In 1950s Trinidad, a frustrated writer supports himself as a masseur--and soon becomes a revered mystic and politico.In 1950s Trinidad, a frustrated writer supports himself as a masseur--and soon becomes a revered mystic and politico.In 1950s Trinidad, a frustrated writer supports himself as a masseur--and soon becomes a revered mystic and politico.
- Awards
- 1 win & 1 nomination
Zohra Sehgal
- Auntie
- (as Zohra Segal)
Ria Soodeen
- Wedding Dancer
- (as Rhea Suedeen)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaAccording to Patrick French's biography of V. S. Naipaul, the author was paid $75,000 initially for the book. Once filming began he was to be paid an additional $75,000.
- SoundtracksJean and Dinah
Written by Mighty Sparrow (as Slinger Francisco)
Performed by Mighty Sparrow (as The Mighty Sparrow)
Published by Universal MCA
Courtesy of Mighty Sparrow Inc.
Featured review
Curiously introverted and obscure.
The look and feel of this film is of a "real" story, based at least somewhat on facts, although it seems rather too preposterous to be real. We are presented with a semi-literate, backwater Hindu cracker, in love with "books" the way people of limited literacy tend to be, desiring nothing so much as to write some himself, but with barely enough talent to produce more than grandiose pamphlets. Similarly, with no actual training or experience to draw from, he imagines himself to be a gifted masseur. Evidently in the more rustic districts of Trinidad, where superstitions run high, people were greatly impressed by such pretensions, and he does rather well for himself. Soon he is holding "court" on his potato patch, with lines of rural boobs waiting their turn to be blessed or have their marital quarrels adjudicated. The film has a Hindu flavor of the American Evangelical movement of the 1920s, somewhat squalid and shabby intellectually. It is presented in retrospect form the point of view of a young fellow who experienced a "spiritual healing" from the pundit in his childhood. The lettered rube is therefore treated with the greatest respect, as though nearly a Gandhi or Nehru! It is exceedingly well done technically and artistically, if only the story was less peculiar and doltish.
helpful•13
- Cipher-J
- Mar 12, 2003
Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Official sites
- Languages
- Also known as
- El Curandero Místico
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $2,500,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $399,110
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $18,550
- May 5, 2002
- Gross worldwide
- $403,503
- Runtime1 hour 57 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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