The Comedians

Brown returns to Port-au-Prince to manage the hotel he inherited from his mother and to try selling it. He finds some life in two unexpected guests: Major Jones and the Smiths. Their presence anchors the story and pulls Brown into the dangerous politics of Duvalier's regime.

Major Jones arrives in Port-au-Prince to peddle arms to the government, hoping to secure a deal. His contact has fallen out of favor, and Captain Concasseur quickly arrests, beats, and jails him. The arrest signals the reach of the Tontons Macoute.

The Smiths' contact, the Minister of Public Welfare, has run afoul of the regime and kills himself at Brown's hotel to avoid torture by the Tontons Macoute. The suicide exposes the regime's reach and sets the tone for the visitors' fragile safety. Brown's hospitality becomes entangled with the country's violence.

Brown introduces the Smiths to the new minister, who becomes receptive when he learns how much money they are willing to invest. The potential investment gives the Smiths a dangerous foothold in official circles. The encounter foreshadows how business and politics blur in this regime.

The Smiths witness several atrocities carried out by the Tontons Macoute and become disenchanted, deciding to leave Haiti. Their departure removes one of the hopeful outsiders and shifts the story toward Brown's precarious loyalties. The violence reveals the regime's indiscriminate power.

Jones manages to interest the government in his arms deal and is released from jail, but he cannot deliver on his promises. With the deal unlikely to come through, he must go into hiding. Brown's sympathy and caution become more important as he navigates these dangerous waters.

Brown smuggles Jones into the Pinedas' embassy for refuge, outwitting the ever-watchful Tontons Macoute. Jones establishes himself as an entertaining but unsettling houseguest, provoking Brown's jealousy as he suspects an affair with Martha. The embassy becomes a fragile sanctuary amid the regime's reach.

Captain Concasseur arrives with an offer of safe conduct to move Jones to the airport in exchange for Brown's cooperation, threatening the expulsion of the Pinedas if Brown refuses. Brown refuses, unwilling to betray friends or risk Martha's safety. The tension tightens around Brown's increasingly entangled loyalties.

Brown realizes that Henri Philipot, the minister's nephew, and Dr. Magiot are leading revolutionary efforts, with Magiot seeking to train Jones's experience. Martha helps smuggle Jones out of the embassy to meet them. The plan links Brown to the rebels more directly than before.

Martha's aid continues as Jones is smuggled toward the mountains to rendezvous with the rebels, though Magiot has already been killed by the Tontons Macoute. Brown drives Jones through the countryside, navigating checkpoints and the suspicion of informers. The journey sharpens Brown's political awareness and moral compromises.

Along the journey, Jones boasts and hints at more than he should, confirming Brown's suspicions about his lies regarding Martha and his military record. Jones finally confesses to lying, revealing the true depth of his deception. The revelation strains Brown's sense of loyalty and trust.

Captain Concasseur arrives and kills Jones, interrupting his plans. Brown is saved by Henri Philipot, who then convinces him to take Jones's place and join the rebels for the sake of his men's morale. The choice marks a dramatic shift from hotel host to rebel ally.

Because they aided Jones, the Pinedas must leave Haiti; Martha flies home with her husband, unsure if Brown is alive. The Pinedas' departure underscores the personal costs of staying in a regime shaped by fear. The film closes with Brown's fate tied to the rebel cause he has just joined.