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	{{Short description\|1992 film by John Glen}}		{{Short description\|1992 film by John Glen}}
			{{For\|the Columbus discovery of the Americas\|Voyages of Christopher Columbus}}
	{{EngvarB\|date=September 2013}}		{{EngvarB\|date=September 2013}}
	{{Use dmy dates\|date=~~September~~ ~~2013~~}}		{{Use dmy dates\|date=July 2024}}
	{{Infobox film		{{Infobox film
	\| name = Christopher Columbus: The Discovery		\| name = Christopher Columbus: The Discovery
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	* ]		* ]
	* ]}}<!--- per film poster billing block --->		* ]}}<!--- per film poster billing block --->
	\| producer = ]<br />]<ref>{{cite news\|title= Columbus: A Filmmaker's Odyssey\|publisher= Orlando Sentinel\|url= ~~http~~://~~articles~~.orlandosentinel.com/1992-08-29/~~lifestyle/9208280862_1_christopher-~~columbus-~~salkind~~-~~ridley~~-~~scott~~\|access-date=30 November 2010}}</ref>		\| producer = ]<br />]<ref>{{cite news\|title= Columbus: A Filmmaker's Odyssey\|publisher= Orlando Sentinel\|url= https://www.orlandosentinel.com/1992/08/29/columbus-a-filmmakers-odyssey/\|access-date=30 November 2010}}</ref>
	\| music = ]		\| music = ]
	\| editing = Matthew Glen		\| editing = Matthew Glen
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	\| studio = Christopher Columbus Productions<br>Quinto Centenario		\| studio = Christopher Columbus Productions<br>Quinto Centenario
	\| distributor = ]		\| distributor = ]
	\| released = ~~21 August~~ 1992 ~~(United States)<br>~~11 ~~September~~ 1992 ~~(United Kingdom)<br>~~18 ~~September 1992 (~~Spain)		\| released = {{Film date\|1992\|08\|21\|U.S.\|1992\|09\|11\|UK\|1992\|09\|18\|Spain\|df=y}}
	\| runtime = 120 minutes		\| runtime = 120 minutes
	\| language = English		\| language = English
	\| country = United States<br>United Kingdom<br>Spain		\| country = United States<br>United Kingdom<br>Spain
	\| budget = $45 million<ref>{{cite news\|title= EPIC '1492' FILM CAPTURES ENERGY OF EXPLORER'S TIMES BEDEVILED VISIONARY Series: DISCOVERING COLUMBUS: 1492 – Second of Three Parts.\|publisher= Morning Call\|url= http://articles.mcall.com/1992-10-09/features/2893351_1_christopher-columbus-columbus-day-columbus-legend\|access-date=30 November 2010}}</ref>		\| budget = $45 million<ref>{{cite news\|title= EPIC '1492' FILM CAPTURES ENERGY OF EXPLORER'S TIMES BEDEVILED VISIONARY Series: DISCOVERING COLUMBUS: 1492 – Second of Three Parts.\|publisher= Morning Call\|url= http://articles.mcall.com/1992-10-09/features/2893351_1_christopher-columbus-columbus-day-columbus-legend\|archive-url= https://archive.today/20120707004326/http://articles.mcall.com/1992-10-09/features/2893351_1_christopher-columbus-columbus-day-columbus-legend\|url-status= dead\|archive-date= 7 July 2012\|access-date=30 November 2010}}</ref>
	\| gross = $8.6 million {{small\|(US/UK)}}		\| gross = $8.6 million {{small\|(US/UK)}}
	}}		}}
	'''''Christopher Columbus: The Discovery''''' is a 1992 ] ] directed by ]. It was the last project developed by the father and son production team of ] and ]. The film follows events after the fall of the ] (an Arab principality which was located in the south of ]), and leads up to ] of ] to the ] in 1492.		'''''Christopher Columbus: The Discovery''''' is a 1992 ] ] directed by ]. It was the last project developed by the father and son production team of ] and ]. The film follows events after the fall of the ] (an Arab principality which was located in the south of ]), and leads up to ] of ] to the ] in 1492.

	Its behind-the-scenes history involved an elaborate series of financial mishaps, which later brought about an emotional falling-out between Alexander and Ilya; as a frustrated Alexander would later lament in a November 1993 interview with the '']'', "I know, after this, that I'll never make movies again."<ref>{{cite news\|title= A Family Feud in Wake of 'Columbus' : Movies: Ilya Salkind has sued Alexander, his father and producing partner, for breach of contract, fraud and racketeering.\|work=Los Angeles Times\|date=24 November 1993\|url= ~~http~~://~~articles~~.latimes.com/1993-11-24~~/entertainment/~~ca-~~60385_1_alexander~~-~~salkind~~\|access-date=9 October 2010\|first=Judy\|last=Brennan}}</ref>		Its behind-the-scenes history involved an elaborate series of financial mishaps, which later brought about an emotional falling-out between Alexander and Ilya; as a frustrated Alexander would later lament in a November 1993 interview with the '']'', "I know, after this, that I'll never make movies again."<ref>{{cite news\|title= A Family Feud in Wake of 'Columbus' : Movies: Ilya Salkind has sued Alexander, his father and producing partner, for breach of contract, fraud and racketeering.\|work=Los Angeles Times\|date=24 November 1993\|url= https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1993-11-24-ca-60385-story.html\|access-date=9 October 2010\|first=Judy\|last=Brennan}}</ref>

