Chronicle of a Death Foretold (film)

Chronicle of a Death Foretold (film)
Chronicle of a Death Foretold

Movie Poster
Directed by Francesco Rosi
Produced by Yves Gasser
Written by Tonino Guerra
Starring Ornella Muti
Rupert Everett
Anthony Delon
Gian Maria Volonté
Sergi Mateu
Music by Piero Piccioni
Cinematography Pasqualinio de Santis
Release date(s) France May 8, 1987
Running time 107 minutes
Country Italy
France
Colombia
Language Spanish

Chronicle of a Death Foretold (Spanish: Crónica de una muerte anunciada) is a drama film directed by Francesco Rosi adapted by Tonino Guerra from the eponymous novel by Gabriel García Márquez. It stars Rupert Everett, Ornella Muti, Anthony Delon and Gian Maria Volonté. The film premiered at Cannes film festival in May 1987.[1]

Contents

Plot

Cristóbal Bedoya, who is also called "Cristo", is a medical doctor. He has been away from home for 27 years. Currently he comes back to his hometown, which is a small Colombian city in the banks of the Magdalena River. Santiago Nasar is his best friend, who has been murdered three decades ago. Being bothered by this accident for a long time, Cristóbal attempts to recreate the event and communicates with those close to Santiago. Their memories take them to the time of the crime.

On the day he was eventually killed, Santiago Nasar had a dream about birds that his mother mistakenly took as good omen of good health. Six months before, a handsome, young foreigner arrives to the town. His name is Bayardo San Román. Little is known about him except that he is very rich and in want of a wife. Bayardo is soon smitten by the extraordinary beauty of a local girl, Angela Vicario. She is uninterested in his advances, but Bayardo does whatever it takes to win her approval by showering her with gifts. The next time Bayardo sees her, she is selling tickets of a lottery at a town event. He buys all of the raffle tickets and wins a music box, which he then has delivered to her house as a gift. Bayardo asks Angela what house she likes best, and she replies that she likes the one that belongs to the widower Xius. The widower insists that the house is not for sale, but Bayardo keeps offering more and more money until Xius gives in.

When Angela protests to her parents that she does not love Bayardo, her mother dismissed that idea, telling her that love could be learned. Pressured by her family, she yields and the couple get married with a lavish party. On the wedding night, Bayardo discovers that Angela is not virgin and returns her to her bewildered family. Angela is beaten by her mother until she is forced to confess who was the man who took her virginity. She says that it was Santiago Nasar. Angela’s twin brothers are forced by local custom to avenge the honor of the family, taking Santiago’s life.

The murder takes place the day after the wedding, when the town is in turmoil waiting for the visit of the bishop who is crossing the city by the river. The twin brothers Pablo and Pedro Vicario are reluctant to commit the crime, but they have no other choice, they must kill the man who took her sister’s honor. They are quite open about their intentions and the rumor about what is about to occur spreads to the town. The twins, with knives wrapped in newspaper, wait for Santiago to appear in the store of Clotilde Armenta who gives them rum, hoping to make them so drunk they cannot do anything. Eventually, many people learn of the murder plan, but nobody does anything to stop the brothers, or warn Santiago. People in the town are divided into three sides. Those who think that the brothers are kidding, people who know what is going to happen and think that the tragedy must be stopped, and local authorities who fail to exercise their duties and prevent the murder to occur. It seems that people chose to keep Santiago in the dark and allow the tragedy to happen.

Flora, Santiago’s girlfriend, is upset and humiliated when she learns the accusation and about the death threats. When Santiago comes to see her, she is furious. She tells him that she hopes they kill him, and she goes into her room and locks the door. Flora’s father tells him that the Vicarios want to kill him. Santiago leaves the house, and starts to head home. When Santiago appears by the plaza, he is prevented by Clotilde who yells at him to run for his life. Santiago is unarmed, so he tries to find refugies in his house. But his mother, locks the door because she thinks that he was inside. The Vicario twins stabs him and kill him in the town main square.

