Rent The Night of the Iguana (1964)

Whisky Priest. - The Night of the Iguana review by Steve

Passionate and philosophical adaptation of Tennessee WIlliams' last great play, set on the coast of the remote Mexican rain forest. Various wandering strays assemble by chance at the end of the world, and at the end of themselves. John Huston finds a location where cinema rarely goes, not just on a map, but in ourselves.

The Reverend Shannon (Richard Burton) is the figure in the title, tied up and hysterical and essentially saved by nomadic artist Hannah Jelkes (Deborah Kerr) as he fails to outrun his spooks. This is like alcoholics anonymous for desperate people. Hannah has been there herself and knows what it takes to endure, to survive.

Shannon has been locked out of his church in America. Finding work as a tour operator, he leads a religious party headed by a repressed middle aged woman more interested in finding the comforts of home than the glories of Mexico. Shannon is tempted by Sue Lyon playing his ultimate bête noire, what used to be called a nymphette.

There is a wonderfully cast: Burton, Kerr and Ava Gardner  are all touchingly believable in what is a highly schematic narrative. It's funny in its early scenes with Burton particularly good, driven loco by relentless torment as the Reverend discovers that in the absence of god, we can only ever be saved by the will of others.