Moon Over Parador (1988) User Reviews (35)

So it wasn't the greatest picture ever made.

[MiserblOF · 7/10 · 17 May 2006]

I enjoyed this film. It was funny, cute, silly, and entertaining. Had a fine cast and really got hammered by some critics for reasons that I truly don't understand. No, it wasn't "The Grapes of Wrath" or "Casablanca" or even "Moonstruck", but it was an enjoyable film.

Julia was excellent playing the psychotic 'man behind the man'. The story is a little silly to be sure, but it this isn't high drama, folks. I happened to see a review of the film, probably the only good one it got and then ran into it one night when looking for a movie. I never heard it was supposed to stink until after I saw it, and I'm glad I saw it. Eventually bought the VHS tape on the bargain pile, and I watch it a couple times a year.

Underrated 80's Comedy!

[gwnightscream · 6/10 · 22 December 2017]

Richard Dreyfuss, Raul Julia and Sonia Braga star in this 1988 comedy. Dreyfuss (Stakeout) plays Jack, a struggling actor who finds himself playing the role of a lifetime while visiting country, Parador. When Alphonse Simms (Also played by Dreyfuss). the President/Dictator dies of a heart attack, Jack is persuaded by Simms' right-hand man, Roberto (Julia) to take his place. Jack begins to better Simms' values and also finds romance with Simms' sexy mistress, Madonna (Braga). Paul Mazursky, the film's director also appears as Simms' mother and Sammy Davis Jr. and Dick Cavett play themselves. This is an underrated film with a good cast & score I recommend.

Worth checking out

[Wuchakk · 7/10 · 10 November 2014]

"Moon Over Parador" (1988) is a comedy with drama/romance starring Richard Dreyfuss as Jack Noah, an unknown actor shooting a movie in the South American dictatorship Parador. The goodhearted Dictator unexpectedly dies and Jack is forced to play the Dictator for a few days by his right-hand man, Roberto (Raul Julia). It turns out to be the role of a lifetime and Jack gets the Dictator's babe, Madonna (Sonia Braga).

I didn't expect much from this film and it was better than I thought it would be. It's consistently amusing, but not laugh-out-loud funny. The director has a good eye for women and there's a lot of 'em, including Braga in her prime. A plus is that you get significant guest appearances by the likes of Jonathan Winters, Sammy Davis Jr., Ed Asner, Charo and more.

The film runs 103 minutes and was shot in Ouro Preto, Salvador and Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

GRADE: B

An actor becomes the dictator of a country

[blanche-2 · 7/10 · 23 October 2007]

Richard Dreyfuss stars in "Moon Over Parador," a 1988 Paul Mazursky film also starring Raul Julia, Sonia Braga, Jonathan Winters and Charo. Dreyfuss plays a New York actor, Jonathan Nolan, in the Caribbean country of Parador to make a film. When the dictator dies suddenly, the Secret Police Chief (Julia) who is the one actually controlling the dictator and the country, drafts Jonathan to play the dictator, having noticed the resemblance between them. Soon Jonathan is ensconced in the palace as Alphonse Simms, and Simms' prostitute girlfriend Madonna (Braga) who realizes the switch promises to help him in any way she can.

Mazursky, who appears in drag as Simms' mother, gives us a look at how the CIA operates in third world countries. The Winters character, supposedly a salesman, is actually a CIA operative. The film, however, flirts with but doesn't really tread on very serious ground and is more of a send-up, and a funny one at that.

Richard Dreyfuss does a fabulous job as Jonathan the actor and Alphonse the dictator, creating two separate characters and nailing both. The gorgeous Sonia Braga is great as Madonna, and Raul Julia hands in a wickedly funny performance as Strausmann, the man behind the dictator. It's one of those performances where you never quite know what the character is thinking - he can be pleasant or turn psycho at any moment. Charo is on hand as a maid and manages to be funny and unobtrusive at the same time.

