Macunaíma
1969 · Brazil · 110 min
- Director
- Joaquim Pedro de Andrade
- Screenplay
- Mário de Andrade, Joaquim Pedro de Andrade
- Producer
- Joaquim Pedro de Andrade
- Music
- Jards Macalé
- Editing
- Eduardo Escorel
Cast
What it is about
Macunaíma is a lazy hero with no firm character who is born black in the interior of Brazil. Together with his brothers he sets out for the big city in search of a lucky charm, and along the way he undergoes a transformation that changes his appearance. In the city he becomes involved with a urban guerrilla and a capitalist tycoon, in a story that blends humor and fantasy.
How it was made
Directed by Joaquim Pedro de Andrade, the film adapts the novel of the same name by Mário de Andrade, published in 1928. The director also co-wrote the screenplay with the author, served as producer, and worked with music by Jards Macalé and editing by Eduardo Escorel. Grande Otelo and Paulo José play the title character in his two versions, alongside Dina Sfat and Jardel Filho, in a Portuguese-language production.
Reception and legacy
The satirical and fantastical film premiered in 1969 and won the best film award at the 1970 Mar del Plata Festival. In 1972 it reached American audiences in a dubbed version released by New Line Cinema, and it was re-released internationally in 2009. It is often read as an allegory of the turbulent political climate of the Brazilian military coup.
Stills
Trailer
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Trivia
American dubbed version
In 1972 New Line Cinema released a dubbed version for American audiences.
TV5 broadcast
In 2005 the TV5 network aired the film in its original Portuguese with French subtitles in Europe and Latin America.
Original Cinematopedia text based on Wikipedia (es) and Wikipedia (en) and Wikidata.