Ópera do Malandro

This film based on the album by Chico Buarque (Brazil's most legendary rock/popular music composer since the 70's) meets and exceeds any expectations based on its origins. The beautiful music is performed (choreographed, sung, danced, and acted out) by some of Brazil's greatest artistic treasures including Elba Ramalho and Chico Buarque himself. Big name stars Edson Celulari, Claudia Ohana, and Ney Latorraca provide the looks, glamour, and are dubbed for optimal effect..........................................................OPERA DO MALANDRO is a period piece, set in wild Rio de Janeiro in the early 40's. Its art direction, costumes, and period details are to be commended. The "opera" ultimately is about the life of a typical "malandro", a fixture of Rio and urban Brazilian society as ubiquitous as the American Mafia mobster. The Brazilian version is considerably more human and vulnerable, and more of a lady's man, "cool" stud, and smooth talker. This portrait of the "Malandro" is vividly and colorfully portrayed in this pleasant movie, pretty to watch, hear, and enjoy.

In 1941, Brazilian government was aligned with Nazi movement, in spite of being against the popular desire. In Lapa (Rio de Janeiro), the rascal, pimp and smuggler Max Overseas explores the cabaret singer and prostitute Margot (Elba Ramalho), the former mistress of the chief inspector Tigrão (Ney Latorraca). When the daughter of the cabaret owner Otto Struedel (Fábio Sabag), Ludmila Struedel (Claudia Ohana), leaves her boarding school and returns to her family, she proposes Max to be her husband and partner in a legal importation company of their own. But Margot and Tigrão do not accept the idea.

"A Ópera do Malandro" is an adaptation of "Die 3 Groschen-Oper" from Bertold Brecht to the environment of Lapa, Rio de Janeiro, in 1941 with many particularities and contradictions: this musical had been the most expensive Brazilian production until 1986, with the cost of approximately US$ 800,000.00. This film was completely shot in studio, without outdoor scenes. Most of the sceneries were manufactured in rubber. Further, there was the use of brand new reflectors. The director Ruy Guerra was one of the filmmaker from the Brazilian movement Cinema Novo, and this film was completely contradictory to the philosophy of the followers of Cinema Novo, using brand new technologies and the language of Hollywood movies. The direction is excellent; the performances are fantastic, highlighting Claudia Ohana, who is simply sensational in the role of Ludmila. The cinematography is amazing, using negatives of a new film at those years and with a fantastic lighting. The costumes are very beautiful and the story is very engaging, with wonderful songs of Chico Buarque. I saw this play in the theaters, and this movie is also excellent. The song "O Meu Amor" is presented in the censored version, using the word "ventre" (belly) instead of "sexo (sex) of the original song. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "A Ópera do Malandro " ("The Opera of the Rascal")

Very enjoyable, not to be taken too seriously. Setting this slice of lowlife in Rio at about the time of Pearl Harbour was inspired, since it shows the conflict between the democrats like the malandro (hustler) and fascists like the cabaret-owner Otto Strudel. The sexy bits are perfectly choreographed, proving once again that the Brazilians are the only people who can make intelligent erotic movies.

This movie is based on a stage-musical by Chico Buarque, which must have been a real treat. The movie incorporates the dance-numbers very effectively, especially the duet where Ludmila Strüdel (Claudia Ohana) and Margot `energetically' dispute their claims to the malandro's affections. Another great dance-number, a tango, occurs in the dingy warehouse where Max and Ludmila are about to be married; the police-chief (a childhood friend of the malandro) is to perform the ceremony, but then he turns up in his official capacity to arrest everybody. None the less, the happy-go-lucky Cariocas are able to salvage a happy ending at the last moment.

If you thought the movie musical had had the biscuit, check this one out (also Pennies from Heaven, 1981).

Ruy Guerra, the director, is one of Latin America's foremost cinematographers, best known among gringos for Eréndira (starring his sometime wife Claudia Ohana). She also stars in this one as Ludmila Strüdel, and you can see that she has a lot of what it takes. Ruy Guerra is also an actor; he played the good-guy Pedro de Ursúa in Herzog's `Aguirre, the Wrath of God' and got to be imprisoned by the mad Kinski-Aguirre. I shall definitely be looking out for more of his works in future.

An excellent movie made 3 years after Ruy Guerra's Erendira. The young actress in the title role of that film appears as Ludmilla Struedel in this. The low-city gang life of Rio is perhaps mythic, but I don't think the aim was for realism.

The correspondence with Brecht/Weill's Threepenny Opera is worth noting:

Max Overseas.......Macheath (Mack the knife)

Otto Struedel......Mr. Peachum

Ludmilla Struedel..Polly Peachum

Margot.............Jenny Diver

Tigrao.............Tiger Brown

Victoria Struedel..Mrs. Celia Peachum

I believe this was a Portugese film. I saw it almost 20 years ago and, not being familiar with subtitles that much back then (I am now), I found it very strange to see people singing with subtitles printed below!

Anway, it was a South American version of a 1940s gangster movie-musical and was very colorful. Since I am a fan of film noir, older musicals and love wild colors, you'd think I'd love this film....but I didn't. The story was tough to follow. When I did figure out what I was happening, the dialog was either too stupid to enjoy....or just plain boring. Perhaps another look today, with a nice DVD and the fact I actually like subtitles would make me change my mind....but I am a little leery because of the slowness of the story.