Buried on Sunday is a 1992 Canadian movie following the island of Solomon Gundy, with a fishing based economy. The Canadian government has decided to reduce cod fishing licenses by 4%, and since Solomon Gundy takes up 4% of the nations cold fishing, simply suspends all of their fishing licenses. The locals do not take this well, and coincidentally, at the same time, a Russian submarine arrives in their harbor, with most of the crew having abandoned it during a bad storm. The four Russians left aboard (the cook, two seamen and a missile officer locked in the brig) sell the submarine to the islanders, who declare themselves an independent, nuclear power unless their fishing licenses are returned.The film is not that well remembered, and often criticized as having far less humor and plotting than it could have with such an interesting premise.
Tropes:
- "Could Have Avoided This!" Plot: The whole reason the government yanked the fishing licenses was for collateral in a deal with a foreign power who didn't even want the fishing rights for that kind of fish, in that area.
- Going Native: Dexter (in his case the trop is even used by name), Noel and to some extent the Russians althoguh they end up login home at the end all assimilate on the island some.
- Informed Attribute: Dexter is considered to be a master negotiator and political by the Prime Minister and his cabinet, but spends most of the movie matter-of-factly telling the governments position to the island with little attempts at guile, deception or negotiations, experiencing a lot of doubt, guilt and anxiety about his job. It's implied he may be Secretly Dying.
- Jack of All Trades: Augustus Knickel is the local mayor, reverend and gold course owner.
- The Mole: Dempster Milland is a spy for the Canadian government once the conflict breaks out and is described as having always sucked up to their agendas in hopes of getting a senate seat some day.
- Monumental Damage: At the end, once things are resolved, a missile is accidentally launched at Mount Rushmore and while it turns out to be a dud it does cause damage to the face of Teddy Roosevelt.
- Shoot the Messenger: A crowd of fishermen try to hang Dexter in the streets after he delivers the governments message about the fishing licenses being cancelled and Knickel barely manages to stop them.
- Those Two Guys: The two Russian sailors have little screntime and seem to hang out together and get some comic relief bits as they try to learn English.
- Title Drop: The title comes from a scene where Knickel watches some of the local kids making up a song with verses similar to the popular nursery rhyme, Solomon Grundy.Singing Child: Born on Monday, Christened on Tuesday, Married on Wednesday, Honeymoon Thursday, Works on Friday, Dead on Saturday, Buried on Sunday. That was the end of Solomon Gun-day.
- Vodka Drunkenski: The missile officer is drinking vodka in most of his scenes.
