Cidade Ameaçada ( A Threatened City)

It has been a crazy time in our lives, this second semester. This is not an excuse, just a fact. I would like to talk about an old film made in Brazil, a 1959 production by Roberto Farias, who became a very successful producer and auteur.

In this film, shot in São Paulo, a very young Reginaldo Farias ( brother ) is a small-time robber, who never killed anyone. He is made into a dangerous Enemy Number One by both the press and the police. Young Gloria Meneses, who later became a novela queen, falls in love with him. His buddies, among them Milton Gonçalves, the African-descent actor who was at a very important award ceremony here in the USA, are being chased by the police.

Why do they decide to chase these bandits whose image the press and cops fabricated to diverge the attention of the public from the real problems in the city? Birdie ( R.Farias) has become very popular. The people make fun of the cops. This must come to an end.

After a brief interlude when Birdie and his girl live a few moments of happiness, this happiness comes to an end. He is sent to prison.

Worthwhile mentioning are the chiaro/oscuro effects, clearly sucked from film noir, the foreshadowing of the situation of the poor in slums in Rio or São Paulo. This film preceded City of God by 43 years. Without the special effects and violence of the latter, Cidade Ameaçada stays in your mind for days after you have seen it.

Five stars