmy Martinez

It's advisable to know from the beginning of The Milagro Beanfield War that "milagro" is the Spanish word for "miracle." The scene is a rundown Hispanic community in New Mexico, bordering a posh housi... read more read more...ng development. In full control of the local water rights, the powers-that-be are secure in the belief that they'll be able to expand their development without resistance from the locals. No one can foresee that impoverished farmer Joe Mondragon (Chick Vennera), during a burst of frustrated rage, will accidentally open a heretofore hidden sluice, thereby providing free water for his bean field. At first, the locals are against Mondragon's "insurrection," reasoning that the new housing development will provide jobs. But with the help of Charlie Bloom (John Heard), a burned-out '60s activist who now runs the community newspaper, Mondragon becomes the hero of the hour, the spiritual leader of an ever-growing "no development" movement. The evil land developers send their minions to intimidate or coerce Mondragon; each time, however, he is seemingly protected from harm by divine intervention. When Mondragon is forced to shoot a trespasser on his land, it looks as though his luck has run out. Chased into the hills by private detective Kyril Montana (Christopher Walken), Mondragon is once more rescued in the nick of time by what appears to be a miracle. And there are more wonders to behold before fade-out time!Whimsical, yes, but thanks to its hand-picked ensemble cast (including Sonia Braga, Rubén Blades, James Gammon, Daniel Stern, Freddy Fender, M. Emmet Walsh, and Melanie Griffith) the film remains totally credible throughout. Adapted by John Nichols and David Ward from Nichols' own novel, The Milagro Beanfield War may be the most likeable "liberal-tract" film of the 1980s. Robert Redford's appropriately Capraesque direction is matched by Dave Grusin's vibrant Oscar-winning musical score. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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72% liked it

3,337 ratings

Critics

59% liked it

27 critics

R, 1 hr. 58 min.

Directed by: Robert Redford

Release Date: March 18, 1988

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DVD Release Date: May 31, 2005

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Stats: 157 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (157)

  • ileo
    January 12, 2008
    ileo
    Great movie by Robert Redford, Sonia Braga is phenomenal!
  • redrkr
    January 2, 2012
    redrkr
    Redford does a good job as director presenting a cinematic frame for the New Mexico impoverished countryside that is the setting for this story. But even at two-hours, I remaoined unsold as to the reason that we have this conflict in the first place. Chick Vennera plays Joe as a ... read morehapless family man who gets frustrated at his lack of opportunity at working for the new resort/golf development in his hometown. He turns on the water to a beanfield in his yard. Water that baned from local irrigation.

    At this point, entreprenuers become moustache-twirling bad guys. They fear political backlash of just arresting him and then try to find other ways to fuck with Joe's day to get him to back down. This in turn, rallies the local community against the development. Maybe I just don't have that same sense of "home"- but everyone ignores the value that the money will bring them and focuses on the increased taxes that will surely come. These are impoverished people anyway. They're not being exploited, maybe just displaced. And probably compensated for that displacement.

    In the end, the good guys are all sporting halos and the bad guys are comically evil. Even Walken is a caricature. It makes the story less believable. And I don't know what good the ghost brings to the proceedings at all.
  • curiosussira
    April 15, 2011
    curiosussira
    Watched it in espanol, it was a great movie that contains some christian elements which I personally enjoyed but then again the next person might not. Wonderful plot and character development I loved it.
  • stasiacrazyass
    May 2, 2007
    stasiacrazyass
    good one I loved this movie it just like that for a mexican just to fight to live on his own ancestors land.
  • salvatrucha101
    April 1, 2007
    salvatrucha101
    my favorite part wuz wen da old man had a gun and shot a bottle of whisky in da bar it was tight, he reminded me of my grandma.
  • m13hoover
    March 11, 2007
    m13hoover
    This is filmed in & around my hometown. The scenery is killer, the story is so real to the way of life we grew up in. Please watch it, its great.

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Critic Reviews

Variety Staff
November 7, 2007
Variety Staff, Variety

Redford and company have put a quirky twist on the material, investing it with a quasi-mystical aspect as well as some raw comedy. Full Review

Jonathan Rosenbaum
November 7, 2007
Jonathan Rosenbaum, Chicago Reader

Fairly choked with good intentions, whimsy, touches of fantasy, and cardboard liberal stereotypes. Full Review

Vincent Canby
May 20, 2003
Vincent Canby, New York Times

The film is very big on sunsets and sunrises. It also has a touristy appreciation for all manner of things folkloric. What it doesn't have is dramatic coherence or backbone. Full Review

Rita Kempley
January 1, 2000
Rita Kempley, Washington Post

Corny, you bet. But that's to be admired in an old war horse on the last frontier. Full Review

Roger Ebert
January 1, 2000
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

If Redford had left out a few of the waffling, undecided characters and drawn his dramatic lines more strongly, the film might have been a lot more powerful. Full Review

Desson Thomson
January 1, 2000
Desson Thomson, Washington Post

Redford and his crack cast of familiar gringos and less-familiar locals had an infectiously good time making it. Full Review

November 8, 2007
Film4

This is probably Redford's most complex and cleverly structured directorial effort. Full Review

November 8, 2007
TV Guide's Movie Guide

Pokes gently at the funny bone and is sympathetic without becoming sentimental. Full Review

Wally Hammond
June 24, 2006
Wally Hammond, Time Out

Redford's film sustains a slow mood of simpatico amiability and photographs the landscape with moony or golden washes that are perhaps hard to dislike, but is slain by its adherence to an outdated pop... Full Review

Christopher Null
February 14, 2006
Christopher Null, Filmcritic.com

Who'd of thought that a battle over water rights would make for such an interesting tale? Full Review

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The Milagro Beanfield War Trivia

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  • For which movie did Dave Grusin win an Academy Award for best original score?  Answer »
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