Walker

This is the true story of William Walker (Ed Harris), the American adventurer who once ruled as the self-declared president of Nicaragua (1856-57). In 1853, soldier-of-fortune Walker flees Mexico after a failed attempt to incite an armed insurrection. Due to popular support for his beliefs about spreading Americanism to other countries, Walker is acquitted of legal wrongdoing. His plans to marry and start a newspaper end when his sweetheart Ellen Martin (Marlee Matlin) dies of cholera. Walker then accepts an offer from millionaire Cornelius Vanderbilt (Peter Boyle). "Commodore" Vanderbilt sends Walker with sixty mercenaries to overthrow Nicaragua, to secure Vanderbilt's exclusive overland shipping route between the Atlantic and Pacific (there is yet no Panama Canal). Walker's ragtag brigade sails to Nicaragua and blunders its way into a battle, which is declared a victory only after the fact. When the capital falls, Walker allows the president to stay in charge, but takes his mistress, Yrena (Blanca Guerra). Incompetent policies and widespread looting inspire a rebellion, so Walker orders the president shot and assumes his place. Becoming delusional about his role in history, Walker revokes Vanderbilt's license to the overland trade route. Nicaragua and its neighbors unite to rid themselves of the unwelcome gringo dictator.