HERE ON EARTH (AQUI NA TERRA)

Portugal, 1993, 105 minutes, Colour.
Luis Miguel Cintra, Jessica Weiss.
Directed by Joao Botelho.

Here on Earth is a serious Portuguese fable about sin, guilt, mid-life breadown, the possibility of redemption - through life and love. The film was directed by Joao Botelho, a celebrated Portuguese director whose films include a Portuguese updating of Dickens' Hard Times.

The story of the mid-life breakdown of Michael is interwoven with the country story of Antonioni and Cecelia, her pregnancy, the death of the elderly man who assaulted her, the birth of her child. Interspersed are surrealistic sequences of a visit to the theatre for a performance of James Joyce's Ulysses as well as to a bar for miming of Marilyn Monroe from Gentlemen Prefer Blondes.

A very serious mixture, melodramatically scored - from a director who believes in message above entertainment.

1.A Portuguese film, atmosphere of Portugal, city and countryside? The musical score? The serious perspective?

2.The title, human destiny, fate, choices? The earthiness of the land of Portugal and the images of the earth?

3.The blend of realism with mysticism? Mid-life breakdown, the sound effects for the hearing of sounds and noises, the images of light? The performance from Ulysses and its style? The singing in the bar? The young couple and the overtones of Mary and Joseph, Cecelia going to the church and praying to the Madonna, the holding up of the child as the sign of life?

4.Michael, his mother's funeral, its effect on him? His relationship with his wife, tension? The meal with the business executives and his being sick? Staying alone in the house, his behaviour, the vivid impact of the sounds and their variety? His personal agony? Going to the doctor for the brain scan - no problems? The suggestion about the psychiatrist and his reaction? Moping at home, seeing John Wayne on the television, Marilyn Monroe in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes? His going to the club and his applause of the singers? Along the street, fighting with the pimp, taking the prostitute home, talking with her, trying to convert her? Driving her home and his reckless driving and her getting out? The clashes with his wife - her story of going out to the play and the passes made at her? The experience of breakdown?

5.Michael's wife, her style, at home, angers and exasperation with him, yet her love? The discussions with her mother-in-law, the outing and the meals? The visit to the play, the passes made to her and her telling of the story - and exaggerating?

6.Michael's mother, her wealth, style, memory of her marriage? Talks with her daughter-in-law?

7.The sequence from Ulysses - inserted into the film? Performance, decor, costumes? The comparison with the bars and the songs?

8.The story of Antonio and Cecelia, the rough man and his sexual abuse of Cecelia, Antonio getting the rock and killing him? Their love for each other? Her confessing the pregnancy, his going to work, earning money and owning the child? Cecelia's visit to the widow and her disdain? The secrecy? The investigator - and nobody having seen anything? Their plans, Antonio and the accident, in hospital with his eye? The widow paying off Cecelia? Her going to the city - and the irony of the truck overtaking the bus? The widow likening her to Mary with the animals and with the child, her going to the church, praying before the statue of Mary? The birth, her return?

9.The two stories interwoven, Antonio meeting Michael, the lift, the search for Cecelia, the child and his being held up as the light of the world?

10.The optimism of the ending - possibilities of life and love?