A very good film, not a big blockbuster, but very entertaining.

amusing portrayal of the actor as dictator

[mjneu59 · 6/10 · 9 December 2010]

After the success of 'Down and Out in Beverly Hills' director Paul Mazursky reunited with Richard Dreyfuss for yet another engaging comedy of manners. This time around, perhaps hoping that box office lightning would strike twice, Mazursky borrowed a plot device that was already old when movies first learned to talk, about a naive pretender installed on a foreign throne in place of a look-alike monarch. Richard Dreyfuss is the unemployed actor replacing Paradorian President Alphonse Simms, for reasons Dreyfuss may not altogether trust, but his vanity won't let him refuse a choice role. After a while he (inevitably) begins taking an active interest in affairs of State (and, with the President's mistress, played by Sonia Braga, affairs of the State Bedroom), but the film is more a parody of self-indulgent acting than a satire of Latin American politics. Mazursky digresses from the comedy only occasionally to acknowledge Third World social conditions (with lip service, but better than nothing for such otherwise frothy entertainment), and Dreyfuss is more amusing playing a frustrated actor than he is playing a frustrated actor playing a dictator.

Can be Appreciated on Many Levels

[kayaker36 · 7/10 · 5 October 2007]

This is a modest, character driven comedy, filmed in Brazil on a low budget. The premise is familiar, the same as in the 1950's Danny Kaye movie **On the Double**: someone who, as a joke, does an impression of a Famous Person then is dragooned to impersonate the Person for real.

The contrast between the two leads is highly effective. Raul Julia as the German-Paradorian secret policeman, is tall, cool, menacing and Latin. He sports a deliberately obvious blond dye job. Richard Dreyfus, animated, short, New York Jewish, is funny and sympathetic. There are many references and inside jokes about show business.

The setting is clearly modeled on Paraguay. Paraguay was indeed ruled from the early fifties to the late eighties by Gen. Alfredo Stroessner, an unelected military dictator whose father had emigrated from Germany. But writer/director Mazurszky reveals his ignorance of local conditions when he paints Parador/Paraguay as a typical Latin American tyranny, with huge disparities in wealth and an active guerrilla insurgency. Further in this vein, Mazursky casts comic Jonathan Winters as an American retiree who in truth is C.I.A. station chief in Parador and a figure so powerful that he can give the president of the country a profanity-laced chewing out.

In fact the U.S. has little influence in Paraguay, which is largely without the social and racial tensions seen elsewhere in the region. This is due to the country's having fought long and costly wars against much larger neighbors in the 19th and 20th centuries. The male population was nearly wiped out both times but the society that emerged was patriotic, racially homogeneous and strongly united.

On yet another level, there is a bow to feminism in the form of the character Madonna. Played by Brazilian actress Sonia Braga, Madonna is a former nightclub dancer who is the body-stockinged presidential pleasure girl at the film's start but is seen on television as president herself at the end--now politically and cosmetically correct, no makeup, hair demurely pulled back, swept to office by a velvet revolution.

The one time that such an event actually happened in Latin America, the administration of Argentina's Isabel Peron (not the beloved Evita, who never held office) lasted two years after the death of her husband, legendary **supremo** Juan Peron.

no big laughs

[SnoopyStyle · 6/10 · 1 March 2016]

Jack Noah (Richard Dreyfuss) is a working NY actor shooting a small movie in Parador. He is pushed by his co-star (Dana Delany) to do an impression of the country's crude dictator President Alphonse Simms in front of him. Local ex-pat Ralph (Jonathan Winters) invites Noah to stay for Carnival. Simms dies of a heart attack and his henchman Roberto Strausmann (Raul Julia) hires Noah to impersonate him. None of the servants are willing to call out the impostor. Simm's wild mistress Madonna Mendez (Sonia Braga) returns and helps Noah master the part.

There is nothing terribly wrong about this comedy other than the fact that I didn't really laugh. Two thirds of this is meant to be a comedy. Dreyfuss does a solid job but the comedy needs a real comedian. I don't think Dreyfuss is that comedian and I don't he should have to be. Noah should have a comedic sidekick who can do all the jokes. Sonia Braga only truly comes into the movie midway through. It's a little late and the last act gets pretty serious. This is a comedy that isn't that funny.

