Criterion | 1959 | 107 mins. | Not Rated
One of my music appreciation teachers in college, a man in his sixties, would often regal us with tales of his adventures as a youth going to the local art house cinema to see Black Orpheus. “The theater would come alive with the sound of Bossa Nova music and I just knew I had to visit Brazil someday.” I’ll always remember that professor, because it was in his class that I first saw Black Orpheus, and was introduced to the genius that is composer Antônio Carlos Jobim.
In 1959, the art house movie populace was transfixed by director Marcel Camus’ Black Orpheus, a French movie made in Brazil that features wall-to-wall Bossa Nova music by the creators of Bossa Nova, Luis Bonfá, and Antonio Carlos Jobim. The constant rhythm fill out the background of a musical fantasy set in the slums of Rio de Janiero. The movie is not a documentary of slum conditions and not realistic; it’s written as a fantasy adaptation of the Orpheus legend.
Trolley car conductor Orpheus (Breno Mello) prepares to play his part in the carnaval celebration, a mythical figure whose song makes the sun rise. Orpheus is engaged to the attractive but selfish Mira (Lo’urdes de Oliveira). He retrieves his “magic” guitar from the pawnshop while Mira concerns herself with buying a ring. New in town, the alluring Eurydice (Marpessa Dawn) seeks out her cousin Serafina (Léa Garcia) and tearfully confesses that she’s run away from home because a strange man is threatening her. Somewhat predictably, Orpheus and Eurydice meet, fall in love, and take part in the carnaval celebrations. However, Death (Ademar Da Silva), Eurydice’s strange pursuer, arrives to let her know he’ll be taking her soon. Orpheus wants to protect his new love, but the jealous Mira interferes.
Every time I watch Black Orpheus, I understand why my professor wanted to go to Brazil so badly. The film makes that area of the world seem like heaven on earth. Even its shantytowns seem somehow idyllic—full of happy, beautiful, Afro-Brazilians. It should come as no surprise that some critics took issue with the portrayal of a slum area where no one went hungry, or was unhappy.
The same could be said of any number of classic American musicals that ignore social and political reality while featuring idealized people singing and dancing. Black Orpheus is the same idea, only in a different location. Few musicals, be it right or wrong, deal in absolute reality. Taken on its own merits, Black Orpheus is the age old tale of a doomed love affair. In this case specifically, the story takes place in a land where the music is the pulse of the people. Further, Orpheus is the king of the local balladeers, but he knows that he’s a mortal. He’s already followed by a pair of pint-sized acolytes that marvel at his skill with the guitar and with women. His crown is only temporary; he’ll be passing it along to the next Orpheus.
Black Orpheus is a thing of beauty to watch. Cameraman Jean Bourgoin had shot films for Jean Renoir, Orson Welles and Jacques Tati. He adds splashes of color that stylize the film’s look without moving too far from reality. The dancing and characterizations are so front and center that it’s easy to overlook some moments of overdone camerawork.
Neither of the lea,ding actors had had much acting experience prior to making the movie. Marpessa Dawn was a Pittsburgh-born dancer facing her first acting role, and Breno Mello was a star soccer player. Both acquit themselves rather well, particularly, Mello whom the camera seems to love (aided immeasurably by the form fitting Apollo costume Isabel Pons designed for him to wear throughout most of the film. Lea Garcia had played Mira in the stage version, but Camus switched her to the more comic role of Serafina for the film and it was a wise choice. Lourdes De Oliveira owns the role of Mira with her eyes flashing jealousy throughout. Adhemar Da Silva’s cat-like grace makes him a formidable Death. Lastly, Alexandre Constantino’s Hermes, Orfeu’s understanding older friend, proves himself a noble companion.
Black Orpheus’ biggest cultural contribution is its Bossa Nova music. Antonio Carlos Jobim had written music for the play Orfeu do Conceição, but the film producers asked for a new score. Frevo, O Nosso Amor and Felicidade are by Jobim, collaborating with poet Vinicius de Moraes. Jobim became an international star working with jazz greats, and had an even bigger song hit a few years later, The Girl from Ipanema.
The film is framed at 1.33:1 and is slightly windowboxed with Academy ratio pictures on their DVD releases. The Eastmancolor palette is excellently reproduced in this transfer with bold reds, blues, greens, and gold’s standing out. Somewhat disappointing, however, is the sharpness of the image. The picture seems just a tad soft, surprising for a transfer Criterion calls a “new, restored high-definition digital transfer.” Black levels, however, are superb and are the best thing about this new edition. The white subtitles are very easy to read.
The film is contained on disc one in the set. All of the following special features are contained on disc two.
A vintage interview with director Marcel Camus (4 minutes) filmed in Cannes in 1959 prior to the movie winning the grand prize. He discusses the problems he faced filming in Brazil and the fun he had in doing the movie.
Actress Marpessa Dawn speaks about her career (6 minutes) in an interview in French filmed in 1963 after she had appeared in several more films after her debut in Black Orpheus. She talks about how she was discovered, and her desire to do a stage production of My Fair Lady (which unfortunately didn’t happen.
“Revisiting Black Orpehus” (17 minutes) is a critique of the movie by film scholar Robert Stam.
“Black Orpheus and That Bossa Nova Sound!” (18 minutes) is an entertaining discussion of the rise of the samba and the bossa nova revolution which swept the world after the film premiered. Critic Gary Giddins and author Ruy Castro discuss the films musical merits.
“Looking for Black Orpheus” Filmed in 2005, this is an extensive 88-minute documentary examining modern Brazil and looking for any traces of the Black Orpheus influences which might still be seen today.
The film’s theatrical trailer which is narrated cleverly by Orfeu’s guitar runs 4 minutes.
The enclosed 19-page booklet features cast and crew lists, some beautiful color frames from the movie, and an appreciative essay on the film by critic Michael Atkinson.
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