Bahia

Bahia

The characters in this film are said to live in Bahia, Brazil. If it were as much fun as portrayed in the movie, then everyone would be living there. Camus brings forth a range of unique characters among whom are carefree young men who have many girlfriends and an enchanting prostitute called Otilia. There is also a street vendor, a madam, mystical Mother Earth figure dressed like “street saint,” clown make-up wearing street saints and lots more prostitution shops with blustering police chiefs and musicians.

This could have been great movie material, bringing together the experience of both Jorge Amado Brazilian novelist who co-wrote the screenplay and Camus himself who makes his second home in Brazil but instead we’re reminded of another film written by Amado: Dona Flor And Her Two Husbands. I wasn’t particularly fond of that one either, however it had more life and coherent direction than this.

Bahia’s plot attempts to cram too much into its narrative structure. First there is love between Martin and Otalia complicated by her refusal to sleep with him even though she sleeps with everybody else in town being a prostitute; then there’s Martim’s brief marriage which forms part of sub-plot involving his brother’s would be love affair with Martim’s wife; feasts parties celebrations featuring Brazilian music dancing always interrupted by panic stricken announcement that slum has just caught fire countless times over again every other minute or so throughout entire duration until finally climax occurs when one day they all decide enough is enough let us kill each other off once for all!

But wait! There’s still another subplot about delicate balance between superstition Christianity community-wide; black street vendor astonished at finding out he has fathered young son somewhere along line somewhere sometime back while this was going on behind scenes unnoticed until now when suddenly revelation hits him like bolt from blue sky above amidst deafening silence surrounding the shantytown; Otalia mysteriously disappears after having been waxed away by Martim not marrying her.

And don’t forget business fight between police chief Martim decision run away town inexplicably return chief attack army troops shower them gigantic boulders way villagers showered troops gigantic boulders.

The simple fact is that Camus tried to put everything into this movie what he wanted no doubt was tapestry overflowing life but what he got alas was tapestry without edges life slopping over I’m not saying should have gone some kind rigid narrative structure just find rhythm organized material made unfolding pleasant us instead disorienting.

Watch Bahia For Free On Gomovies.