Original title: Deus e o diabo na terra do sol
Year: 1964
Country: Brazil
Language: Portuguese
Number: 429
Director: Glauber Rocha
Starring: Geraldo Del Rey, Yoná Magalhaes, Maurício do Valle, Othon Bastos
IMDb: 7.4
RT score: 100%
Glauber Rocha's Black God, White Devil is the story about the poor peasant Manuel who just have shot his landlord for trying to cheat Manuel of his earnings and have no other choice than to flee along with his pregnant wife Rosa . In their journey they come across a religious sect with a self proclaimed prophet who makes Manuel kill his first born son, it then ends up with Rosa killing the prophet, and Manuel and Rosa is once again on the run. Then they join a christian outlaw gang. The bounty hunter, Antonio das Mortes is hired by the catholic church to take these outlaws down, once and for all.
Black God, White Devil is a part of the Latin American movement called "Cinema Novo" (New Cinema) which is a wave that was heavily influenced by the Italian neorealism, in that way that it's focusing on the poor conditions of the lowest in the society, which apposes the old fashion Latin American cinema with all it's Hollywood, like melodramas and musicals. And that's exactly what Black God, White Devil is, all it's symbolism and criticism towards the catholic church who says that "thou shall not kill", but sends out a gun men to kill people, without no forgiveness. The films most powerful scene is where das Mortes shoot down and massacres all of the prophets unarmed followers with a Winchester rifle, which might be a symbolism of what actually the Christianity has stand for the last two thousand years. I loved all the films symbolism, but I have to admit all it's symbolism, and less plot made it a little boring. But overall it's a good religious film about the dangers of religious extremism.
Grade: B
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