Roland Jaffe’s brilliant and beautiful film, “The Mission” (1986) tells the true story of the Spanish Jesuit missionaries who served the indigenous (Indian) populations of Brazil, Argentina, and Paraguay during the first half of the eighteenth century.

The “Jesuit Reductions,” as history has dubbed them, were mission stations created by the Jesuits to bring Christianity to the natives through education and medical service. They were independent of the Spanish government — though protected by it.

The plot of this film revolves around two particular priests. One is Father Gabriel (Jeremy Irons), a gentle, loving spirit who volunteered to take the gospel to the Guarani people. Because they had been raided, raped and murdered by Spanish slavers, the Guarani were afraid and distrustful of whi…