	The film was released for the ] of Columbus' voyage.<ref>{{cite news\|title= Christopher Columbus Sails Right Past Bankruptcy\|work=Los Angeles Times\|date=6 May 1992\|url= ~~http~~://~~articles~~.latimes.com/1992-05-06~~/business/~~fi-~~1325_1_christopher~~-~~columbus~~\|access-date=9 October 2010\|first=David\|last=Willman}}</ref><ref>{{cite news\|title= Can Two Columbus Projects Stay Afloat?\|work=Los Angeles Times\|date=15 May 1991\|url= ~~http~~://~~articles~~.latimes.com/1991-05-15~~/entertainment/~~ca-~~1889_1_ridley~~-~~scott-movie~~\|access-date=9 October 2010\|first=Jack\|last=Mathews}}</ref> The premiere took place at almost exactly the same time as '']'', which has often led to confusion between the two films.		The film was released for the ] of Columbus' voyage.<ref>{{cite news\|title= Christopher Columbus Sails Right Past Bankruptcy\|work=Los Angeles Times\|date=6 May 1992\|url= https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-05-06-fi-1325-story.html\|access-date=9 October 2010\|first=David\|last=Willman}}</ref><ref>{{cite news\|title= Can Two Columbus Projects Stay Afloat?\|work=Los Angeles Times\|date=15 May 1991\|url= https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1991-05-15-ca-1889-story.html\|access-date=9 October 2010\|first=Jack\|last=Mathews}}</ref> The premiere took place at almost exactly the same time as '']'', which has often led to confusion between the two films.

	== Plot ==		== Plot ==
	{{More plot\|date=~~November~~ ~~2015~~}}		{{More plot\|section\|date=February 2024}}

	The titular ] navigator overcomes intrigue in the court of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain and gains financing for his expedition to the ], which eventually leads to the European discovery of ].		The titular ] navigator overcomes intrigue in the court of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain and gains financing for his expedition to the ], which eventually leads to the European discovery of the ].

	== Cast ==		== Cast ==
			{{castlist\|

	*] as ]		*] as ]
	*] as King ]		*] as King ]
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	*] as Harana		*] as Harana
	*] as Alvaro Harana		*] as Alvaro Harana
	*] as King John		*] as King ]
	*] as Vicente Pinzon		*] as Vicente Pinzon
	*Glyn Grain as De La Cosa		*Glyn Grain as De La Cosa
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	*] as Indian Chieftain		*] as Indian Chieftain
	*] as {{Interlanguage link\|Rodrigo de Escobedo\|es\|lt=Escobedo}}		*] as {{Interlanguage link\|Rodrigo de Escobedo\|es\|lt=Escobedo}}
			}}

	== Production ==		== Production ==
	The initial director ] left the production due to ~~“creative~~ differences,” <ref name="CCDiscoveryAFI">{{Cite web\|title= Christopher Columbus: The Discovery\|url= https://catalog.afi.com/Film/59211-CHRISTOPHER-COLUMBUSTHEDISCOVERY?sid=11895b58-d859-4788-b5fd-8cba8e8d98f1&sr=16.833239&cp=1&pos=0\|access-date=2023-02-14\|website=catalog.afi.com}}</ref> with Cosmatos later suing the producers for millions with the matter settled out-of-court.<ref name="ColumbusNYTImes">{{cite news\|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/01/31/style/IHT-action-columbusmovies-takeaim-at-each-other.html \|title= Action! ColumbusMovies TakeAim at Each Other \|work=]\|date= 31 January 1992 \|access-date=February ~~14,~~ 2023 \|last1= Dupont \|first1= Joan }}</ref> Cosmatos was then replaced by ] shortly before shooting began.<ref name= "ColumbusNYTImes"/> At one point during the production, the $42 million budget was being slashed with the producers considering scrapping the theatrical approach in favor of a TV miniseries. However, this was alleviated when Ilya Salkind was able to secure a budget of $50 million.<ref name= "ColumbusNYTImes "/>		The initial director ] left the production due to "creative differences",<ref name="CCDiscoveryAFI">{{Cite web\|title= Christopher Columbus: The Discovery\|url= https://catalog.afi.com/Film/59211-CHRISTOPHER-COLUMBUSTHEDISCOVERY?sid=11895b58-d859-4788-b5fd-8cba8e8d98f1&sr=16.833239&cp=1&pos=0\|access-date=2023-02-14\|website=catalog.afi.com}}</ref> with Cosmatos later suing the producers for millions with the matter settled out-of-court.<ref name="ColumbusNYTImes">{{cite news\|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1992/01/31/style/IHT-action-columbusmovies-takeaim-at-each-other.html \|title= Action! ColumbusMovies TakeAim at Each Other \|work=]\|date= 31 January 1992 \|access-date=14 February 2023 \|last1= Dupont \|first1= Joan }}</ref> Cosmatos was then replaced by ] shortly before shooting began.<ref name= "ColumbusNYTImes"/> At one point during the production, the $42 million budget was being slashed with the producers considering scrapping the theatrical approach in favor of a TV miniseries. However, this was alleviated when Ilya Salkind was able to secure a budget of $50 million.<ref name= "ColumbusNYTImes "/>

