简介：ThreeyoungmenfromtheSavannahofNigerleavetheirhomelandtoseekwealthandadventureonthecoastandinthecitiesofGhana.Thisfilmisthestoryoftheirtravels,theirencountersalongtheway,theirexperiencesinAccraandKumasi,and,afterthreemonths,theirreturntotheirfamiliesandfriendsathome.Thefilmispartdocumentary,partfiction,andpartreflectivecommentary.Therewasnoportablesoundsynchronizedequipmentintheearly1950swhenJaguarwasshot.Instead,Rouchhadthemaincharacters(hisfriendsand"accomplices")improviseanarrativewhiletheyviewedthefilm,whichwasitselfimprovizedalongtheway.Theresultingsoundtrackconsistsofremembereddialogue,ofjokingandexclamations,ofquestionsandexplanationsabouttheactiononthescreen. Short-term,ruralmigrationtothecitiesiscommontomuchofcontemporaryAfrica.HerewemeetLamtheherdsman,IllothefishermanandDamoure,theirunsettledbutliteratefriend.ThethreetrekformorethanamonthsouththroughDahomeytoGhana,crossingthelandoftheSombapeople(whosenudityshocksthem),eatingcoconuts"moredeliciousthancheese,"anddelightingintheoceanwithitswavesandstarfish.Eventuallytheypartways.DamoureandIllogotoAccraandLamtoKumasi,wheretheyfindjobsasdockworker,foremanforalumberman,andcattleherderforacitybutcher.Havingmadetheirseparatejourneys,theymeetagaininKumasiwithafourthfriend,andsetupanopen-airstall,PetitaPetit,inwhichtheyhawkeverythingfromalarmclockstopicturesofQueenElizabeth. Financiallysuccessfulbuthomesick,thefriendsdecidetoleavetheexcitement,turmoilandbewilderingcomplexityofthecitytoreturnhometoNigerbeforetherains.Lamrejoinshisherd,enrichedwithanewumbrellaandalance;Illo,"magicianoftheriver,"catchesahippoanddistributeseverythinghehasbroughtfromhisjourneytohisfamily;andDamoureadmiresanewthebeautyofNigerwomen. Yetalthoughlifeinthevillageresumesasusual,Illo,LamandDamourehavebeen"jaguars"inthecity:sophisticated"keenyoungmen"withfancyhairdos,cigarettes,sunglasses,money,andknowledgeoftheurbanworld.Thefilmraises,butdoesnotanswer,questionsaboutthemeaningofthisexperienceandthetransformationsitmayentailinthelivesofthereturnedyouths.Jaguar,ThomasBeidelmanhaswritten,"doessucceedincatchingtheflavorofwhatitmustbeliketopasstoandfromamoderncityandaruralvillageinAfrica...jaguarcouldbeaneloquentdocumentontheprocessofsocialchange." Theflavor,itmightbeadded,isverygay.Rouchhaspointedoutthatjaguardoesnotattempttorevealthemiseryandpainoftheannualmigration,ortheboredomofvillagelifeinthedryseason(eightmonthsoftheyear)whenyoungmen,nolongerwarriorsasinthepast,havenothingtodo.Fewmen,inactuality,become"jaguars"inthecarefreestyleofDamoure,Lam,andIllo.Formost,thecityisastruggle.Yetjaguarisnonethelessavividportrayaloftheidealofmigration,afantasyimpartedthroughtheimprovisedactionsandspiritedcommentaryofthecharacters.InthisfilmRouchhasdevelopedaformonemightcall"ethnographicfantasy,"withanauthenticityandrealityasimportant,althoughquitedifferent,fromthatofRouch'sownmonographonruralmigrationtoAccra.…