The filming of The Wrath of God is possibly as well-known as the film itself, with stories of poor planning, severe injuries, and leading man Klaus Kinski's generally disruptive and psychopathic behaviour emerging from the cast and crew after the film's release. Yet while a chaotic shoot can result in disaster for the finished product, every now and then a masterpiece will be born from the rubble - just look at Apocalypse Now (1979). And Herzog's first of five collaborations with Kinski is precisely that; a glorious, brutal and completely absorbing depiction of madness and greed that benefits from the bizarre happenings behind the scenes. Set in 1560, the film tells the story of the ill-fated expedition led by Gonzalo Pizarro (Alejandro Repulles) to find the fabled land of El Dorado.Accompanied by a band of Spanish conquerors and a hundred Indian slaves, Pizarro soon realises that his expedition will soon be cut short by a lack of food, water and supplies and orders a smaller group of approximately 40 men to carry on with the search. He puts Don Pedro de Ursua (Ruy Guerra) in charge, with the maniacal but efficient Don Lope de Aguirre (Kinski) as his second-in-command. With them they take the fat representative of the Royal House of Spain, Don Fernando de Guzman (Peter Berling), Brother Gaspar de Carvajal (Del Negro), and, against Pizarro's wishes, Ursua's mistress Inez (Helen Rojo) and Aguirre's daughter Flores (Cecilia Rivera). The quest is soon in trouble, as one of their rafts is swept away by perilous rapids and Aguirre quickly overthrows Ursua, seating de Guzman in his place.
Herzog isn't interested in peppering the film with set-pieces. The Wrath of God moves along at a slow pace with not much happening for long periods of time, while the rainforest lurks all around the screen, proving itself to be a formidable and unpredictable presence. The German auteur has said before that there is nothing peaceful about nature, and here the eerie silence is frequently interrupted by the high shrill of some unseen animal. As the group journey further into the harsh terrain, their decreasing mental state starts to reflect their surroundings. They drift along the river in a raft made by slaves (the natives made them for the film), and occasionally come across an Indian. Brother Carvajal is there to spread the word of God and offers one a Bible. When he puts to his ear and wonders why it doesn't talk, he is put to death for blasphemy.
Nature, including humanity, is madness itself, and this message is hammered home further by the wide-eyed performance of Klaus Kinski, who was clearly mad himself. His spats with Herzog are the stuff of legend, and anyone with an interest should check out Herzog's documentary on his relationship with Kinski, My Best Fiend (1999). During the filming of The Wrath of God, he shot at some extras keeping him awake, removing the tip of one of their fingers in the process, and hit a cast member so hard with his sword that he still bares the scar (the incident can be seen in the film when they attack the village). Never has a film affected me, mentally and spiritually, with such power. In the final scene, Aguirre mutters to himself on board his tattered raft as some monkeys invade the screen. Herzog transports you there, and leaves you questioning the sanity of the world around you. Unquestionably my favourite film of all time.
Directed by: Werner Herzog
Starring: Klaus Kinski, Helena Rojo, Del Negro, Ruy Guerra, Peter Berling
Country: West Germany
Rating: *****
Tom Gillespie
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