Richard Dreyfuss in a not so good "comedy?"

[merklekranz · 4/10 · 3 February 2014]

"Moon Over Parador" is a confounding film. It begins as what appears to be straight comedy, but eventually morphs into somewhat serious drama. The latter part of the movie is very uneasy, and feels out of place, almost as if the ending was in doubt. Everything seems a bit stretched, with the inside actor's jokes wearing a bit thin. Richard Dreyfuss tries his best, but the comedy isn't that strong. If you want to see a third world comedy that works, I suggest revisiting Woody Allen's "Bananas". Something is just missing from "Moon Over Parador", whether it's the casting or the script I couldn't say, but I have definitely seen better comedies. - MERK

Terrible

[chadwick-86955 · 3/10 · 22 September 2022]

The film has many famous actors/performers, most of which I like, in most of their roles, such as Julia, Winters, with so many in cameo roles. The film is disorganized, an over-used plot taken from many other movies, and Dreyfuss' acting is horrible, and not believable.

I first heard about this movie from Johnny Carson's Tonight Show, when Jonathan Winters was a guest. A YT video. Great comedian. He wasn't even that thrilled with the movie, but I decided to watch it anyway. My mistake.

I was very disappointed with this movie. Not original. They should have changed the roles, Dreyfuss should have been Noah, or replaced, Julia as Jack. Julia is a much better actor.

An unmined gem ...

[jlacerra · 9/10 · 25 July 2001]

This little-appreciated movie is one of my favorites. I can watch it over and over. Dreyfus and Braga are masterful, but Raul Julia steals the show! A tongue-in-cheek, menacingly humorous Gomez Addams, with just the right tone for this irreverent spoof of this oft-told story.

Generally untrumpeted and unappreciated, Moon Over Parador allows you to check out of reality and join the fun going on up on the screen. Two thumbs up!

A Gem

[PWNYCNY · 10/10 · 26 July 2005]

This movie contains one of Richard Dreyfuss's greatest performances, as an actor playing an actor who plays a dictator and does it so convincingly that his own mother does not detect the impostor. Also, this movie is funny, yet has a serious side as well. What is especially intriguing about this movie is the character Madonna, who is the dictator's mistress, but eventually becomes the leader of the country. Madonna's evolution from mistress to political leader added greatly to the quality of the story and to the movie's entertainment value. And the main character, who at the start of the movie is a struggling actor and somewhat of a buffoon, evolves too and by the end of the movie commands respect. I liked this movie.

Wildly Funny Send-Up of 'Royal Pretender' Theme...

[cariart · 28 September 2003]

MOON OVER PARADOR, Paul Mazursky's follow-up to the brilliant 'social class' comedy, DOWN AND OUT IN BEVERLY HILLS (1986), reteams the director with star Richard Dreyfuss, in one of the funniest 'Look-alike on the Throne' comedies of the past two decades.

The theme (a stand-in replaces an incapacitated or unavailable leader) has been a popular subject in film for years (THE PRINCE AND THE PAUPER, THE PRISONER OF ZENDA, I WAS MONTY'S DOUBLE, THE EAGLE HAS LANDED, and DAVE are just a few examples), but Mazursky gives it a novel twist by making the 'hero' a ham actor of epic proportion (and NOBODY plays an egotistical actor better than Dreyfuss!), and the 'villain', a ruthless advisor who is a frustrated director, as well (Raul Julia, who is wickedly funny in the role).The comic chemistry between the pair works so well that you could easily mistake the film as being written by Neil Simon!

Parador, a tiny Caribbean nation where English is the national language, and revolution, the national pastime, is ruled with an iron hand by President Simms (Dreyfuss, with a moustache, paunch, and swarthy complexion). A larger-than-life, womanizing scoundrel, Simms is controlled, in turn, by opportunistic Secret Police chief Roberto Strausmann (Julia). Making a social visit to a American movie set, the dictator meets the picture's star, Jack Noah (Dreyfuss, again), who is goaded by his castmates into doing his popular over-the-top impression of the leader (fortunately for Noah, Simms finds it amusing).