There is no evidence that Santiago has taken Angela’s virginity. They were never seen together. It is widely believed in town that Angela was protecting the real culprit. However, in the criminal and after the murder, even when she was questioned again 27 years later from Cristóbal, she never changed her story, that Santiago Nasar was her "author".

Angela, who up until her marriage was not in love with Bayardo, falls hopelessly in love with him after the tragic wedding night. From then on and for many years, she writes love letters to him weekly, but she never hears from him. Then, halfway through a day, Bayardo comes back into her unexpectedly. He leaves a trace with the unopened letters she has sent him, Angela follows them and they are reunited.

Cast

While many of the actors are unknown to American audiences, Chronicle of a Death Foretold has a cast of international European stars. The film displays the talent of the veterans Irene Papas and Gian Maria Volontè. However, the casting was notable for its use of upcoming young European actors: Ornella Muti, as the beautiful and mysterious Angela Vicario who motivates the drama, Anthony Delon (son of Alain Delon) as the man she falls for, and the then unknown Rupert Everett.

Reception

The film was released as the opening film at the 1987 Cannes Film Festival[1] which Anthony Delon attended with co-stars Rupert Everett and Ornella Muti. The film was a critical success in Latin America and Europe but was snubbed by critics in France.

DVD release

Chronicle of a Death Foretold is available in Region 4 DVD, it can also play in region 1. Audio in Spanish, but no English subtitles.

Bibliography

  • Caparrós Lera, Jose Maria: El Cine de Nuestros dias 1994-1998, Ediciones Rialp, 1999. ISBN 84-321-3233-0

References

External links


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Поможем написать реферат

Look at other dictionaries:

  • Chronicle of a Death Foretold (disambiguation) — Chronicle of a Death Foretold is a 1981 novel by Gabriel García Márquez. Chronicle of a Death Foretold may also refer to: Chronicle of a Death Foretold (film), a 1987 film directed by Francesco Rosi Chronicle of a Death Foretold (musical), a 1995 …   Wikipedia

  • Chronicle of a Death Foretold — This article is about the book. For other uses, see Chronicle of a Death Foretold (disambiguation). Chronicle of a Death Foretold   …   Wikipedia

  • Death: The High Cost of Living — Cover of Death: The High Cost of Living TPB. Art by Dave McKean Publication information …   Wikipedia

  • Death: The Time of Your Life — Cover for trade paperback. Publication information Publisher DC Comics Schedul …   Wikipedia

  • 1987 in film —             List of years in film       (table) … 1977 .  1978 .  1979 .  1980  . 1981  . 1982  . 1983 … 1984 1985 1986 1987 1988 1989 1990 …  …   Wikipedia

  • Christ Stopped at Eboli (film) — Christ Stopped at Eboli Directed by Francesco Rosi Written by Francesco Rosi Tonino Guerra Raffaele La Capria Starring Gian Maria Volonté …   Wikipedia

  • The Ten Commandments (1956 film) — Infobox Film | name =The Ten Commandments caption =1956 original movie poster director = Cecil B. DeMille producer = Cecil B. DeMille writer = J.H. Ingraham (novel Pillar of Fire ) A.E. Southon (novel On Eagle s Wing ) Dorothy Clarke Wilson… …   Wikipedia

  • The X-Files (film) — This article is about the 1998 film. For the 2008 film, see The X Files: I Want to Believe. The X Files Theatrical release poster Directed by R …   Wikipedia

  • Aba (film) — ABÁ is the high budget Sinhalese film directed by Jackson Anthony, based on the historical legend of King Pandukabhaya which took place in Sri Lanka more than 2400 years ago. It was released in Sri Lanka on 8th of August, 2008. Plans are being… …   Wikipedia

  • Gabriel García Márquez — Infobox Writer name = Gabriel García Márquez awards = awd|Nobel Prize in Literature|1982 imagesize = caption = García Márquez during a visit to Valledupar, Colombia (c. 1984). birthdate = birth date and age|mf=yes|1927|3|6 birthplace = Aracataca …   Wikipedia

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”