MEMORIES OF PRISON

Brazil, 1984, 185 minutes, Colour.
Carlos Vereza, Gloria Peres.
Directed by Nelson Pereira Dos Santos.

Memories of Prison is a strong and committed film from Brazil. It was written and directed by Nelson Pereira Dos Santos, director of several significant Brazilian films including Vidas Secas, How Tasty Was My Little Frenchman.

The film has a 1930s setting and is based on the memoirs of the celebrated Brazilian author Gracilianc, Ramos. The film also shows how the book came to be written - Ramos continually taking notes during his imprisonment for subsequent publication.

The film comments on the fascism of the 1930s and the Brazilian experience. It also follows the convention of prison films - though many of these are interestingly different from experienced conventions of British and American films.

There is an excellent performance by Carlos Vereza in the central role. He is able to convey something of the liberal in Brazil in the '30s experiencing prison and emerging as an important writer. The film has something to say about the role of women - especially in the portrayal of the hero's wife who is timid at the beginning but in helping her husband during his imprisonment, learns very much to be self-assertive and politically aware.

The film is lavish in its production - but is quite long at almost three hours. However, it is a contribution to '80s South American film making and consciousness?raising about oppressive regimes in that continent.

1. A quality production from the Brazilian film industry? A glimpse of Brazilian history? The '30s as a metaphor for the '80s?

2. The re-creation of the '30s, life in the provinces in Brazil, the boat sequences, prison sequences, the island prison? The style of the '30s? The atmospheric and rousing score, especially in the finale?

3. The reputation of Graciliano Ramos, his literature, the experiences for his literature? An important part of the Brazilian literary heritage? His credibility as an academic, liberal, an author?

4. The political comment of the film - on freedom, freedom of expression, prisons, rights and abuses, the fascism of the '30s (and of the '80s)? The validity of the criticisms?

5. The length of the film, its pace? Its structure ? episodic? Corresponding to the jottings made by Ramos during his experience? The cumulative effect? The film as the autobiography of Ramos in prison?

6. The prison genre: the focus on the central character, entering into custody and prison, the role of justice, injustices, abuse? The portrait of a group, conditions, reactions? Wardens and authorities? Crises? Similarities to other prison films? Differences?

7. The portrait of Ramos - and his work for the government, the initial clash with the officer about his niece passing an exam, the sense of foreboding? His anti-fascist stances? The importance of his books? The support of his friends? The petty jealousy of his timid wife? The build-up to the arrest? The lack of process in his being imprisoned? The encounter with the policeman and the friendship during the imprisonment? The transfer to the boat? The boat as a prison, the squalid conditions? Ramos and his observations of the characters and their plight? Watching, suffering? His experience in the prison and the publication of his book? His physical collapse? The transfer to the island and his humiliation? The ulcer? The importance of his books, his case and his final liberation? The developing relationship with his wife?

8. Ramos as a personality: intelligence, kindness, fairness? Feeling his home was a prison with his wife? Man of dignity, literary skill? The boat and the characters opening his eyes? Meeting people, relating to them? His imprisonment and the people in the cell? The range of people - friends, fanatics, guards? His wife's visits, her change, the publishing of the books? The lawyer? The book?launching and the feast? His illness? Transfer to the island, continuing illness, walking from the boat? His not working but writing? His refusal to write the speech for the warden? His sufferings and the help from the fellow prisoners? The Cuban and his help? The prisoners saving his manuscript? The impact of final freedom?

9. The characterisation of his wife - her jealousy, timidity, the visits to the prison, becoming more open, the work of the agent, the sexual encounter, her growing as a person?

10. The portrait of authorities, guards, their strictness, humiliation, the stripping of the prisoners etc.? The lax guards? The friendly guard like Braga? Cubano on the island? The feast for the governor's birthday? The inane speech of the chaplain? The fascist regimes in the prison?

11. The prisoners and their characterisation? as persons, representing types, symbols? Emmanuel. and his humiliation and resentment, his servant? Goldberg and the persecution of the Jews? The aerial officers and their regime, keeping together, exercise? The policemen? The revolutionaries? The behaviour on the ship? and the intimations of sexual abuse? The strikes.. clashes, meals, work? The friendly thieves on the island?

12. The comment that society is judged by the quality of its prison system? the comment on Brazil?

13. A quality film for Brazilian audiences? Universal audiences?