England, the nineteenth century. David Copperfield loses his father, and his mother remarries to a cruel man who places young David in a boarding school, and, when David's mother dies, makes him work for a living. He then flees to an aunt's house and many persons cross his path as he grows up to become a renowned novelist.
Although with several great performances (Moody and Richardson are excellent as, respectively, Heep and Micawber), I found this adaptation bland and unengaging. Perhaps the flash-back structure, which ellides the connection between the episodes, is guilty for this; perhaps some people will find it interesting and original.
Rating: 50
Wednesday, January 24, 2018
Monday, January 22, 2018
O Pagador de Promessas (1962)
Third viewing; previously viewed on January 5, 1987 and January 25, 1987.
U.S. title: The Given Word
More faithful title translation: The Keeper of Promises
A humble peasant has made a vow to Saint Barbara that he would ascend the stairs of the town church carrying a cross on his shoulders, if the saint interceded in favor of his donkey who was ill. The accomplishment of the task he has imposed on himself will prove harder than he anticipated, as the church's priest has some objections regarding the way in which the poor man's pledge was made.
This is a story which tackles a personal conflict which is, at bottom, about the maintenance of the power structure of society. Several instances of this power structure are put in evidence: Hegemonic Religion vs. Popular Religion, Husband vs. Wife, Bosses of the Press vs. Common Journalist, Pimp vs. Prostitute, Landowner vs. Rural Worker, City vs. Country, and perhaps others that I can't think of right now. Admittedly, there is a certain schematism about the whole procedure which seems a little forced. My perception is that the reality of Brazil was always slightly different from the Marxist-oriented analysis which is offered here, and has since departed even farther. Most conspicuous among the departures, the Catholic Church's worst enemy today is not Candomblé (the African-rooted religion which is mostly followed by the descendants of slaves), but Evangelical Christians. In short, I didn't find it as gripping now as I did on my previous viewings, but it still gave me a certain amount of pleasure.
Rating: 67 (down from 88)
U.S. title: The Given Word
More faithful title translation: The Keeper of Promises
A humble peasant has made a vow to Saint Barbara that he would ascend the stairs of the town church carrying a cross on his shoulders, if the saint interceded in favor of his donkey who was ill. The accomplishment of the task he has imposed on himself will prove harder than he anticipated, as the church's priest has some objections regarding the way in which the poor man's pledge was made.
This is a story which tackles a personal conflict which is, at bottom, about the maintenance of the power structure of society. Several instances of this power structure are put in evidence: Hegemonic Religion vs. Popular Religion, Husband vs. Wife, Bosses of the Press vs. Common Journalist, Pimp vs. Prostitute, Landowner vs. Rural Worker, City vs. Country, and perhaps others that I can't think of right now. Admittedly, there is a certain schematism about the whole procedure which seems a little forced. My perception is that the reality of Brazil was always slightly different from the Marxist-oriented analysis which is offered here, and has since departed even farther. Most conspicuous among the departures, the Catholic Church's worst enemy today is not Candomblé (the African-rooted religion which is mostly followed by the descendants of slaves), but Evangelical Christians. In short, I didn't find it as gripping now as I did on my previous viewings, but it still gave me a certain amount of pleasure.
Rating: 67 (down from 88)
Wednesday, January 03, 2018
Rico Ri à Toa (1957)
A poor taxi driver receives the news that his brother died leaving him a fortune. His bossy wife is thrilled by the prospect of becoming part of "high society". But in reality this is all a plot concocted by a gang of bank robbers with the purpose of incriminating the poor man and thus deviating attention from them.
The poor worker who becomes rich without expecting it and comes to prefer the life of poverty to the new one is surely an allegory of Brazil, a country which shuns every opportunity to become a successful one by first world's standards. It would appear that we are happier as a complete mess where financial straits and out of control violence are permanent features of national life. The fact is, it is not everyone who can bear the responsibility which comes with affluence. It is a little amazing that so many films of the period have sudden riches as a plot point -- in the same year of 1957 there was A Baronesa Transviada, for example. Anyway, the bottom line is that this is a poor cinematic spectacle, with very obvious humor and songs which will not imprint indelible marks in one's memory. A somewhat more generous appraisal than mine may be found in this well-written review.
Rating: 31
The poor worker who becomes rich without expecting it and comes to prefer the life of poverty to the new one is surely an allegory of Brazil, a country which shuns every opportunity to become a successful one by first world's standards. It would appear that we are happier as a complete mess where financial straits and out of control violence are permanent features of national life. The fact is, it is not everyone who can bear the responsibility which comes with affluence. It is a little amazing that so many films of the period have sudden riches as a plot point -- in the same year of 1957 there was A Baronesa Transviada, for example. Anyway, the bottom line is that this is a poor cinematic spectacle, with very obvious humor and songs which will not imprint indelible marks in one's memory. A somewhat more generous appraisal than mine may be found in this well-written review.
Rating: 31
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