Papa: Hemingway in Cuba

Papa: Hemingway in Cuba bears the distinction of being the first Hollywood movie filmed in Ernest Hemingway's beloved Cuba since the 1959 revolution. Based on a true story, the film is about a friendship that develops after Ed Myers (Giovanni Ribisi), a young, idealistic Miami Herald reporter, writes a fan letter to Hemingway in the late 1950s. “I got your letter,” Hemingway gruffly replies by phone, adding, “Good letter. You like to fish?” When Myers arrives at Finca Vigia, the hacienda just outside of Havana belonging to “Papa” Hemingway (Adrien Sparks) and his fourth wife, Mary (Joely Richardson), he discovers that they enjoy nude swimming. Bar-hopping around the island, Myers learns about life, love, literature, and brewing political unrest, as Castro-led rebels battle government forces while Papa is suspected of gunrunning. Written by the late Denne Bart Petitclerc (the real “Myers”), the film is exposition-heavy and unconvincingly directed by Bob Yari, who photographs Finca Vigia (now a museum), along with other authentic Cuban haunts, including Hemingway's fishing boat, the Pilar. Sparks resembles Hemingway, but is never convincing as the charismatic, if also quixotic, adventurer given to reckless exploits. And while Richardson does a wicked Marlene Dietrich imitation, she's not believable as Mary, either. At least Ribisi is solid as the journalist who grows increasingly disillusioned with Hemingway's depression, drunken rages, self-loathing, and abusive behavior. Not a necessary purchase. (S. Granger)