Os Inconfidentes

After the huge critical and box-office acclaim of the iconoclast political satire "Macunaíma" (1969), director Joaquim Pedro de Andrade raised funds in Brazil and Italy (through RAI-TV) to make "Os Inconfidentes", a politically and artistically ambitious (though low budget) film that tries to throw new lights on the most important political event in colonial Brazil – the ill-fated plotting of a coup d'état by a group of Brazilian military officers, poets and intellectuals and their failed attempt to overthrow the Portuguese Crown and establish a Brazilian Independent Republic in 1789, inspired by Rousseau and the success of the American Revolution.

The conspiracy failed due to many factors, perhaps most importantly the lack of proper organization, funds and efficient articulation with sympathetic groups. Once the coup plans were discovered, some of the conspirators ("inconfidentes", hence the film's title) were imprisoned and tortured, and one of them committed suicide in jail. Most of them were exiled, but one was "exemplarily" sentenced to death: the impetuous young dentist and low-rank military officer Joaquim José da Silva Xavier, aka "Tiradentes". In 1792, he was hanged, beheaded and quartered, his head and limbs subsequently displayed in public roads as a scary cautionary warning for potential conspirators. One century later, Tiradentes became Brazil's highest martyr and hero, of course, when Independence was finally declared in 1889.

Andrade re-stages (with liberties) the actual events in some of the historical locations (the fantastically well-preserved villages of Ouro Preto and Mariana and their amazing 18th century architecture), aiming at a contemporary political meaning -- in 1972 Brazil was living the darkest years of its violent military regime (1964-1985), with arbitrary imprisonment, torture and/or assassination of hundreds of political activists, not unlike what had happened in 1789. But Andrade wisely avoids naive revolutionary propaganda: "Os Inconfidentes" is rather an alert against hurried, hot-headed, improvisational actions by small activist groups who, though speaking in the name of the "oppressed majority", are perhaps guided by class or political esprit de corps, or utopian, unrealistic ideals (Glauber Rocha had already called attention to these issues with his 1967 "Terra em Transe"). "Os Inconfidentes" is also about the role of artists and intellectuals in the political fights of the tumultuous 1970s, when most of Latin America was stifling under violent military regimes.

Andrade had another BIG obstacle to dribble: censorship, that would never allow him to "reinterpret" the official version of History. Thus, he goes down to the actual historical sources, using as dialog material the actual letters, articles, poems and legal testimonies of the conspirators, as well as the Portuguese government's official reports on the "interrogation" proceedings (that notoriously included torture, as it did in the 1970s). "Os Inconfidentes" features erudite, archaic 18th century vernacular that is almost incomprehensible to average modern audiences, but the subtitles in Portuguese in the newly released restored DVD version are a lot of help (there are also finely translated subtitles in English, French and Spanish). Besides, Andrade takes for granted the audience's knowledge of historical facts: if you really want to understand plot and characters, you have to do your homework first.

This choice for archaic vernacular leads Andrade to let the talented, experienced cast overact (if the audiences can't understand the words, they can at least sense the urgency and despair through loud, theatrical performances), with Wilker (as Tiradentes), Pereio, Sabag and Carlos Gregório shamelessly hamming it up -- though Andrade never lets pastiche set in: it's a painful, tragic film. The film closes with contemporary official propaganda newsreel footage glorifying Tiradentes's martyrdom: we see the "power elite" of Brazilian dictatorship paying homage to a man whose ideology couldn't be farther away from theirs. It's a startling reminder of the way history is often conveniently "reinterpreted" by the men who happen to be in power.

"Os Inconfidentes" is far from an easy film but -- for those willing to do their homework -- it demonstrates that even in times of intense censorship it's still possible to deliver a powerful political message, albeit through "codified" language.

The idea of making dialogues based in the writings of the conspirators themselves is quite interesting, Joaquim Pedro de Andrade was a skilled director ("Cat skin" is a masterpiece, for example), and the casting assemble great actors. However, the outcome is very boring. Perhaps the poems of those conspirators are too boring, and making a good script based on them was just unfeasible. At least the end is nice, particularly it was the most violent moment in military dictatorship.

"The Conspirators" greatest asset at the time of its release when of the 150th anniversary of Brazil's independence might have charmed many critics and some audiences back then, but when in more contemporary years this same asset is one that is troubling and doesn't help much the movie. The asset in question is presenting historical facts from freedom fighter Tiradentes and his wealthy friends who wanted to fight for the independence of Brazil from Portugal's reign, and the movie presents such facts as they happened since director Joaquim Pedro de Andrade had access to the court transcripts that condemned Tiradentes and the conspirators (but the man was the only one executed). It's a fine movie, nonetheless, but far from being amazingly impressive.

Another great asset to the film was that by being true to the facts, Andrade made a great metaphorical work against the then current military regime of which he could criticise by showing Tiradentes inquistors as torturers who serve for the benefit of the nation, as the military were but didn't say so.

Competing against the independence flick "Independência ou Morte" which focuses on Emperor Pedro I cutting ties with Portugal, a story that takes 30 years after this one, Andrade focuses on the trailblazer for the independence cause, here played by the always effective José Wilker. While that movie is a patriotic libel of many sorts, this one seems to escape that route a little and it really shows how Portugal was an iron commander with unfair rulings and taxes hence why the established people living here wanted to escape their domination and live with freedom and dignity.

But back to what was said earlier. Why the movie's greatest asset loses its point now? It got excessively wordy, excessively poetic and it loses life and reality instead becoming a small play where all actors have a place under the spotlight with eloquent quotes and gestures, and most of the time is difficult to follow and quite tiring - specially towards the ending and the most brutal and known moment of all in the historical case isn't featured here.

But on the other hand, no one can say the movie was a pure work of fiction without any historical base. It was history as it happened (obviously not 100%) but truth of the matter is that sometimes being truthful to facts don't always mean great or fantastic experiences to be seen.

For those who can see the film beyond itself and look objectively at the period in which was made and clearly see the metaphors done by Andrade and company then you'll find in "The Conspirators" a brilliant piece of filmmaking, and for those who want to know more about the final days of the Incofidência Mineira movement this is quite informative but lacking a little of more background. A fine movie but beward of seeing plenty of lenghty dialogues and poetry, and very little action. Well acted by everyone in the cast which includes Wilson Grey (playing Joaquim Silvério dos Reis, the movement's traitor), Paulo César Pereio, Fernando Torres, Fábio Sabag, Carlos Kroeber and Carlos Gregório among others. Also worthy of mention is the period recreation, filmed in the historical Minas Gerais, with many preserved places that still carry the same architecture of the 18th century. 6/10.