	===Casting===		===Casting===
	] received $5 million for the film, and his name remains in the credits despite his request that it be removed.<ref name= "CCDiscoveryAFI "/> Following ~~Cosmatos’~~ departure as director, actors ] and ] soon followed suit with Dalton later filing a lawsuit against the producers for ] and fraud, stating that they did not provide a bank guarantee for his $2.5 million salary.<ref>{{cite magazine \| url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,316103,00.html \| magazine=Entertainment Weekly \| first=Casey \| last=Davidson \| title=Dalton's Discovery \| date=8 November 1991 \| access-date=28 March 2008 \| archive-date=19 October 2012 \| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019205728/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,316103,00.html \| url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name= "CCDiscoveryAFI "/><ref name= " ColumbusNYTImes "/>		] received $5 million for the film, and his name remains in the credits despite his request that it be removed.<ref name= "CCDiscoveryAFI "/> Following Cosmatos' departure as director, actors ] and ] soon followed suit with Dalton later filing a lawsuit against the producers for ] and fraud, stating that they did not provide a bank guarantee for his $2.5 million salary.<ref>{{cite magazine \| url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,316103,00.html \| magazine=Entertainment Weekly \| first=Casey \| last=Davidson \| title=Dalton's Discovery \| date=8 November 1991 \| access-date=28 March 2008 \| archive-date=19 October 2012 \| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121019205728/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,316103,00.html \| url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name= "CCDiscoveryAFI "/><ref name= " ColumbusNYTImes "/>

	== Reception ==		== Reception ==
	The film was not a commercial success, debuting at number 4 at the US box office<ref>{{cite news\|title= Weekend Box Office 'Unforgiven' at Top for Third Week\|work=Los Angeles Times\|date=25 August 1992\|url= ~~http~~://~~articles~~.latimes.com/1992-08-25~~/entertainment/~~ca-~~6052_1_weekend~~-~~box-office~~\|access-date=1 December 2010\|first=David J.\|last=Fox}}</ref><ref>{{cite news\|title= Revenues of Summer Movies Never Quite Fired Up Box Office\|publisher= Sun Sentinel\|url= http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1992-09-04/features/9201190510_1_batman-returns-star-vehicles-star-james-woods\|access-date= 1 December 2010\|archive-date= 9 June 2012\|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120609231141/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1992-09-04/features/9201190510_1_batman-returns-star-vehicles-star-james-woods\|url-status= dead}}</ref> and grossing $8.3 million in the United States and Canada.<ref>{{Mojo title\|christophercolumbus}}</ref> It grossed $~~0.5 million~~ in the United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite magazine\|magazine=]\|page=16\|date=11 April 1997\|title=Top 10 Rank films in UK 1992}}</ref>		The film was not a commercial success, debuting at number 4 at the US box office<ref>{{cite news\|title= Weekend Box Office 'Unforgiven' at Top for Third Week\|work=Los Angeles Times\|date=25 August 1992\|url= https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-08-25-ca-6052-story.html\|access-date=1 December 2010\|first=David J.\|last=Fox}}</ref><ref>{{cite news\|title= Revenues of Summer Movies Never Quite Fired Up Box Office\|publisher= Sun Sentinel\|url= http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1992-09-04/features/9201190510_1_batman-returns-star-vehicles-star-james-woods\|access-date= 1 December 2010\|archive-date= 9 June 2012\|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20120609231141/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1992-09-04/features/9201190510_1_batman-returns-star-vehicles-star-james-woods\|url-status= dead}}</ref> and grossing $8.3 million in the United States and Canada.<ref>{{Mojo title\|christophercolumbus}}</ref> It grossed $500,000 in the United Kingdom.<ref>{{cite magazine\|magazine=]\|page=16\|date=11 April 1997\|title=Top 10 Rank films in UK 1992}}</ref>

