Product Description

Academy Award® nominee* Salma Hayek gives a powerful, passionate performance as an idealistic young woman who wages a daring struggle for freedom against a murderous dictator (Academy Award® nominee** Edward James Olmos) in this moving thriller that, "with brutal simplicity, dramatizes the personal toll of political tyranny" (San Francisco Chronicle). For generations, General Rafael Trujillo (Olmos) has ruled the Dominican Republic with a mixture of terrorand savagery until Minerva Mirabal (Hayek) dares to oppose him. Inspired by her love for a rebel leader (Marc Anthony), Minerva and her sistersknown as Las Mariposas ("The Butterflies")endure unimaginable hardships in a battle for the very soul of a nation. But as their acts of bravery gain notoriety, Trujillo's forces close in, determined to put an end to Minerva's heroics. *Actress, Frida (2002) **Actor, Stand and Deliver (1988)

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #15713 in DVD
• Released on: 2002-05-07
• Rating: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Aspect ratio: 1.33:1
• Formats: Closed-captioned, Color, Dolby, DVD, Subtitled, NTSC
• Original language: English, German
• Subtitled in: English, French, Spanish
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 95 minutes

Amazon.com
In the Time of the Butterflies tells the real-life story of the Mirabal sisters, courageous revolutionaries known covertly as las Mariposas ("the Butterflies"). The sisters' years of dissent during the Trujillo dictatorship in the Dominican Republic led to their eventual murder in 1960, a brutal crime that signaled the beginning of the end for Trujillo. Told through the eyes of Minerva Mirabal (Salma Hayek), the story follows a somewhat predictable plot line as the sisters progress rapidly from naive to idealistic to victimized and on to resolved as they become leaders in an elaborate plot to assassinate the dictator. As with so many biographical depictions on film, even though this one is based on a highly acclaimed novel by Julia Alvarez, the narrative shifts from past to present are clumsy and excessively sepia-toned; the script delivers its life-was-better-before-sequence with little to no grace before quickly connecting the dots of history. Nevertheless, Edward James Olmos, as Trujillo, does a remarkable job of conveying the unique mixture of political intuition and ruthlessness needed to maintain a dictatorship for 30 years, while Hayek delivers a spirited lead performance. --Fionn Meade

Customer Reviews

Skip the DVD. Read the book!
Adapted from the novel by Julia Alvarez about the three Mirabel sisters who were murdered by the Trujillo regime in the 1950s Dominican Republic, this 2001 made-for-TV-movie attempts to tell the story. I read the book several years ago and found it excellent. However, this film is rather thin and misses the richness of the story in several ways.

The film focuses on just one character, Minerva Mirabel, and that is one of its weaknesses. There were actually three sisters who were murdered and each one of them has her own complex story that is just hinted at in the film. Also, there was one sister who survived and her story is important too. But perhaps the limits of constricting a story into a tight time frame forced this abbreviated version.

Salma Hayek is the star and she does do a fine job. The wicked regime seems awful. But I just couldn't feel the emotions that were intended by the author. Of course it's a sad story; it's supposed to be. And, because of a wide TV audience, it probably reached a lot of people with its message of these heroic women who became martyrs for their cause.

Time for the Dictators
A fine, "minor" movie, with major themes. It is about resistance to a dictator, a woman's (and women's) liberation, and about the real meaning of what loss of freedom in a society means. Directed by Mariano Barrroso, the movie, spanning almost three decades, chronicles the life of a resistance movement leader, Minerva Mirabal (Salma Hayek), in the Dominican Republic, and her various confrontations with dictator Rafael Lenidas Trujillo (Edward James Olmos), who ruled that island nation with an iron hand from 1930 till his assassination in 1961. The movie focuses on his obsession with her and his attempts over many years to make her his mistress, bent on revenge when all his attempts prove futile. The movie implies that it was his frequent practice to visit the country, pick a young woman that filled his "eye," and then entice her to his palace for a dance. Many young women were thus impregnated and packed to Miami or other resting place afterwards. Minerva has the courage to resist, thus paying the price--her father's murder, and the imprisonment of her and her sisters. Mirand becomes the leader of an underground freedom movement under the code-name "the butterfly." Eventually, she is assassinated by his thugs, her sister and herself beaten to death with clubs. Her death is annually celebrated in Latin America, as a "violence against women" theme.
Tense, well-acted, enjoyable and horrifying, "The Times of the Butterflies" is a minor masterpiece, and an inspirational story, very much worth watching, despite the pan-and-scan format of this DVD.

Powerful Performance....Inspiring Story
This review refers to the DVD edition(MGM) of "In The Time Of The Butterflies"...

I viewed two films with Salma Hayek recently. One the critically acclaimed "Frida", and the other, this lesser known, but powerful portrayal of Minerva Mirabel in "In The Time of the Butterflies". This latter one, is the one that grabbed me and wouldn't let go. I was captivated and intrigued by the story of the Mirabel sisters, their bravery and loyalty, as they became the symbol of hope for freedom from the tyrannical ruler of the Dominican Republic, from the 1930's through the 1960's, General Rafael Trujillo(Edward James Olmos).

Right from the start, we know that Minerva is a young girl with determination. She is determined to become a lawyer, in her own country, where women are not even allowed to attend law school. It is a country where, what ever Trujillo says goes, and God help anybody that opposes his will. Early on, Minerva, like most of the people, her family included, accept this fact, but as she sees firsthand the horrors and hardships of Trujillo's rule, she becomes one of a group of underground rebels devoted to overthrowing this tyrannt. Her sisters join with her, and soon they become a most integral part of the cause. Enduring the wrath of Trujillo, they become heroic figures, and are soon known throughout the country as 'The Butterflies'.

The film is based on a book by Julia Alvarez, and inspired by true events. In only a little more than an hour and a half, it gives a good sense of the hardships endured, and the struggle for freedom the brave rebels led. It made me want to know more about this significant piece of history, in a country so close to the U.S., one that has been a tourist stop on Caribbean cruises. Hayek seemed to really dig deep for her performance, and the result was touching and powerful. She won an ALMA award for Outstanding Actress in a made for TV movie. Olmos also turns in an outstanding portrayal as the dictator who murders on a whim. The wonderful cast also includes, Mia Maestro,Lumi Cavazos and Marc Anthony.

The DVD presents a very nice picture, and the sound in Dolby 5.1 is excellent. There are no special features, but has subtitles in English, French and Spanish.

The film is inspiring as well as captivating and highly recommended....Laurie

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