1492: Conquest of Paradise

1992
PG-13
2h 34m

IMDb RATING

6.4/10

34K

YOUR RATING

Gérard Depardieu in 1492: Conquest of Paradise (1992)

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1 Video

35 Photos

Historical Epic Period Drama Adventure Biography Drama History

Christopher Columbus' discovery of the Americas and the effect this has on the indigenous people.Christopher Columbus' discovery of the Americas and the effect this has on the indigenous people.Christopher Columbus' discovery of the Americas and the effect this has on the indigenous people.

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.4/10

34K

YOUR RATING

See production info at IMDbPro

Awards
- 2 nominations total

Beatrix
(as Angela Molina)

Fernando Rey

Marchena

Michael Wincott

Moxica

Tchéky Karyo

Pinzon
(as Tcheky Karyo)

Kevin Dunn

Captain Mendez

Frank Langella

Santangel

Mark Margolis

Bobadilla

Kario Salem

Arojaz

Billy L. Sullivan

Fernando (aged 10)
(as Billy Sullivan)

John Heffernan

Brother Buyl

Arnold Vosloo

Guevara

Steven Waddington

Bartolome

Fernando Guillén Cuervo

Giacomo
(as Fernando G. Cuervo)

José Luis Ferrer

Alonso
(as Jose Luis Ferrer)

Director
- Ridley Scott
Writer
- Rose Bosch
All cast & crew
Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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Storyline

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Did you know

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Trivia
The replicas of Columbus' ships used in the film were built in Spain between 1990 and 1992. In 1992 they sailed the route of Columbus' first voyage to commemorate to 500th anniversary of the discovery of America. Today they are exhibited in Palos de la Frontera, Spain, and they are visited by approximately 200.000 people each year.

Goofs
In the film, the nobleman Adrián de Moxica cuts the hand of a Native American because he wasn't able to pay taxes in gold to the Spaniards, something which Columbus condemns. In fact, it was Columbus himself who introduced this practice of cutting the hands.

Quotes
[first lines]
Young Fernando Columbus: Of all the words my father wrote - and there were many - I remember these the most: "Nothing that results from human progress is achieved with unanimous consent. And those who are enlightened before the others are condemned to persue that light in spite of others."

Alternate versions
Japanese laserdisc is a longer cut of the film with five deleted scenes and a few extended ones. And R-rated violence that was cut for the US PG-13 version. The soundtrack for the film indicates that the film was originally much longer.

Connections
Edited into Catalogue of Ships (2008)

Soundtracks
Amazonia
Permission of Grem Records, France

User reviews117

Review

Featured review

6/10

Better Than Average Epic - 1492: Conquest of Paradise

This film is not completely historically accurate, although it is fairly true to events. Some omissions are Columbus' mistress by which he had a second son, which is not even mentioned in the film, which tends to paint Columbus almost as a saintly figure. He was far from that. In addition to his infidelity, he was an advocate of Indian slavery, which is not mentioned in the film as well. Those miscues aside, the film is gorgeously shot, well-directed and acted, and the sense of the realities of the royal court appear to be fairly accurate. The film also fails to mention that Columbus took Indian prisoners away from their homes back to Spain against their will. The film is quite engaging, otherwise.