	The film received mostly negative reviews,<ref>{{cite news\|title= Columbus: Adrift at Sea With No Paddle\|work=Los Angeles Times\|date=24 August 1992\|url= http://articles.latimes.com/1992-08-24/entertainment/ca-5381_1_christopher-columbus\|access-date=9 October 2010\|first=Peter\|last=Rainer}}</ref><ref>{{cite news\|title= Review/Film; It's Goodbye, Columbus, As Torquemada Waves\|work= The New York Times\|date=22 August 1992\|url= https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9E0CE7D71F3BF931A1575BC0A964958260\|access-date=9 October 2010\|first=Vincent\|last=Canby}}</ref> with a rotten 7% rating on ] based on 29 reviews, with the website's critical consensus reading "Ironically, for a biopic about a voyage many associate with people accepting that the world is round, ''Christopher Columbus: The Discovery'' falls completely flat."<ref>{{cite web\|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/christopher_columbus_the_discovery\|title=Christopher Columbus: The Discovery (1992)\|access-date=29 March 2019\|~~website~~=~~Rottentomatoes.com~~}}</ref> Brando's performance in particular was singled out as his "worst".<ref>{{cite news\|title= Christopher Columbus: The Discovery\|author= Brenner, Paul\|publisher= ArtistDirect\|date= n.d.\|url= http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/store/movies/reviews/0,,1804433,00.html}}</ref>		The film received mostly negative reviews, with a rotten 7% rating on ] based on 29 reviews, with the website's critical consensus reading "Ironically, for a biopic about a voyage many associate with people accepting that the world is round, ''Christopher Columbus: The Discovery'' falls completely flat."<ref>{{cite web\|url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/christopher_columbus_the_discovery\|title=Christopher Columbus: The Discovery (1992)\|access-date=29 March 2019\|publisher=Rotten Tomatoes}}</ref> Brando's performance in particular was singled out as his "worst" by critic Paul Brenner of ArtistDirect.<ref>{{cite news\|title= Christopher Columbus: The Discovery\|author= Brenner, Paul\|publisher= ArtistDirect\|date= n.d.\|url= http://www.artistdirect.com/nad/store/movies/reviews/0,,1804433,00.html}}</ref>

	] agreed with this sentiment while giving the movie one out of four stars, stating "This movie takes one of history's great stories and treats it in such a lackluster manner that Columbus's voyage seems as endless to us as it did to his crew."<ref>{{cite web\|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/christopher-columbus-the-discovery-1992\|title=Christopher Columbus: The Discovery Movie Review (1992) - Roger Ebert\|first=Roger\|last=Ebert\|website=Rogerebert.com\|access-date=29 March 2019}}</ref> It is also on his ~~“Most~~ ~~Hated”~~ list.<ref>{{cite web\|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/rogers-journal/eberts-most-hated\|title=Ebert's Most Hated - Roger Ebert's Journal - Roger Ebert\|first=Roger\|last=Ebert\|website=Rogerebert.com\|access-date=29 March 2019}}</ref>		] agreed with this sentiment while giving the movie one out of four stars, stating "This movie takes one of history's great stories and treats it in such a lackluster manner that Columbus's voyage seems as endless to us as it did to his crew."<ref>{{cite web\|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/christopher-columbus-the-discovery-1992\|title=Christopher Columbus: The Discovery Movie Review (1992) – Roger Ebert\|first=Roger\|last=Ebert\|website=Rogerebert.com\|access-date=29 March 2019}}</ref> It is also on his "Most Hated" list.<ref>{{cite web\|url=https://www.rogerebert.com/rogers-journal/eberts-most-hated\|title=Ebert's Most Hated – Roger Ebert's Journal – Roger Ebert\|first=Roger\|last=Ebert\|website=Rogerebert.com\|access-date=29 March 2019}}</ref>

	Film historian ] declared the picture a "BOMB" (he gave '']'' an only-slightly-better rating, and conveyed his sentiments with this variation on the popular rhyme: "In nineteen-hundred-and-ninety-two, Columbus sailed two screen boo-boos.")...adding that the movie was hardly ripe for re-discovery, and lamenting "Is ''this'' any way to celebrate the 500th anniversary of Europe's finding America?"<ref>Maltin's TV, Movie, & Video Guide</ref>		Film historian ] declared the picture a "BOMB" (he gave '']'' an only-slightly better rating, and conveyed his sentiments with this variation on the popular rhyme: "In nineteen-hundred-and-ninety-two, Columbus sailed two screen boo-boos.")...adding that the movie was hardly ripe for re-discovery, and lamenting "Is ''this'' any way to celebrate the 500th anniversary of Europe's finding America?"<ref>Maltin's TV, Movie, & Video Guide</ref> Peter Rainer of the '']'' said "it's not politically correct. It's also not cinematically correct, humanly correct or historically correct. With one possible exception: The reconstructed versions of the ] look pretty correct—more so at least than the actors who sail them."<ref>{{cite news\|title= Columbus: Adrift at Sea With No Paddle\|work=Los Angeles Times\|date=24 August 1992\|url= https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1992-08-24-ca-5381-story.html\|access-date=9 October 2010\|first=Peter\|last=Rainer}}</ref> ] of '']'' called the picture "expensive, sloppy and, at its most ambitious, a frail reminder of the ] swashbucklers that ] used to turn out with ]."<ref>{{cite news\|title= Review/Film; It's Goodbye, Columbus, As Torquemada Waves\|work= The New York Times\|date=22 August 1992\|url= https://movies.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9E0CE7D71F3BF931A1575BC0A964958260\|access-date=9 October 2010\|first=Vincent\|last=Canby}}</ref> A '']'' reviewer called the film a "characterless movie that seems to have been made for no better reason than the marketing ploy of a 500th anniversary."<ref>{{Cite news \|title=Columbus As A Hollywood Hustler \|work=Newsweek \|url=http://www.newsweek.com/1992/09/06/columbus-as-a-hollywood-hustler.html \|access-date=30 November 2010}}</ref>

