Benito Cereno (1969)

Synopsis of Benito Cereno

This suspenseful sea story from Herman Melville takes place in the tradewinds of the Caribbean. An American captain comes to the aid of Spanish Captain Benito Cereno (Ruy Guerra) when the ship seems to be in trouble. An expedition to the ship reveals an uneasy situation where Cereno is ill and being cared for by an over-anxious slave. The sailors give furtive looks to the visitors but remain silent. Cereno explains that his crew has taken ill with scurvy, including the human cargo imported from Africa, and they are down to only a few healthy men. The American sends for more food and water to help the stricken Spaniard. Tension mounts on board until the new supplies arrive. When the rescue boat is ready to leave, Cereno makes a mad jump for the boat. He tells a harrowing tale of a slave revolt that resulted in the death of his partner and owner of the ship. After the owner was killed, his body was tied to the prow of the boat and left to rot as a macabre trophy and constant warning to others. The body was covered with burlap whenever another ship approached. The slaves are tried for their crimes and hung as pirates, but the relationship between Cereno and his over-attentive charge is never fully explained. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi

Looking for special editions of Benito Cereno?

See All Versions

Subtitles:

Check All Versions

Closed Captioning:

Check All Versions