Evita (Wide Screen) > Reviews > Evita - Fact or Fiction!!

Author's product rating:   

Did you enjoy it?	Loved it
Characters / Performances	Outstanding
Soundtrack	Outstanding
How does it compare to similar films?	Outstanding

Advantages:	music is sensational
Disadvantages:	not entirely accurate to events, doesnt expand enough

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

Evita was on television a couple of weeks ago. I hadnt seen it for ages so I decided to record it. As it was shown on BBC1, it would be without commercial breaks!

The lead role of Maria Eva Duarte, to become, Eva Peron and Evita, was played by the singer Madonna. Quite a remarkable change from her usual deposits into the charts!! I was very shocked the first time i wtached the film, as to how good she actually was!

The film also includes Antonio Banderas, as the narrator and political revolutionary, Che Guervera. He comments throughout the film following the rise and fall of Evita. His foreign twang makes his voice quite delicious.

The role of Juan Domingo Peron is played by Johnathon Pryce.

Jimmy Nail also stars as a 'going now-where' Argentine tango singer, Augustus Magaldi.

The characters are sufficiently developed and the quality of the acting is brilliant. Although I have not liked Antonio Banderas previously, I find him fantastic in this film.

The film was made in 1996 and was produced by Tim Rice. FOllowing the sucesses of the stage musical Evita in 1979, which was also written by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, was bound to be a big success.

The film begins with an interruption at a cinema and the announcement of the death of Evita. The spectators are cruched with grief as they try to grasp what is being said to them. This is just about the only spoken line in the film.The scene then moves to the funeral of Evita, which took place on August 11th 1952. The mourners are shown queuing to get one last glimpse of the woman who was supposed to be immortal!! It is a great time of unemployment , misery and hunger.

When Che begins to tell the story, he is very bitter and his words are spat out, calling the mourning procession a 'circus'.

We are then taken to the beginning of the story where Eva is a little girl at her fathers funeral in 1934.She lived in Junin She was born illegitimate to a married man and her family was not welcome at the funeral. Her later bitterness stems from this event;

'Screw the middle classes. I will never accept them. My fathers other family were middle class'

Then we are taken a few years later on when Eva is a teenager, who has fallen for a tango singer called Magaldi. She has fallen for him and believes that he can take her to a better place for a better live. She does not realise that he is in fact married. Evas unshakable desire to move to Buenos Aires is no match for the singer and he lets her follow him. Only to find herself alone and vulnerable in a strange place!

We are shown how Eva went from man to man to get what she wanted, whether it was a bed to sleep in, a job! She went from model, to radio actres to stage actress, ultimately becoming the most powerful woman in South America.Although the film portrays her as a bad actress, she was 'the actress of the moment' at the time.

Madonna meets Peron at a charity Ball and is instantly attracted to him, not for his looks etc but for his power and power she could obtain from him. She very quickly takes him under her wing and makes a place for herself in his life, discarding of anyone that was in the way. The tables at this point turn and the songs that Eva has been singing are now being sung by others, 'Another suitcase in another hall' is sung by the girl currently residing with Juan Peron. She is soon sent on her way and made to feel like dirt.

In 1943 there was a separation between the country and the Argentine Government. This is shown with great protests and revolts. Bombs and riots raid the streets. In January 1945, there was ahuge earthquake which destroyed 90% of SAn Juan and killed 7000 people. 12000 more were injured. On the 22nd of January, just one week after the earthquake, Eva and Peron held a festival to raise funds for the redevelopment of the city.It was at this point that Eva and Peron were being confirmed as socially together!

As it was customary for the Presidents wife to become the honorary president of the benvolent fund, the societies ladies rejected Eva, calling her an actress and a tart. Eva was determined to destroy them and show them wrong. Although this is not portrayed in any depth in the film, there is a scene at a polo match where the upper classes are turning away from and snubbing Eva. But then they begin to realise she must have something good about her!

Unfortunately Peron made himself a target for the opposition because ofhis revolts for the Labour policy. He was arrested and sent to the Islamd of Martin Garcia. Eva appealed to the policy followers and he was eventually freed. He was released on October 17th 1945, following his resignation from his position in the new military government.It is on this day that he made the speech on the balcony of Casa Rosada which has been the trademark for the film of Evita. It is here that Eva sings 'Dont cry for me Argentina'. Je announced the upcoming elections and his participation in them as a candidate. Eva and PEron marry on OCtober 22nd 1945.

Eva is shown as not being the leader Peron is. ALthough she clears the way for him and makes the poeple listen, EVa did not have the boundaries set. She was too politically biased to have a true involvement.Although the film shows Eva speaking publicly because the crowds wanted her, this apparently, according to written works on Evita, is inaccurate. The crowds wanted Peron. That is where the name Evita came from. Eva wanted something which would de-feminise her. She was a lady in a time when ladies were very seldom remembered.

Although the film portrays a true love of Eva, a devotion, wanton of many people, it becomes evident by the end othe film that Peron served his purpose and had got her where she wanted to be. Her door was locked when he tried to visit her on an evening and he began to realise for himself that this was so.

The fim greatly dwell son the materialistic nature of Eva, with a magnificent song called 'Rainbow High'.

'Just Christian Dior me!'

The song just says, 'get me the best whatever the price, I want it!'

Eva becomes ill and does die very young. Her trips arounf Europe are cut short because of her illness although she is gratefully received in all of the countries that she visited. Her death is greatly played on at the beginning and end of the film. There is a very touching scene where, I think Eva has died, but she is in a room with Che and they are dancing together. Very moving and beautiful!

The thing Eva Peron was most remembered for, her Social help Foundation (1948-1955) is touched upon in the movie but not as much as really necessary to show the impact it had on Argentina at the time. She loaned money for homes, schools, hospitals. Her own 10000 pesos set up the foundation. It was begun in a disused garage and was called Las Delicias, The Delights.

It is a truly beautiful fim but I feel that it leaves you with a feeling of not knowing everything you need to make sense of it all. I have read a couple of books since watching the film but still find myself a little confused! As entertainment goes it is magnificent and the soundtrack completely overcomes me everytime I hear it. If you put subtitles on you also catch alot that would me missed on hearing.

The music in the film ranges massively from Choral, Concert Band, Orchestral, Jazz, Marching Band. Truly sensational.

I hopeI have given you enough of a taster of the film without giving too much away. It is rather a complex film being involved in politics so I have tried to explain the settings rather than the film itself. I must say, if you havent seen it, go and hire it on video!!

Thank you for reading

Kerry xx