4 giorni a settembre

"Four Days in September" is a film that most here in the United States know nothing about--even though the film is a recreation of the real life kidnapping of the US ambassador to Brazil back in, 1971. Frankly, here in the States, we know very little about the country and many people I know think they speak Spanish there! It's sad and those who DO know a bit about the country get it from films like "City of God"! Because I am a history teacher, I was thrilled to learn more about the political turmoil in Brazil in the 1970s and their military dictatorship--as, I hate to admit it, my knowledge of the country is lacking. And, for me, the most surprising thing about the film was to learn that this government was in place all the way until 1989! Wow.

As for the film, it's a recreation of the evens leading to and following the abduction of the American ambassador--with a strong emphasis on the motivations and reactions of the younger members of this Communist group, MR8. Aside from a case of very capable Brazilian actors, American actor Alan Arkin is on hand as the ambassador. Overall, the film is excellent for many reasons. The script and direction are very good (without a lot of politics and without a strong bias) and the acting very good. In fact, I have no real complaints about the film, though I wonder about the further adventures of MR8--the film really had me wonder about the decades following this kidnapping.

By the way, though the film is about communist revolutionaries, the film is handled in a relatively dispassionate way and can be enjoyed by anyone regardless of their political orientation. It did seem to paint these leftists somewhat favorably, but not in a manner that seemed overly sentimental or biased. Plus, it did show the characters on the right as well--a smart move in the long run. Well worth seeing.

In 1964, the military deposes the democratically elected Brazilian government. By 1969, the military has imposed a police state. Friends Fernando Gabeira and César decide to fight back by joining revolutionaries. The group MR8 is led by Maria. César is captured during a bank robbery. Fernando comes up with the plan to kidnap the American Ambassador Charles Burke Elbrick (Alan Arkin). They seek to exchange him for 15 prisoners.

I like the mix of characters in the revolutionary group. Each character is well defined and fully complete. It's not that much of a thriller despite a few action scenes. It has some psychological aspects. It's really the interactions within the group and with Alan Arkin that is the most interesting.

The movie, based on the Fernando Gabeira's novel, is intense, full of action, motion and meaning. How a few young rebels planned and executed the kidnap of the US Ambassador in Rio - on that time, the Embassy was still there. Very well produced and edited, special comments about the sound, with some moments of silence and other with a disturbing noise. An expert crew. Take a look in Pedro Cardoso, who represents Fernando Gabeira. OK, some scenes of the movie are different from the original written version, but I should say it looks really good. But I would never suggest somebody else to try repeating their adventure and kidnap the US Ambassador...

After the dark era of the 1980s - when the only movies being produced locally were, to put it mildly, very erotic - the Brazilian Movie Industry struggled to regain international credibility. And, while "Carlota Joaquina" and "O Quatrilho" clearly paved the way, this is (in my opinion) the production that put Brazil back on the charts. Based on a true story, "O que É isso, Companheiro?" is brought to life by actors who are probably the best performers of the currently generation, and earned an Academy Award Nomination for Best Foreign Language Film. The most amazing aspect of this movie, however, goes unknown by international audiences: two of its main actors (Pedro Cardoso and Luiz Fernando Guimarães) achieved success, in Brazil, through their work as comedians.

"Four Days in September" examines the 1969 politically motivated kidnapping of the U.S. ambassador to Brazil. The Oscar nominated film is a realistic and believable dissection of the short lived international incident perpetrated by a small group of leftist extremists opposed to Brazil's military dictatorship. Unlike most such films, "Four Days..." puts a realistic and human face on all sides; the police, the rebels, and the American diplomat played by Arkin. A captivating, suspenseful drama in Portugese and English languages for realists.