Romero (1989)

Romero is a 1989 American biopic depicting the life of Salvadoran Archbishop Óscar Romero, who organized peaceful protests against the violent military regime, eventually at the cost of his own life. The film stars Raúl Juliá, Richard Jordan as Romero's close friend and fellow martyred priest, Rutilio Grande, as well as actors Ana Alicia and Harold Gould. Although the film depicts true events, there are some fictional characters.

Synopsis

During the 1977 El Salvadoran presidential elections, amid public unrest and a guerrilla uprising, the military regime sends death squads to detain, torture and kill any people who speak out against its human rights record. The Vatican elevates conservative Oscar Arnulfo Romero (Raul Julia) to the position of Archbishop of San Salvador, hoping that he will accept the status quo. Although conservative, Romero is afraid of the government's increasing hostility. After the assassination of Father Rutilio Grande (Richard Jordan), an outspoken Jesuit advocate for the poor, Romero begins to take a stand against the government's policies, prompting the death squads to begin targeting priests.

Actors