Memórias do Cárcere

This is one of the greatest Brazilian films of all times. Nelson Pereira dos Santos did a brilliant job in writing a script from Graciliano Ramos' memoirs from his novel "Memórias do Cárcere". It is a must to all those interested in recent Brazilian history. Graciliano was a perfectionist in his writings and had a perfect domain of Portuguese language. The plot shows his life from a school teacher in the poverty-stricken north-eastern state of Alagoas until his imprisonment, for political reasons, accused of links with the unsuccessful attempt of leftist military and intellectuals to seize power in 1935. A lesson of coherence !

Long film by Brazilian master Nelson Pereira dos Santos, strongly characterized by his neo-realist aesthetics. It depicts what Brazilian writer Gracialiano Ramos lived and saw when was a political prisioner under Getúlio Vargas dictatorship. The most interesting trait is perhaps the way the differences between the various convicts are explored (political or common, working- or upper-class, selfish or sympathetic, politically alinated or ossified dogmatics). The highly skilled cast is also something to be remarked.