	Audiences surveyed by ] gave the film a grade of "C" on scale of A+ to F.<ref>{{cite web \|url= https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ \|title= Cinemascore \|url-status= dead \|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181220122629/https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ \|archive-date= 2018-12-20 }}</ref>		Audiences surveyed by ] gave the film a grade of "C" on scale of A+ to F.<ref>{{cite web \|url= https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ \|title= Cinemascore \|url-status= dead \|archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20181220122629/https://www.cinemascore.com/publicsearch/index/title/ \|archive-date= 2018-12-20 }}</ref>

	==Lawsuits==		==Lawsuits==
	Director Ridley Scott had considered making a Christopher Columbus movie for the Salkinds but instead opted to direct a rival project from producer ] and written by ]:'' ]''.<ref name="1492:CoPAFI">{{Cite web\|title= 1492: Conquest of Paradise \|url= https://catalog.afi.com/Film/59211-CHRISTOPHER-COLUMBUSTHEDISCOVERY?sid=11895b58-d859-4788-b5fd-8cba8e8d98f1&sr=16.833239&cp=1&pos=0\|access-date=2023-02-14\|website=catalog.afi.com}}</ref> The Salkinds filed a lawsuit against Scott, alleging that the director stole ideas from their project.<ref name= "1492:CoPAFI "/> $40 million in damages were sought, in addition to a ruling barring Scott from proceeding with the Goldman-backed film.<ref name= "1492:CoPAFI "/> Throughout November 1990, various contemporary sources pointed out that the scripts for the two projects were rumored to be quite different: ~~Scott’s~~ ~~“biopic”~~ would survey twenty-three years of ~~Columbus’s~~ life, while ~~Salkind’s~~ ~~“adventure~~-~~epic”~~ would focus on the singular event of discovering the Americas in 1492.<ref name= "1492:CoPAFI "/> Six months after filing the lawsuit against Scott, the Salkinds decided to abandon it.<ref name= "1492:CoPAFI "/> Goldman and Salkind acknowledged that releasing two films on the same subject at approximately the same time could split audiences and box office returns, but with both ~~“Columbus”~~ pictures angling for a release date to coincide with the 500-year anniversary, the conflict seemed unavoidable.<ref name= "1492:CoPAFI "/>		Director ] had considered making a Christopher Columbus movie for the Salkinds but instead opted to direct a rival project from producer ] and written by ]:'' ]''.<ref name="1492:CoPAFI">{{Cite web\|title= 1492: Conquest of Paradise \|url= https://catalog.afi.com/Film/59211-CHRISTOPHER-COLUMBUSTHEDISCOVERY?sid=11895b58-d859-4788-b5fd-8cba8e8d98f1&sr=16.833239&cp=1&pos=0\|access-date=2023-02-14\|website=catalog.afi.com}}</ref> The Salkinds filed a lawsuit against Scott, alleging that the director stole ideas from their project.<ref name= "1492:CoPAFI "/> $40 million in damages were sought, in addition to a ruling barring Scott from proceeding with the Goldman-backed film.<ref name= "1492:CoPAFI "/> Throughout November 1990, various contemporary sources pointed out that the scripts for the two projects were rumored to be quite different: Scott's "biopic" would survey twenty-three years of Columbus's life, while Salkind's "adventure-epic" would focus on the singular event of discovering the Americas in 1492.<ref name= "1492:CoPAFI "/> Six months after filing the lawsuit against Scott, the Salkinds decided to abandon it.<ref name= "1492:CoPAFI "/> Goldman and Salkind acknowledged that releasing two films on the same subject at approximately the same time could split audiences and box office returns, but with both "Columbus" pictures angling for a release date to coincide with the 500-year anniversary, the conflict seemed unavoidable.<ref name= "1492:CoPAFI "/>

	In September 1994, producer Ilya ~~Sakind~~, along with Ilya's wife and the film's executive producer Jane Chaplin, sued Alexander Salkind, co-producer Bob Simmonds, and other creditors for $10 million.<ref name= "CCDiscoveryAFI "/>		In September 1994, producer Ilya Salkind, along with Ilya's wife and the film's executive producer Jane Chaplin, sued Alexander Salkind, co-producer Bob Simmonds, and other creditors for $10 million.<ref name= "CCDiscoveryAFI "/>

	== Awards ==		== Awards ==
	] won the ]. ] was also nominated for Worst Supporting Actor and the film received another four ] nominations including; ], ] – ], ] – ] and ] – ].<ref>{{cite magazine\|magazine=]\|date=~~February~~ 15, 1993\|title='Bodyguard' tops Razzie noms\|url=https://variety.com/1993/biz/news/bodyguard-tops-razzie-noms-103983/\|access-date=~~October~~ 13, 2019}}</ref>		] won the ]. ] was also nominated for Worst Supporting Actor and the film received another four ] nominations including; ], ] – ], ] – ] and ] – ].<ref>{{cite magazine\|magazine=]\|date=15 February 1993\|title='Bodyguard' tops Razzie noms\|url=https://variety.com/1993/biz/news/bodyguard-tops-razzie-noms-103983/\|access-date=13 October 2019}}</ref>
	At the 1992 ], it received a nomination for Worst Picture.		At the 1992 ], it received a nomination for Worst Picture.

