Me You Them
©Conspiração Filmes/Columbia TriStar Filmes do Brasil
photo courtesy International Film Festival Rotterdam
|
|
A very funny and, in its own way, very sophisticated comedy about a female
polygamist who moves through life enjoying her own kind of freedom. Life treats her
rough at first, but she finally manages to find the right men (yes, plural) and keep
them under control while often allowing them to think that they are the ones in
control. Based loosely on a real life-situation, this truly feministic film boasts a
talented cast starring some of the most noted actors from South American cinema,
stage, and television.
Darlene (Regina Casé), a single mother, marries her first husband for practical
reasons, one of which is a having roof over her head. She does all the cooking,
cleaning, and work in the field (ay, carumba!) while Osias (Lima Duarte) lazily lays in
his hammock all day. When Osias's cousin Zezinho (Stenio Garcia) is thrown out of
the house by his wife and comes to live with them, he immediately falls in love with
Darlene and doesn't do much to hide it. Darlene soon bears another son after
Zezinho enters the household as well as other more intimate places. The attractive
drifter Ciro (Luís Carlos Vasconcelos), who also works Osias' land, enters the scene
and winds up becoming the third husband-in-residence. Darlene enjoys a contented
life with her three men in their poor little North Brazilian backlands home: one for
security, one for husbandry, and one for the enjoyment of life. With her big grin and
her buxom personality, she certainly has everything to dance about (and does so to
the fabulous tunes of bossa nova legend Gilberto Gil.) Director Andrucha
Waddington and scriptwriter Elena Soárez have created a deliciously simple and
wonderful comedy with down-to-earthy tones.
|
