Needing money to support his family,
especially with a new baby, the buyer takes
the leaves to a man he knows who has
promised him a fair price for them. Along the
way to Iquitos, Peru, they are stopped by the
local police in order to have their truck
searched, but when they see the snake in the
cage, the authorities wave them through the
checkpoint.
When he gets to the broker, however, his luck turns and he is offered only
$175 a kilo instead of the $250 he was promised -- the excuse being that it
is taking more and more money to bribe officials so the leaves can be transported. Carlitos’ box is then loaded on
the plane and flown to the processing facility.
Segment 3 -- Vichada, Colombia (this is the segment in which Norbert appears):
Seeds of Tragedy
Credits:
Gunter: Norbert Weisser
Carlitos: Lucino Hernandez
Dion: Larenz Tate
Jamal: Lahmard Tate
Marion: Page Mosely
Margie: Terry Finn
Drug Boss: Miguel Fernandez
Directed by: Martin Donovan
Executive Producers:
Sarah Pillsbury
Midge Sanford
Written By: Alex Lasker
Every now and then, one of Norbert’s films or roles is so memorable or powerful that I present the entire feature in screencaps
along with a detailed synopsis. Seeds of Tragedy is such a movie. Not only is Norbert’s performance outstanding, the film itself
is riveting -- it is one that should be released on DVD, or at least shown on television periodically. I hope you enjoy this full
feature presentation of Seeds of Tragedy, a 1991 Sanford/Pillsbury production.
Segment 1:
Eastern Andes, Peru Coca Fields:
The movie opens with Carlitos and
other members of his family plucking
leaves from the coca plants that are
growing in the mountains where they
live. He arrives home with his heavy
load by nightfall. As the family sits
around the dinner table, his father
talks about how it is not safe, easy or
fair being a coca farmer these days.
The local police work for the Yankees.
Their only protection is from the
guerrilla soldiers -- as long as they pay them, they are
protected.
When Carlitos goes to the village to get supplies, he is befriended by a boy not much older than
him. Just as he returns, the family has to go into hiding and stash their coca leaves when the
police come near, but the guerrillas drive the police away. As they come to collect their protection
money, Carlitos sees that his friend from the village is with them.
Segment 2 -- The Amazon River, Pulcallpa, Peru:
After Carlitos and his father sell the leaves, the buyer heads down the river
with them to where his family is. He carries a snake in a cage with him that
he keeps on top of the box that contains the coca leaves.
As Vernon, the pilot, walks with Ignacio, a supervisor at the processing facility, Vernon hears that one of the men has been
killed and that others are trying to walk away. Ignacio thinks it’s the heat, but Vernon tries to convince him that it’s the job,
adding that he wants to quit too. As they carry the boxes of leaves to the “kitchen,” Ignacio warns him that the boss won’t like
it if he quits. Gunter is working in the kitchen and screaming at his men to work faster. Ignacio and Gunter are enemies, with
Ignacio certain that Gunter is stealing -- always into the powder. He is convinced that he is out of control, but he is the only
cook they have. (Please see the expanded presentation of Norbert’s role in this on the main Seeds of Tragedy page.)
Gunter has a conversation with Vernon about getting Ignacio off his back or else he will kill him. Vernon tells him to go ahead
because then someone would kill him and he wouldn’t have to listen to him any longer. Just then, they hear a plane
overhead and realize that the boss has arrived. The boss immediately questions Gunter about the
rumors that he is dipping into the soup a little too much. Gunter nervously assures him that they
are just rumors and that no one likes him because he runs such a tight ship.
A short while later, the boss breaks up a fight
between Gunter and Ignacio, then asks that
Vernon join him in his office to talk. Gunter has
returned to the kitchen and orders everyone in
the kitchen to get back to work -- where they
start to process the leaves in Carlitos’ box, and
then burn it.
With the family out of food and money, and another baby on the way, Carlitos and his father head to another village where they
can sell the leaves. Carlitos packages them in a special wooden box with a snake painted on the top, then he and his father
head down the river to sell their goods.
The boss attempts to convince Vernon to just take a vacation and to keep working for him, but Vernon is adamant that he
wants out, and the flight back with the goods will be his last. Later, the boss makes an appearance at dinner -- first praising
their work, then telling them that their is a traitor amongst them -- someone who married into the family, then ratted him out to
the police. The boss shoots him right at the table while a horrified Gunter and an edgy Vernon look on.
