Assalto ao Trem Pagador

A true classic from Brazilian cinema. Good character development, acting, cinematography, pace. There is action but there is also deepness. Without romanticizing burglars, the film show them so human that you may hope police not to be able to catch them. The robbery in the very beginning has elements of goid Westerns.

One good piece of my country's film making, "O Assalto ao Trem Pagador" is a story about a train robbery that focus on the relationship between the robbers after a successful action. The authorities are certain that a so well organized assault was carried out by professionals, probably foreigners. So the bunch is apparently out of risk. But the wish to spend the money is too strong and the gang leader, Tião Medonho (Eliezer Gomes), uses his feared reputation and disposition to kill to restrain and protect his group. Tião Medonho is a well-built character: a natural leader in the slam, he is at the same time fair, generous and brutal. The real matter is that only one of the robbers that looks like a out-of-the-slam type (Grilo Peru, played by Reginaldo Farias), he is white, blonde and has blue eyes, while the majority is black or looks too poor. Because of that, Grilo is the only one who can spend his share of the money as he wishes, without raising any suspicion. Beside of the fact that he is quite untouchable, because he is the only contact of the group with the "engineer": the brains of the gang. Looking quite American, it's not yet contaminated with socialist clichés that overtook almost 100% of Brazilian movies in the years to come. The shooting is very good and the Brazilian contradictions, both social and psychological, are well shown by the competent direction of Roberto Farias.

The gang composed by small-time thieves from the slum and leaded by the criminal Tião Medonho (Eliezer Gomes) plans and successfully executes the robbery of the train with the payments of the Banco do Brasil ("Bank of Brazil"). The police has no leads and believes that the heist was committed by an international gang. Meanwhile, Tião imposes that each outlaw can only spend 10% of the share, but the poor reality and the greed of most of them spoil the planning.

"O Assalto ao Trem Pagador" is a classic of the Brazilian Cinema. Based on a true event, indeed one of the boldest heist in the Brazilian history, the film is very impressive even in the present days. The accuracy and realism of the scenes recall the Italian Movement Neo-Realism. The lack of human rights with the humble people of the slums that still prevails in the present days is magnificently presented in many scenes, specially in the last one, when the house of the wife of Tião Medonho is invaded by the police, reporters and photographers. This movie shows the other side of the wonderful city of Rio de Janeiro, and may be considered the "Cidade de Deus" of the 60's. The direction of Roberto Farias is very precise and sharp, touching in social wounds that have never healed. The cast has outstanding performances, highlighting Eliezer Gomes in the role of a powerful and natural leader, "the owner of the slum", Tião Medonho. I am not sure whether this rare movie has been distributed worldwide: I have just bought an used and very old VHS from a rental, since this classic has not been released on DVD in Brazil. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "O Assalto ao Trem Pagador" ("The Robbery of the Pay Train")