Cuba (film)

Plot

The film's sense of historical accuracy is marred by the opening scene which shows an airliner landing in Havana with the wrong date ("1959") superimposed on the screen. It should read "1958", the last year of the revolution. Cuban President Batista fled the capital on New Year's Day 1959, one week before Fidel Castro and his guerrillas entered Havana.

Former British Major Robert Dapes (Sean Connery) arrives in Cuba under General Bello's (Martin Balsam) orders to train the Cuban army to resist Fidel Castro's revolt. Before he even begins his task, he encounters an old flame, Alexandra Lopez de Pulido (Brooke Adams), whom he repeatedly pursues. The plot winds around the tremendous wealth of the Cuban leaders, the mainly American tourists with their seemingly endless money, the poverty-stricken and ex-urban slums where many Cubans live, and the rum and cigar factory owned by Alexandra's selfish husband Juan Pulido (Chris Sarandon) and managed by Alexandra.

When Alexandra's husband takes her out and expects her to drink with a potential (factory) investor and his prostitute, she leaves the restaurant and encounters Robert. Furious with her husband, she spends time with Robert, reminiscing about their affair in North Africa (when she was 15 and he was 30). They go to a motel and make love. They care for one another, but Robert will not stay in Cuba.

The following day the Cuban workers strike, including those in Alex's factory. Robert is taken captive by several Cuban rebels which lead an attack against a military facility. Robert escapes, and alienated with the corrupt Cuban government that he has come to loath, aids the rebels in defeating the government troops. Alex watches events pass by, believing life will soon return to normal. Robert begs her to leave, either to be with him or simply to escape Cuba. She refuses. Alex's husband, Juan, is killed by the same Cuban rebel who staked Robert throughout the film.

In the final scene of the film, Robert, not seeing Alex at the airport, boards the plane to escape with other foreigners. Meanwhile, Alex is present, outside the fence, weeping as she watches Robert board the plane. Robert and most of the other American, British, and wealthy Cubans flee from Cuba as Fidel comes to power while Alex remains behind, alone, to face an unknown future under the new communist government.