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Gabriela (1983)

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From Time Out Film Guide

This was a Jorge Amado novel that became a TV soap, then a movie - the rock opera we still await, but sexy, free-spirited Gabriela has certainly struck a chord with Brazilians. The throng of characters and plotlines jostling for position - it's all to do with romantic/political manoeuvrings in a coastal town in the 1920s - are presumably an attempt to accommodate favourite bits from earlier manifestations. Number one item on the agenda, however, is the camera's on-going perusal of the Braga bod. Mastroianni as Gabriela's main man lends an air of consequence to the proceedings.

Author: BBa

Time Out Film Guide

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rick lanning said...

Posted on Oct 11 2009 04:54 GABRIELA is a joyful film that will leave you smiling and shaking your head in awe at the fun marcello mastroianni and sonja bragga must have had in making it. she plays a peasant woman, sans panties, bra, stockings or shoes, who amgles -- that is the only word to describe her saunter -- into a small brazilian town, where she finds a job working in a bar-cafe owned by marcello. he slowly but sdurely falls lustfully in love with her. at first he lets her work in front of his regular customers, but they become so sexually drawn to her that he puts her in the back room washing dishes. then to keep her to himself -- she lives with him and sleeps on a bed sans clothing and with only a sheet -- he marries her and tries to make her 'respectful,' which is a comedy to her sensual gypsy nature. fans of marcello mastroianni already know he is one of the world's great actors, surpassing anything america can throw his way, from jack lemmon to lawrence olivier.

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