The 1986 film "The Mission" is about the conflict between Spain and Portugal over territory in 1750's South America in the area around the (later) border between Brazil and Argentina near Iguazu Falls. Both countries exploit the local Guarani Indians as slaves but the Portuguese are more agressive. The Spanish Catholic Church Order of Jesus (Jesuits) has established some missions to protect the Guarani Indians from slavers. Portugal would like to close the missions to get the Indians and the Vatican sends a Cardinal to the area to decide the issue. The Spanish governor purchases some slaves from a Spanish captain and pays for them with around ten large gold coins. The coins appear to be imitiations of Spanish silver dollar size eight reales coins colored gold.

Father Gabriel is a Jesuit priest sent to the area to convert the Indians to the Church. He slowly gains the trust of the Indians, converts some, and builds a church. Captain Rodrigo Mendoza leads a group of men into the area and captures some Indians.

He sells the Indians to the Spanish governor Don Cabeza.

The governor pays the captain with around ten large Spanish gold coins.

The coins appear to be imitiations of Spanish silver dollar sized eight reales coins colored gold.

A Spanish type shield is shown on some of the coins.

Gold, 37 mm, 26.98 gm
Obverse:
Head facing right
FERDND VI D G HISPAN ET IND REX 1749
(Ferdinand VI, by the Grace of God, King of Spain and the Indies)
Reverse:
Crowned shield of Spain
NOMINA MAGNA SEQUOR (I succeed great names)
8 S (8 Scudi, Latin for escudos)
Mo MF (Mexico City Mint, Assayers initials)

Captain Mendoza then visits his girlfriend Carlotta.

Carlotta tells him that she prefers his brother Felipe. The captain later finds them in bed together and fights a short duel killing Felipe. Captain Mendoza then suffers a breakdown and is visited by Father Gabriel who takes him into the jungle where he meets the Indians. Mendoza then joins the Jesuits and Father Gabriel at the mission.

Cardinal Altamirano is sent by the Vatican to decide the land issue.

He is welcomed by the Europeans with appropriate ceremony.

If Portugal gets the land they will close the missions and begin capturing the mission Indians as slaves. Father Gabriel takes the Cardinal to a mission.

He is shown the mission and attends some services and then returns to the city.

The Cardinal decides to give the land to Portugal which results in a battle between a Spanish-Portuguese army and the Indians leaving the mission destroyed.

Jeremy Irons as Father Gabriel
Robert De Niro as Captain Rodrigo Mendoza
Aidan Quinn as Felipe Mendoza
Cherie Lunghi as Carlotta
Chuck Low as Don Cabeza (Spanish governor)
Ray McAnally as Cardinal Altamirano
Director: Roland Joffé
Writers: Robert Bolt