User reviews

I saw this movie when I was living in San Antonio, Texas, between 1985-89, and it really is better than the big, expensive movie "Il Postino". I have read the book "Ardiente Paciencia", and the movie follows the book very closely. When I was living in Santiago, Chile from 1962 to 1972, I had the opportunity of meeting Pablo Neruda and also the actor Roberto Parada, who looked much like the Chilean Nobel Prize winner. In "Il Postino" the events take place somewhere in Italy, but in the movie "Ardiente Paciencia" Neruda and the mailman are living in the real place, Isla Negra, a beautiful little town on the Pacific coast of Chile (christened by the poet himself), where he built one of his homes. This house is now a museum. It is a pity that this excellent movie is little known.

During all the publicity that the "Postino" received, I was angry that nobody mentioned the original; not the director, not the press - one wonders why....afraid of the comparison?? Because that's what this movie is: original, very poetic, wonderful sense of humor, true to the book, great acting. It is highly recommended that you see this in spanish (subtitled if need be) - but please try and see it!

I agree wholeheartedly with the other commentator regarding the comparison of this film to "Il Postino", and am not surprised to see that Michael Radford claims the credit for the latter, just as he did with "White Mischief", which has a less complete story than the superior TV film "The Happy Valley". I have no problem with re-makes as such, but there was a complete failure to acknowledge the originals of both these films. If "Ardiente Paciencia" was available on DVD I would buy it; I would not even watch "Il Postino" again on TV. This film has freshness and vitality, and the character of the postman is played with openness and innocence, and feels more true than the sickly portrayal in "Il Postino"; the relationship with Neruda is more natural; Neruda is not the stuffed shirt of the re-make.

Hello... i'm here to find someone who can give me this movie. I am from Portugal, but my grandfather was in exile during Pinochet's government. He lived here in Portugal during the 80's and had a participation in this movie. (I think he is the man being tortured). This is just something i would like to find to remember my grandfather and the great man he was. I tried every place to find this movie, even some kind of Chilean "videotheque".

If anyone could send me, sell me, or just contact me for any information about the movie I would appreciate a lot!

Best Regards LR