After the shooting wraps, Noah, encouraged by a local American 'businessman' (Jonathan Winters, in a funny cameo), decides to stay for a few days to indulge at a national festival. Meanwhile, Simms is being soundly condemned by Strausmann for his public affair with Madonna, a notorious prostitute (played by Sonia Braga), as well as for his unhealthy lifestyle...and the dictator keels over and dies!

Things look bad for Strausmann, until he remembers the American...and Jack Noah is about to be 'drafted' to play the role of his career...

Full of humorous references to Broadway (Strausmann has reviews of EVERY play Noah had ever appeared in...and quotes some of the more 'colorful' ones, to the actor's chagrin), sight gags (Noah, as Simms, starts the befuddled household staff on a program of aerobics), and cameos (Sammy Davis Jr. sings Parador's 'National Anthem', and Mazursky, himself, appears in drag, as Simm's mother), MOON OVER PARADOR is a comic gem, with an over-the-top climax (which would be 'lifted' for Ivan Reitman's 'American President' comedy, DAVE), and a bittersweet ending that will certainly bring a smile to all but the most jaded viewer.

This film is DEFINITELY a keeper!

So right about actors!

[sancho01 · 9/10 · 24 November 2002]

As a community theater actor who works hard at it but doesn't take acting too seriously, I'm always amused by those who treat it as Great Art. This movie skewers the "Actor's Craft" mercilessly while dishing up a lot of good laughs.

A ham actor on location for a movie bears a resemblance to the dictator. When the dictator dies of a heart attack from too much drink and food, the actor is kidnapped and forced to play "the part of a lifetime" by the neo-Nazi head of the secret service. He plays it to the hilt, gets the dictator's girlfriend to fall in love with him and vice versa, and turns the tables on his captors beautifully.

Lots of great shtick by the leads, lots of good work by some unknown supporting actors, particularly the household staff and two members of the palace guard, and fun little cameos abound. Sammy Davis Jr. makes light of himself, Jonathan Winters plays a semi-retired American businessman with something else going on, and Raul Julia, Sonia Braga, and above all Richard Dreyfuss are exceptional.

This is a dumb movie, but it has lots of beautiful locations (in Brazil), a humorous script, and good actors doing their thing and looking like they're actually having fun and not going through the usual existential angst about what is only play-acting!

Great Comedic Thrills In Backward Banana Republic!

[greene515 · 10/10 · 25 December 2005]

Superb comic farce from Paul Mazursky, Richard Dreyfuss, plays Jack Noah a fairly successful actor- who is On location shooting a film in a fictitious Latin American banana republic Parador,Ruled by the Fascist, Alfonse Sims who unfortunately has succumbed of a heart attack after indulging in too many local cocktails! Raul Julia plays the oily chief of police who forces the reluctant Noah To impersonate the Just deceased dictator who Noah bears a remarkable resemblance, Sonia Braga plays the dictator's glamorously lusty mistress, who gives Noah a few lessons in how to 'act' like a dictator, Jonathan Winter's literally rounds off the cast as a CIA man In Parador posing as a hammock salesman. Can Noah win over the people of Parador? and hold off the rebels? And give the performance of a lifetime without losing his in the process? Sammy Davis Jnr,has a cameo as himself who amusingly croons the national anthem of Parador as well as Begin the Beguine, Frog Number one(Fernando Rey pops up as a kindly servant, Charo is also on hand as A busty maid, The score by Maurice Jarre,is excellent.

Funny, amusing, Dreyfus and Julia are wonderful together.

[babafrby · 8/10 · 5 December 2001]

This is one the few movies I can watch over and over. If you've never seen it, give it a shot. Richard Dreyfus and Raoul Julia are wonderful together and although the movie amuses me greatly, it reminds me of Julia's untimely demise. It is a good opportunity to sit back and laugh at the international intrigue that is too much with us in these time of terror and fear.

