Sally Bavage writes:
Do you like
Marmite? It seems most of the audience
did at last night's showing of Neruda, a 2016 film nomimated for a Golden Globe
award in 2017 and winner of the Fenix Award for Best Fictional film in
2016. The clue is in the last award
title. This is a mixture of fictional
film noir and a biopic, not a straightforward genre. It has garnered many 4* reviews, but a few
reviewers were less enthusiastic. What
is it about this film that generates a divide of opinions?
It deals with
events in 1948 when Chilean politician Ricardo Baoalto, a staunch Communist
with a flair for writing in a variety of styles, including the surreal and the
overtly political and - under his pen name of Pablo Neruda - love poetry both
tender and sensual. A case of poetic
licentiousness.
His work
inspired huge devotion from many oppressed workers and after an warrant was
issued for his arrest, he was kept moving and in hiding for months with help
from sympathisers. He eventually escaped
across the Andes into Argentina. It is
these events in his life with which the
film plays.
He is pursued by
an archetypal policeman, out to achieve glory and enhance his
self-respect. Or is he? How much is fantasy is left for you the
viewer to decide. How much does Neruda
need the excitement and challenge of being hunted to keep his rage poems
flowing and his commitment to the cause strong?
The dialogue contains many snatches of Neruda's writing, both poetic and
polemic – you are constantly lulled into believing in his affairs until you
realise that perhaps all is not as it seems.
Again.
Are you asked to
like Neruda? Yes and no. His writing is inspirational but he is also
portrayed as an egotistical snob who mistreats his wife (by today's standards,
anyway). What you would undoubtedly like
is his real-life commitment to social justice as well as his poetry. A close adviser to President Allende when he
returned from exile to Chile shortly after receiving the Nobel Prize for Literature
in 1971, he was in hospital being treated for cancer when General Pinochet's
coup d'etat murdered Allende.
Neruda
discharged himself early from hospital as he suspected he was being poisoned by
a doctor on the orders of the new regime.
He died hours later. It was only
in 2015 that the Chilean government acknowledged that it was “clearly possible
and highly likely” that he was killed.
Same old same old then, if you read this week's news about Sergei
Shrikal.
I really like
Marmite. And this film. I urge you to see it if only to make your own
mind up.
Audience Comments
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I loved the hunt
and the scenes through the snow and I found out more about Neruda. I expect it was partly about magic realism
and the need to engage with fantasy in such a difficult country politically
Did not like it
at all but all films cannot be good.
Usually films at Heart are great
Excellent film,
not widely shown
Interesting:
know more, but unclear overall; good in parts
Very puzzling
but strangely engaging
Quite gripping
but totally baffling
An amazing film
– completely surreal but gripping
Strange but
engaging film. I knew very little about
the true s tory and am not sure if I know much more now! Films@Heart have a great set-up
Not convinced
about this film … still, how many films are made about poets? Glad I've seen it
Fascinating film
– so glad I have seen it
The sound was
terrible I had to read subtitles because the Spanish was so unclear, and it is
my language
Tended to induce
nodding off
Haunting. Very glad to see it
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