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	{{Portal\|Film}}		{{Portal\|Film}}
	* '']'', another big budget, all-star epic about Columbus released in 1992.		* '']'', another big budget, all-star epic about Columbus released in 1992.
	* '']'', a comedy-film about Columbus also released in 1992.		* '']'', a comedy film about Columbus also released in 1992.
	* '']'', an animated film about Columbus also released in 1992.		* '']'', an animated film about Columbus also released in 1992.

	== References ==		== References ==
	{{reflist\|2}}		{{reflist}}

	== External links ==		== External links ==
	* {{IMDb title\|0103962\|Christopher Columbus: The Discovery}}		* {{IMDb title\|0103962\|Christopher Columbus: The Discovery}}
	* {{Rotten Tomatoes\|christopher_columbus_the_discovery}}		* {{Rotten Tomatoes\|christopher_columbus_the_discovery}}
	* {{AllMovie title\|9587\|Christopher Columbus: The Discovery}}

	{{John Glen}}		{{John Glen}}
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Latest revision as of 18:06, 22 December 2024

1992 film by John Glen For the Columbus discovery of the Americas, see Voyages of Christopher Columbus.

Christopher Columbus: The Discovery
Theatrical release poster by John Alvin
Directed by	John Glen
Screenplay by	John Briley Cary Bates Mario Puzo
Story by	Mario Puzo
Produced by	Alexander Salkind Ilya Salkind
Starring	Marlon Brando Tom Selleck Georges Corraface Rachel Ward Robert Davi Benicio del Toro
Cinematography	Alec Mills
Edited by	Matthew Glen
Music by	Cliff Eidelman
Production companies	Christopher Columbus Productions Quinto Centenario
Distributed by	Warner Bros.
Release dates	21 August 1992 (1992-08-21) (U.S.) 11 September 1992 (1992-09-11) (UK) 18 September 1992 (1992-09-18) (Spain)
Running time	120 minutes
Countries	United States United Kingdom Spain
Language	English
Budget	$45 million
Box office	$8.6 million (US/UK)

Christopher Columbus: The Discovery is a 1992 historical adventure film directed by John Glen. It was the last project developed by the father and son production team of Alexander and Ilya Salkind. The film follows events after the fall of the Emirate of Granada (an Arab principality which was located in the south of Spain), and leads up to the voyage of Columbus to the New World in 1492.

Its behind-the-scenes history involved an elaborate series of financial mishaps, which later brought about an emotional falling-out between Alexander and Ilya; as a frustrated Alexander would later lament in a November 1993 interview with the Los Angeles Times, "I know, after this, that I'll never make movies again."

The film was released for the 500th anniversary of Columbus' voyage. The premiere took place at almost exactly the same time as 1492: Conquest of Paradise, which has often led to confusion between the two films.

Plot

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The titular Genoese navigator overcomes intrigue in the court of King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella of Spain and gains financing for his expedition to the West Indies, which eventually leads to the European discovery of the Americas.

Cast

Marlon Brando as Tomás de Torquemada
Tom Selleck as King Ferdinand V
Georges Corraface as Christopher Columbus.
Rachel Ward as Queen Isabella I.
Robert Davi as Martín Pinzón
Catherine Zeta-Jones as Beatriz Enriquez de Arana
Oliver Cotton as Harana
Benicio del Toro as Alvaro Harana
Mathieu Carrière as King John II of Portugal
Manuel de Blas as Vicente Pinzon
Glyn Grain as De La Cosa
Peter Guinness as Fra Perez
Nigel Terry as Roldan
Simon Dormandy as Bives
Michael Gothard as the Inquisitor's spy
Branscombe Richmond as Indian Chieftain
Christopher Chaplin as Escobedo [es]

Production

The initial director George P. Cosmatos left the production due to "creative differences", with Cosmatos later suing the producers for millions with the matter settled out-of-court. Cosmatos was then replaced by John Glen shortly before shooting began. At one point during the production, the $42 million budget was being slashed with the producers considering scrapping the theatrical approach in favor of a TV miniseries. However, this was alleviated when Ilya Salkind was able to secure a budget of $50 million.

Casting

Marlon Brando received $5 million for the film, and his name remains in the credits despite his request that it be removed. Following Cosmatos' departure as director, actors Timothy Dalton and Isabella Rossellini soon followed suit with Dalton later filing a lawsuit against the producers for breach of contract and fraud, stating that they did not provide a bank guarantee for his $2.5 million salary.

Reception

The film was not a commercial success, debuting at number 4 at the US box office and grossing $8.3 million in the United States and Canada. It grossed $500,000 in the United Kingdom.