"The Kiss of the Spider Woman": the flip side

[lee_eisenberg · 10/10 · 11 November 2006]

While "The Kiss of the Spider Woman" cast Raul Julia as a political prisoner in an unidentified Latin American country, this time he works for a dictator in a fictional Latin American country. Specifically, the dictator suddenly drops dead, so Julia replaces el presidente with a Broadway actor (Richard Dreyfuss) shooting a movie in the country. From there, Dreyfuss has to figure out how to be a dictator, all the while balancing it with his own life.

Is it appropriate to turn the tense situation in Latin America into comedy? Well, "Moon Over Parador" does a good job with it. No matter what they do in this movie, they pull it off. It just goes to show why Richard Dreyfuss is one of the greatest actors of our era, and what we lost when Raul Julia died. Definitely worth seeing. Also starring Sonia Braga (who co-starred with Raul Julia in "TKOTSW"), Jonathan Winters and Sammy Davis Jr.

I agree: the first lady is hot.

You can't make this stuff up, folks! -- OK, maybe you can...

[dav4is · 9/10 · 10 January 2008]

... and if you're very, very good it will resemble Moon Over Parador.

This film had a slightly silly story, but it was a fantasy after all, and the casting and the acting was spot-on! Dreyfuss was perfect as the actor/impostor, full of all the little neuroses and vanities you imagine actors to have. You get a glimpse of what actors are like behind the scenes.

This was one of Dreyfuss's best roles, just like his character has his best role impersonating the dead dictator! And the parting scene: like something out of Casablanca, indeed!

Raul Julia was superb as the Paradorian Chief of Secret Police. He gets some really funny lines, some of which are homages to other films, like "Round up the usual suspects!"

And Sonia Braga was excellent as the girl friend -- in addition to being a really hot number: "You should get an Oscar for tonight!"

Let us not forget Johnny Winters as the CIA agent and the several guest stars playing themselves: Sammy Davis Jr., Ike Pappas, Dick Cavett -- all perfectly done.

All in all, a memorable romp under the Paradorian moon.

-R.

Moon Over Parador

[Coxer99 · 9 June 1999]

Hilarious comedy with Dreyfuss playing an actor who is asked by tough guy Julia to impersonate a dictator who has turned cold and very dead. Lots of laughs to be credited to director Mazursky, who makes an appearance in drag as the dictator's mother.

paul mazursky

[wbgolfer · 9/10 · 8 September 2008]

Paul was totally ripped off by someone at paramount who made Dave. It's the same story, not as funny though.

Paul related to me this morning about the scene were sammy davis sings the new national anthem of parador. he arrived in brazil after a long flight from vegas, three planes, car ride to the set, etc. he was beat. he could hardly stand, had to use a cane. he was staying in a trailer about the size of my bathroom.

he didn't know he could do it. then he saw the crowd of 6000 extras,paid 7 bucks. he came to life and they shot that scene for two hours. he was magnificent, then nearly collapsed.

paul is a great guy, though very liberal. a real talent.

Strictly Speaking Great

[UACW · 12 November 2005]

This is strictly speaking great. It's difficult to conceive of this movie working with any replacements in the cast - not only because the cast are so good, but also because they work so well together and because the production and direction are so excellent as well.

The cast are absolutely fabulous; the screenplay is better than the best; the directing leads to so many incidental perks the screenplay itself could not have indicated; this is a very funny and even touching film.

It's a small film in a way but it's a masterpiece. You might have to have a connection with or knowledge of the world of the theatre to get it (to appreciate it) but it's all there and everyone working on this movie had a ball, that much is certain.

We first saw this years ago on late night telly; we bought a video copy immediately; now it's back on late night telly again and it's great, it's wonderful.

It's such a refreshing change to see something intelligent that's well done. This isn't exactly the Hollywood norm. Movies like this one really entertain: you can judge this by calculating how long after the closing credits you're still feeling good.

This one can last for days.