Next Page
Official Fansite
© www.norbert-weisser.com, 2010 This is the Official Fansite for Mr. Norbert Weisser Site Design By: JT eDesigns
Seeds of Tragedy
Credits:
Gunter: Norbert Weisser
Carlitos: Lucino Hernandez
Dion: Larenz Tate
Jamal: Lahmard Tate
Marion: Page Mosely
Margie: Terry Finn
Drug Boss: Miguel Fernandez
Directed by: Martin Donovan
Executive Producers:
Sarah Pillsbury
Midge Sanford
Written By: Alex Lasker
Every now and then, one of Norbert’s films or roles is so memorable or powerful that I present the entire feature in screencaps
along with a detailed synopsis. Seeds of Tragedy is such a movie. Not only is Norbert’s performance outstanding, the film itself
is riveting -- it is one that should be released on DVD, or at least shown on television periodically. I hope you enjoy this full
feature presentation of Seeds of Tragedy, a 1991 Sanford/Pillsbury production.
Segment 1:
Eastern Andes, Peru Coca Fields:
The movie opens with Carlitos and
other members of his family plucking
leaves from the coca plants that are
growing in the mountains where they
live. He arrives home with his heavy
load by nightfall. As the family sits
around the dinner table, his father
talks about how it is not safe, easy or
fair being a coca farmer these days.
The local police work for the Yankees.
Their only protection is from the
guerrilla soldiers -- as long as they pay them, they are
protected.
When Carlitos goes to the village to get supplies, he is befriended by a boy not much older than
him. Just as he returns, the family has to go into hiding and stash their coca leaves when the
police come near, but the guerrillas drive the police away. As they come to collect their protection
money, Carlitos sees that his friend from the village is with them.
Segment 2 -- The Amazon River, Pulcallpa, Peru:
After Carlitos and his father sell the leaves, the buyer heads down the river
with them to where his family is. He carries a snake in a cage with him that
he keeps on top of the box that contains the coca leaves.
As Vernon, the pilot, walks with Ignacio, a supervisor at the processing facility, Vernon hears that one of the men has been
killed and that others are trying to walk away. Ignacio thinks it’s the heat, but Vernon tries to convince him that it’s the job,
adding that he wants to quit too. As they carry the boxes of leaves to the “kitchen,” Ignacio warns him that the boss won’t like
it if he quits. Gunter is working in the kitchen and screaming at his men to work faster. Ignacio and Gunter are enemies, with
Ignacio certain that Gunter is stealing -- always into the powder. He is convinced that he is out of control, but he is the only
cook they have. (Please see the expanded presentation of Norbert’s role in this on the main Seeds of Tragedy page.)
Gunter has a conversation with Vernon about getting Ignacio off his back or else he will kill him. Vernon tells him to go ahead
because then someone would kill him and he wouldn’t have to listen to him any longer. Just then, they hear a plane
overhead and realize that the boss has arrived. The boss immediately questions Gunter about the
rumors that he is dipping into the soup a little too much. Gunter nervously assures him that they
are just rumors and that no one likes him because he runs such a tight ship.
A short while later, the boss breaks up a fight
between Gunter and Ignacio, then asks that
Vernon join him in his office to talk. Gunter has
returned to the kitchen and orders everyone in
the kitchen to get back to work -- where they
start to process the leaves in Carlitos’ box, and
then burn it.
With the family out of food and money, and another baby on the way, Carlitos and his father head to another village where they
can sell the leaves. Carlitos packages them in a special wooden box with a snake painted on the top, then he and his father
head down the river to sell their goods.
The boss attempts to convince Vernon to just take a vacation and to keep working for him, but Vernon is adamant that he
wants out, and the flight back with the goods will be his last. Later, the boss makes an appearance at dinner -- first praising
their work, then telling them that their is a traitor amongst them -- someone who married into the family, then ratted him out to
the police. The boss shoots him right at the table while a horrified Gunter and an edgy Vernon look on.
Next Page
Official Fansite
© www.norbert-weisser.com, 2010 This is the Official Fansite for Mr. Norbert Weisser Site Design By: JT eDesigns