Le chant de la mer

In the drought areas of Northeastern of Brazil, groups of migrants move trying to find better place to live, at least with water. Some of them go to Recife, to get a vessel to Santos expecting to have a better life in the Southern. In the poor area of Recife, an old washerwoman launders clothes to survive and support her family. Her husband Zé Luis, a former sailor, is crazy due to a hit of the boom of a mast on his head. Her older son Raimundo works in a grocery and selling mangoes on the street, trying to save money to move to the Southeastern with his girl-friend Aurora. Her daughter wants to be a prostitute to have a better quality of life. Her younger son is seriously sick.

"O Canto do Mar" is a very pessimist and dramatic view of the fate of the Brazilian people. Alberto Cavalcanti learned how to make documentaries in France and England. In the 50's, he returned to Brazil, where he directed three movies. Cavalcanti wanted to represent Brazil through the regional culture. In this bitter movie, the story begins like a documentary, showing the hard life of the migrants of the drought areas of Northeastern of Brazil, and focuses the lack of hope of the Brazilian people through the problems of a typical poor urban family, but in better situation than the migrants themselves. Although having magnificent interpretations and cinematography, I found elements of a soap-opera this dramatic movie and I did not like it. My vote is six.

Title (Brazil): "O Canto do Mar"("The Song of the Sea")