Memórias do Cárcere

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.

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 !