MARIGHELLA

Brazil, 2019, 155 minutes, Colour.
Seu Jorge.
Directed by Wagner Moura.

The name Carlos Marighella would be familiar to Brazilians, especially older Brazilians. However, his name would not be well known outside the country.

This portrait of Marighella has been written and directed, his first directed film, by popular Brazilian actor, Wagner Moura. A labour of love, a tribute to Marighella, a criticism of the dictatorship from 1964 to 1985 – and possible critique of the 2018 elected government and its move to the far right.

Marighella was the grandson of Sudanese slaves coming to Brazil. He was well educated, lectured, wrote books which were translated, was active in government and opposition.

The film opens with a raid on a train, 1968, Marighella and his group taking government arms from the train, and storing them in a church with the help of Dominican friars. The government has been targeting Marighella but is more intent on destroying him and his rebel movement.

The film moves back to 1964 with the takeover by the fascist government. Marighella has made the option to go into opposition and work on the philosophy of an eye for an eye. He is concerned about his son who goes to school in the north but, by 1968, is kept under surveillance by the government, using him as a bait to tempt Marighella to come so that he might be arrested.

Seu Jorge is intense as Marighella, engaging in many ways, fully committed to his movement, drawing quite a number of followers who are seen in action in 1968, robbing a bank with some fatalities, and the assassination of an American military advisor, a very strong anti-Communist stance who has been brought in to support the government. The media is censored.

The film shows that Marighella could not quickly organise his rebel group and that there were always people ready to betray the rebels.

Of particular interest to a Catholic audience is that this is the period of the emergence of Liberation Theology, especially in Latin America, later to fall under the disapproval of Pope John Paul II and Cardinal Ratzinger and the office for the Doctrine of the Faith. There were conferences in Paublo and Medillin. There are Dominican friars in this film, willing to hide the arms in the church, one friar particularly friendly with Marighella, discussing issues with him, supportive, instrumental in arranging the appointment to meet his son – but, caught and tortured and giving up Marighella.

In more recent decades, cinema history of Latin America has tended to concentrate on Argentina, the period of the generals, the experience of the Disappeared. Here is a very interesting companion film.

1. The history of Brazil? 20th-century politics? The 1960s? Dictatorship, lasting 21 years? Comparisons with the 21st-century?

2. Audience knowledge of Marighella, an opportunity to learn?

3. The initial historical information, 1964, the taking over of government, dictatorship? The rise of rebellion? Guerilla tactics? 1968 and the events?

4. The stances of the screenplay?

5. Introduction in 1968, the train robbery, carrying arms, no threat to the passengers, the group taking the arms, personalities, treatment, driving away? Government anger?

6. The return to 1964, the focus on Carlos Marighella, his background, Sudan, grandparents slaves? His education, lecturing, writing books and their being translated, government and opposition? His stances, going into action, an eye for an eye?

7. The portrait of the associates, Bronco and his age, always wearing suit and tie, committed to the cause? The bearded man and his capacity for killing? Jorge and his family, the girls and their mother? The men and women in the group? The appeal to the young? The need for organisational development?

8. Marighella, his son, their talking, at the beach, his mother and her care, in the cinema, the boy escaping, his arrest? America and his wife, her fears?

9. The government reaction, the inspector, representing the authorities? The American influence? Cash? Arms? Political interference? Ideologies? The role of the press, censored, the government and the papers, television and radio announcements?

10. The editor, his confrontation with Marighella, defying him? Marighella later apologising? The commitment of the editor, the radio broadcast, his publishing the speech? Arrest, death?

11. The bank robbery, going wrong, the shots, the wounded, the wounded man taking to the girl’s mother, her care, getting out?

12. Jorge, his relationship with his brother, family, returning to his brother? His being taken? The threats to his wife and daughters? His role in the assassination of the American, arrest and torture?

13. The American military adviser, his gung-ho rhetoric, anti-Communist?

14. The big man, assassinating the American, his behaviour, the setups by his girlfriend? His being shot?

15. The son, his being watched by the authorities, in classes, reaction of the other boys, phone call from the Dominican, the appointment, his turning up, warning his father to get away?

16. The influence of the church, the role of the Dominicans, the man in his habit, stowing the guns in the church? Henrique, his clothes, liberal, sympathy for the cause, the discussions, work in the library, his conferences? The time of Liberation Theology emerging? The episode when he is
being tested about seducing the wife, Marighella’s joke, discussions about celibacy? The phone call to the son, his being overheard, the timid friar in the library, tortured? Henrique and his giving up the information?

17. The wife, the visit from her husband, love, wariness?

18. The inspector, participating in the torture, the verbal torture, Jorge and the details?

19. The inspector, defying the US? Patriotic?

20. Catching Marighella, in the car, the shooting, his death?

21. Remembering Brazilian history? Dictatorships and torture in Latin America in the 20th century?