The film received mostly negative reviews, with a rotten 7% rating on Rotten Tomatoes based on 29 reviews, with the website's critical consensus reading "Ironically, for a biopic about a voyage many associate with people accepting that the world is round, Christopher Columbus: The Discovery falls completely flat." Brando's performance in particular was singled out as his "worst" by critic Paul Brenner of ArtistDirect.

Roger Ebert agreed with this sentiment while giving the movie one out of four stars, stating "This movie takes one of history's great stories and treats it in such a lackluster manner that Columbus's voyage seems as endless to us as it did to his crew." It is also on his "Most Hated" list.

Film historian Leonard Maltin declared the picture a "BOMB" (he gave 1492: Conquest of Paradise an only-slightly better rating, and conveyed his sentiments with this variation on the popular rhyme: "In nineteen-hundred-and-ninety-two, Columbus sailed two screen boo-boos.")...adding that the movie was hardly ripe for re-discovery, and lamenting "Is this any way to celebrate the 500th anniversary of Europe's finding America?" Peter Rainer of the Los Angeles Times said "it's not politically correct. It's also not cinematically correct, humanly correct or historically correct. With one possible exception: The reconstructed versions of the Nina, Pinta and Santa Maria look pretty correct—more so at least than the actors who sail them." Vincent Canby of The New York Times called the picture "expensive, sloppy and, at its most ambitious, a frail reminder of the Warner Brothers swashbucklers that Michael Curtiz used to turn out with Errol Flynn." A Newsweek reviewer called the film a "characterless movie that seems to have been made for no better reason than the marketing ploy of a 500th anniversary."

Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film a grade of "C" on scale of A+ to F.

Lawsuits

Director Ridley Scott had considered making a Christopher Columbus movie for the Salkinds but instead opted to direct a rival project from producer Alain Goldman and written by Roselyne Bosch: 1492: Conquest of Paradise. The Salkinds filed a lawsuit against Scott, alleging that the director stole ideas from their project. $40 million in damages were sought, in addition to a ruling barring Scott from proceeding with the Goldman-backed film. Throughout November 1990, various contemporary sources pointed out that the scripts for the two projects were rumored to be quite different: Scott's "biopic" would survey twenty-three years of Columbus's life, while Salkind's "adventure-epic" would focus on the singular event of discovering the Americas in 1492. Six months after filing the lawsuit against Scott, the Salkinds decided to abandon it. Goldman and Salkind acknowledged that releasing two films on the same subject at approximately the same time could split audiences and box office returns, but with both "Columbus" pictures angling for a release date to coincide with the 500-year anniversary, the conflict seemed unavoidable.

In September 1994, producer Ilya Salkind, along with Ilya's wife and the film's executive producer Jane Chaplin, sued Alexander Salkind, co-producer Bob Simmonds, and other creditors for $10 million.

Awards

Tom Selleck won the Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actor. Marlon Brando was also nominated for Worst Supporting Actor and the film received another four Golden Raspberry Award nominations including; Worst Picture, Worst Director – John Glen, Worst New Star – Georges Corraface and Worst Screenplay – Mario Puzo. At the 1992 Stinkers Bad Movie Awards, it received a nomination for Worst Picture.

Home media

The film was released on VHS and LaserDisc formats from Warner Home Video in 1993. It has not been released on DVD in North America, but is available in other format regions on DVD.

References

"Columbus: A Filmmaker's Odyssey". Orlando Sentinel. Retrieved 30 November 2010.
"EPIC '1492' FILM CAPTURES ENERGY OF EXPLORER'S TIMES BEDEVILED VISIONARY Series: DISCOVERING COLUMBUS: 1492 – Second of Three Parts". Morning Call. Archived from the original on 7 July 2012. Retrieved 30 November 2010.
Brennan, Judy (24 November 1993). "A Family Feud in Wake of 'Columbus' : Movies: Ilya Salkind has sued Alexander, his father and producing partner, for breach of contract, fraud and racketeering". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 9 October 2010.
Willman, David (6 May 1992). "Christopher Columbus Sails Right Past Bankruptcy". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 9 October 2010.
Mathews, Jack (15 May 1991). "Can Two Columbus Projects Stay Afloat?". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 9 October 2010.
^ "Christopher Columbus: The Discovery". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
^ Dupont, Joan (31 January 1992). "Action! ColumbusMovies TakeAim at Each Other". The New York Times. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
Davidson, Casey (8 November 1991). "Dalton's Discovery". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on 19 October 2012. Retrieved 28 March 2008.
Fox, David J. (25 August 1992). "Weekend Box Office 'Unforgiven' at Top for Third Week". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
"Revenues of Summer Movies Never Quite Fired Up Box Office". Sun Sentinel. Archived from the original on 9 June 2012. Retrieved 1 December 2010.
Christopher Columbus: The Discovery at Box Office Mojo
"Top 10 Rank films in UK 1992". Screen International. 11 April 1997. p. 16.
"Christopher Columbus: The Discovery (1992)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
Brenner, Paul (n.d.). "Christopher Columbus: The Discovery". ArtistDirect.
Ebert, Roger. "Christopher Columbus: The Discovery Movie Review (1992) – Roger Ebert". Rogerebert.com. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
Ebert, Roger. "Ebert's Most Hated – Roger Ebert's Journal – Roger Ebert". Rogerebert.com. Retrieved 29 March 2019.
Maltin's TV, Movie, & Video Guide
Rainer, Peter (24 August 1992). "Columbus: Adrift at Sea With No Paddle". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 9 October 2010.
Canby, Vincent (22 August 1992). "Review/Film; It's Goodbye, Columbus, As Torquemada Waves". The New York Times. Retrieved 9 October 2010.
"Columbus As A Hollywood Hustler". Newsweek. Retrieved 30 November 2010.
"Cinemascore". Archived from the original on 20 December 2018.
^ "1492: Conquest of Paradise". catalog.afi.com. Retrieved 14 February 2023.
"'Bodyguard' tops Razzie noms". Variety. 15 February 1993. Retrieved 13 October 2019.

