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Film Analysis: 1492 Conquest of Paradise
Introduction
1492 Conquest of Paradise is a film that Ridley Scott directed and produced in 1992. The
movie shares the story of Christopher Columbus, acted by Gerald Depardieu. Christopher
Columbus knew that the world was round, and he wanted to travel westward to get to Asia.
However, he did not have a ship or a crew (Scott). Through the endorsement of Santangel, a
banker, Columbus gets the approval of Queen Isabella to take the voyage. He promises the queen
that he will bring back gold. He receives a ship and crew members, and they travel for at least 9
weeks. They come to the island of Guanahani. Columbus and his men befriend the locals and
take away some gold to present it to the queen. In the second voyage, Columbus brings with him
17 ships to the island, and one of the men he has brought with him is Moxica. Four years later,
there is a revolt on the island, and Moxica turns against Columbus. The latter returns to Spain
and does not receive credit for the discoveries he has made. An analysis of the film shows that it
is the right representation of historical events, and it can be trusted or used for educative
purposes.
Film Analysis
The film correctly depicts the historical event in which Spaniards spearhead the
colonization of other regions of the world, specifically the New World. “The most sensational
military conquest in all history are probably those of the Spanish conquistadores…(Crosby 321).
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Spain is known to be the first nation to send people into the New World with the sole purpose of
conquering the existing populations and subjecting them to Spanish rule. The film effectively
shows this when Columbus goes to Guanahani with the intention of taking their gold to Spain.
He teaches a local Spanish so they can communicate. The crew that Columbus leaves behind
after the first voyage is left to colonize America. Four years after Columbus had come to the
island, the Spaniards he brought along were forcing people to mine gold, which was being taken
by the Spaniards. Hence, the theme of Spanish colonization in the New World is evident.
Another theme that the movie brings out that is applicable today is the appreciation of
science, proving how it has made the world connected and enhanced development. The world in
modern times is interdependent because Columbus ventured to sail westwards as he tried to
reach Asia from Europe (Phillips 149). The distance is longer for an individual moving westward
to get to Asia than for a person moving eastward. At the time, Columbus only depended on the
information that the world was spherical, hoping that one could access Asia from east or west.
However, he did not know that such a trip would take longer. In the movie, he tells his crew
members that they will only be at sea for 7 weeks before encountering an island. The film proves
the dependence on science by showing that Columbus was counting on the writings of
Ptolemaeus, a mathematician and geographer who shared the idea that the earth was spherical.
Hence, the film resonates with scientific events as they were taking place.
The film has a form of negativity by promoting the idea that a person can invest resources
into a project and fail to receive recognition for the work they have done. Columbus gets
replaced in the film because of accusations of nepotism and the failure to consider the nobility of
people such as Moxica. The events escalate until Columbus ends up in prison, only to be bailed
out by his sons (Scott). After Spain credits the discovery of America to Amerigo Vespucci, the
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legacy of Columbus slowly gets forgotten. The flow of events passes across the negative notion
that a political move can easily make the public forget the contributions that a person has had
toward society. As one watches the film, one wonders whether it is worthwhile to pursue
impactful courses of action if politics can make one fail to receive recognition for the work they
have done. The reality that Columbus goes through in the film is not far from what scholars or
people in other fields go through today. Therefore, this can be taken as a lesson to ensure that
scholars influence all sectors within the countries they are in, including the political space. They
need to be the people of influence so that others do not take advantage of the work they do and
offer credit to other people.
Conclusion
1492 Conquest of Paradise is a film about the activities that Christopher Columbus
undertook, which led to the discovery of America. By comparing the occurrences shown in the
film with historical events, there is evidence that the film is an accurate depiction of what took
place. It correctly depicts Spain as a country that was at the forefront of colonizing other nations.
Also, it correctly depicts the appreciation of science in ancient times by showing how Columbus
was counting on the earth being spherical for him to sail. The film also shares a potential
negative implication of the actions that researchers undertake by showing how Columbus did not
receive recognition for discovering the New World. From this, one learns the importance of
involving the political class in the activities that one undertakes. The video is effective in
teaching historical events, specifically those that led to the discovery of America. Also, it teaches
the importance of involving all parties at the different stages of a project. Finally, it shares
information on the realities that take place in people’s lives, proving that one can do everything
right and still fail to have situations working in their favor.
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Works Cited
Crosby, Alfred W. “Conquistador Y Pestilencia: The First New World Pandemic and the Fall of
the Great Indian Empires.” The Hispanic American Historical Review, vol. 47, no. 3,
1967, pp. 321–37, https://doi.org/10.2307/2511023.
Phillips, William. Africa and the Atlantic Islands Meet the Garden of Eden: Christopher
Columbus’s View of America. 1992, pp. 149–64.
Scott, Ridley. 1492 Conquest of Paradise. 1992.