A great comedic turn by Richard Dreyfus

[ozthegreatat42330 · 8/10 · 3 February 2007]

This movie is fun to watch. If you liked "Dave" with Kevin Klein, you will get a kick out of this. Think "Dave" gone South American as Dreyfus plays Jack Noah, an actor between jobs, who is hand selected by the head of the island nation of Parador's secret police, to replace the drunken sot of a dictator, Alfonse Simms, after he has had a heart attack and died. Noah bumbles along, aided in his role by the ex-dictator's mistress, as they attempt to thwart the plans of Raul Julia. Jonathan Winters also makes an appearance as a hearty American émigré who turns out to be CIA. ALso starring Polly Holiday and Fernando Rey.

There are a few absurd moments such as the body of the old dictator be kept frozen for a year, and the final scene, where Sonia Braga, who has bee cradling the bloody, bullet riddled body of Dreyfus is seen moments later all in pristine white, with nary a smudge on her. But all in all it is a great romp.

Entertaining Comedy on Latin American Politics

[PredragReviews · 8/10 · 7 March 2016]

Year of 1988 gave some really remarkable masterpieces in movie business and also a lot of underrated true gems that was slept on because of lack in the marketing production or etc. Unfortunately, this is one of 'em.

"Moon Over Parador" is such an underrated overlooked movie created by that amazing feeling of 80's, that kind of spirit and acting. It is about romance, action, true love and also a political satire of Latino American politics and life in rural cities by the corrupted government. Movie was filmed in such amazing locations of Brazil, San Salvador with amazing nature and abandoned districts with war written all over it.

The strongest performance, was by leading actor Richard Dreyfuss, he was absolutely amazing as the lead with his comic portrayal of an actor in a situation that is incredibly complex. His acting skills, and comical style really got this movie pretty funny and enjoyable to watch, especially because of his double role of an actor and a dictator. In some scenes it really kinda reminds of true masterpiece like modern Casablanca. Veteran funny man, Jonathan Winters is excellent in his role. The humour, directing and stunts are A+ in this flick.

I highly recommend this movie, especially for 80's and comedy lovers.

My Ratings: 8 out of 10.

Entertainment par none!

[Bobby-27 · 10/10 · 24 October 1998]

This is one fine movie, I can watch it any time. Rauol Julia gave an outstanding performance, we lost him too soon. Richard Dryfus is a great talent. Only thing it needed more of was Dana Delany, what a babe!

Fun For All! Mazursky Strikes Again!

[jpic99 · 5 February 2004]

Paul Mazursky has worked with so many greats in his extensive filmography, but you would have to reach far to top this group for crazy laughter, great gauging humor, and the translation of an old tale told extremely well! Method is what you will get from Raul Julia here, he (Julia) simply takes this role and runs with a brisk, snappy style that this (normally dry) role really needs. Also pulling it off are Dreyfuss and Braja as victims of circumstance, and they pull it off to exhaustion! Dreyfuss can feel this role and that is apparent, he seemed to have a great time with this and in doing so, was magnificent and very funny. Jonathan Winters will surprise you in his brief stints, but he is also quite effective. Mazursky makes you laugh, sympathize, and laugh again to finish off this cute film that is well worth seeing, even if you only go to see the Mazursky cameo (President Simms disgustingly precocious mother) "You Swine"

Tinpot dictator dies and actor takes his place under duress

[bhsgs · 8/10 · 27 April 2014]

I never cease to be amazed at the underwhelming reviews of this heartwarming and hysterically funny movie. I have watched it numerous times. It hits all the familiar buttons about American intervention in Central and South America countries and the comic opera buffoons with Nazi leanings who used to run tinpot dictatorships in that part of the world. Raul Julia plays the sinister chief of the secret police to perfection, Sonia Braga is magnificent, and Richard Dreyfuss welds the whole thing together perfectly. The minor players - such as the ménage of butler, cook, etc who cater to the dictator - are perfectly drawn cameo roles. Shame on the so-called "experts" who have found so little to appreciate in this little gem. The apparently banal opening and closing of the movie with Dreyfuss lining up with other minor actors for a chance at a part contrasts wonderfully with the fact that he gets to play the greatest role in his life in impersonating the dictator of Parador. Heck, another reason why this movie succeeds is that we've all had the fantasy of being a powerful or influential person - even if only for a day.