External links

v t e Films directed by John Glen
For Your Eyes Only (1981) Octopussy (1983) A View to a Kill (1985) The Living Daylights (1987) Licence to Kill (1989) Checkered Flag (1990) Aces: Iron Eagle III (1992) Christopher Columbus: The Discovery (1992) The Point Men (2001)

v t e Mario Puzo
Novels	The Dark Arena (1955) The Fortunate Pilgrim (1965) The Runaway Summer of Davie Shaw (1966) Six Graves to Munich (1967, as Mario Cleri) The Godfather (1969) Fools Die (1978) The Sicilian (1984) The Fourth K (1991) The Last Don (1996) Omertà (2000) The Family (2001, with Carol Gino)
Screenplays	The Godfather (1972) Earthquake (1974) The Godfather Part II (1974) Superman (1978) Superman II (1980) The Godfather Part III (1990) Christopher Columbus: The Discovery (1992) Superman II: The Richard Donner Cut (2006)
Non-fiction	The Godfather Papers and Other Confessions (1972) Inside Las Vegas (1977)
Miniseries adaptations	The Fortunate Pilgrim (1988) The Last Don (1997) The Last Don II (1998)

v t e Golden Raspberry Award for Worst Supporting Actor
1980s	John Adames – Gloria / Laurence Olivier – The Jazz Singer (1980) Steve Forrest – Mommie Dearest (1981) Ed McMahon – Butterfly (1982) Jim Nabors – Stroker Ace (1983) Brooke Shields (in a mustache) – Sahara (1984) Rob Lowe – St. Elmo's Fire (1985) Jerome Benton – Under the Cherry Moon (1986) David Mendenhall – Over the Top (1987) Dan Aykroyd – Caddyshack II (1988) Christopher Atkins – Listen to Me (1989)
1990s	Donald Trump – Ghosts Can't Do It (1990) Dan Aykroyd – Nothing but Trouble (1991) Tom Selleck – Christopher Columbus: The Discovery (1992) Woody Harrelson – Indecent Proposal (1993) O. J. Simpson – Naked Gun 33+1⁄3: The Final Insult (1994) Dennis Hopper – Waterworld (1995) Marlon Brando – The Island of Dr. Moreau (1996) Dennis Rodman – Double Team (1997) Joe Eszterhas – An Alan Smithee Film: Burn Hollywood Burn (1998) Ahmed Best – Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace (1999)
2000s	Barry Pepper – Battlefield Earth (2000) Charlton Heston – Cats & Dogs, Planet of the Apes, and Town & Country (2001) Hayden Christensen – Star Wars: Episode II – Attack of the Clones (2002) Sylvester Stallone – Spy Kids 3-D: Game Over (2003) Donald Rumsfeld – Fahrenheit 9/11 (2004) Hayden Christensen – Star Wars: Episode III – Revenge of the Sith (2005) M. Night Shyamalan – Lady in the Water (2006) Eddie Murphy – Norbit (2007) Pierce Brosnan – Mamma Mia! (2008) Billy Ray Cyrus – Hannah Montana: The Movie (2009)
2010s	Jackson Rathbone – The Last Airbender and The Twilight Saga: Eclipse (2010) Al Pacino – Jack and Jill (2011) Taylor Lautner – The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2 (2012) Will Smith – After Earth (2013) Kelsey Grammer – The Expendables 3, Legends of Oz: Dorothy's Return, Think Like a Man Too, and Transformers: Age of Extinction (2014) Eddie Redmayne – Jupiter Ascending (2015) Jesse Eisenberg – Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016) Mel Gibson – Daddy's Home 2 (2017) John C. Reilly – Holmes & Watson (2018) James Corden – Cats (2019)
2020s	Rudy Giuliani – Borat Subsequent Moviefilm: Delivery of Prodigious Bribe to American Regime for Make Benefit Once Glorious Nation of Kazakhstan (2020/21) Jared Leto – House of Gucci (2021) Tom Hanks – Elvis (2022) Sylvester Stallone – Expend4bles (2023)

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