Hallo.
Here in germany, there exist a 121 min Version of the film. I ofen heard about a 132 min Version that should exixt in Italy and in America (restored). But the italien DVD just included the 121 min version. So does REALLY a 132 min Versin exst and what footage is included there? The 121min Version seems to be complete!
I've seen the 132 minute version at a friend's house. She had some sort of pirate copy on VHS. I haven't seen the cut version so I can't tell you what is missing, but the 2 hr. 12 min. version definitely exists. I can't imagine what they could have been thinking cutting the movie, as every minute seemed terribly important to me.
S.
In 2004 a new 132-minute, 35mm print ran as part of an Art Institute of Chicago film series, within only a couple of weeks of Brando's death. That print bore the original QUEIMADA title with Italian-dubbed dialogue. (Sadly, that means Brando was dubbed as well -- Sir William Walker had a rich, authoritative baritone and spoke (I assume) perfect Italian, but many nuances within the actor's performance were lost.)
That was more than five years ago; but from what I recall, most of what United Artists had cut for the 112-min. USA version merely made the film "move faster" for American audiences, rather than representing more "threatening" political content. (I remember being surprised that the bank robbery still wasn't onscreen.) I'd love to see that version again -- the print's exhibition made me expect it was about to get an American DVD release, but instead they only issued the common (American) 112-min. cut with no supplemental features.
A whole week after my last post, I have remembered ONE brief scene missing from the American cut.
After Teddy Sanchez tells Sir William Walker that the intended rebel leader Santiago has already been arrested, the 112-min. version cuts to Walker inexplicably with other men inside a prison cell, watching Santiago's execution through the bars. But the 132-min. edition explains how Walker accessed the jail.
In between those two sequences, Sir William returns to the docks and finds the Portugese soldier who earlier had sneered "Ingles, eh?" then shoved him rudely. Walker growls at him, "Portugese, eh?" then either pushes or punches the soldier, who falls into the sea. That gets Walker into the jail.
Though the shorter cut shows us he is too late to speak with Santiago, the longer version has fewer such distracting jumps in continuity or story logic.
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In a weird way, the short version is OK. Haven't you ever heard the "voice of doom" voice-over narration in old movies tell you about the passage of time? It moves along the story at least.
shareHere's a review of the 2004 release of the 132 minute version.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/ac2/wp-dyn/A32851-2004Oct14