João Francisco dos Santos was a figure of no small infamy in Brazil during the 1930s -- he was a flamboyantly gay drag performer who was also a notorious criminal, thoroughly unashamed of his sexual orientation and willing to defend himself with deadly force if the situation demanded. Writer and director Karim Ainouz brings dos Santos' story to the screen in this vibrant drama seasoned with music and dance. A tall and physically imposing man, dos Santos (played by Lázaro Ramos) grew up poor on
the streets of Brazil; and once he reached adulthood, he shared a home in one of Rio de Janeiro's less picturesque neighborhoods with a handful of friends, including Laurita (Marcelia Cartaxo), a streetwalker; her baby daughter; Taboo (Flavio Bauraqui), a nightclub performer who sometimes turned tricks for extra cash; and Renatinho (Felippe Marques), one of dos Santos' lovers. After landing a job at a nightspot called The Blue Danube, dos Santos grew fascinated with the elaborate costumes and choreography of the stage shows, and became a singer and dancer at the club. However, when the management declined to pay him, dos Santos took matters into his own hands and demanded his salary at knifepoint, leading to the first of many stays behind bars. Upon his release, dos Santos pledged to make his name as a cross-dressing entertainer, though his fiery temper made taking advantage of him a bad idea. Madame Satã was screened as part of the "Un Certain Regard" series at the 2003 Cannes Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
What emerges in Aïnouz and Ramos' mesmerizing portrait of Dos Santos is a fearless man who had the courage to explore and express every aspect of his being.
If we never really understand Joao, there is another problem with the character, and that is: He isn't very nice. I refer not to his crimes, but to the way he treats those who care for him.
Ainouz' script and style seem unwilling to explore below the surface. He embraces the story's physical details...without revealing much of his subject's soul.
While the depiction of the Lapa district and the details of repressed homosexual life in Rio 10 years ago is always intriguing, we come away learning very little about the individual known as Madame Satã.
Very gritty film that takes place in the 1930's about João Francisco dos Santos, the legendary Brazilian cross gender dresser, pimp, loving father, outlaw and local hero who became Rio De Janeiro's Queen Of Carnaval in the 40's until his death in the 70's. The gay sex is very raw as is the lifestyle in the Lapa
district of Rio. João Francisco dos Santos lived from 1900 to 1976, adopted about a dozen children and spent some 27 years of his life in prison.
Most of the story here is Joao's struggle to overcome the cruelty that comes his way because he is black, poor and gay; endlessly fighting, defending himself and getting into trouble with the law because he refuses to be treated like a second-class citizen.
May 12, 2008
El Hombre Invisible
Super Reviewer
lazaro ramos was fantastic as the kickass carnival queen. a really passionate, energetic and colorful film yet not at all what you'd expect from a transvestite's biopic
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