A political prisoner Molina (Raul Julia) and a gay man Valentin (William Hurt) share a cell in some unnamed Lainto country (it was shot partially in Brazil). They don't get along but slowly come to understand each other. Valentin keeps telling Molina the plot of a WWII movie he saw. Scenes from it are shown (shot in very very faded color) with a luminous Sonia Braga. Why? Damned if I know but they were beautiful (and funny, on purpose). It's a good film, but has it's boring parts and goes on way too long. Also the last 20 minutes or so are hopeless--I can't say what happens in them--it gives away the plot. But there is an unexpected twist in the middle of the movie which I didn't see coming.
The script is good--that's what kept me watching. The dialogue was realistic and interesting. William Hurt was just great as Valentin--he doesn't camp it up on underplay it--he does it with just the right amount of swish. Julia, however, is horrible. He was always a bad actor--his idea of acting is to keep his face totally expressionless and yell his lines--that's not acting.
SPOILER
The big kiss between Hurt and Julia doesn't work--Hurt seems comfortable with it but Julia doesn't. His character is supposed to like it, but I guess Julia can't put it across (he shouldn't have taken the role if he was that uncomfortable kissing Hurt).
The film is very overpraised--it won a well-deserved Oscar for Hurt but nominating it for best screenplay, director and picture (!!!) was a little bit ridiculous.
Worth seeing, but no great masterpiece like some people are saying.
The script is good--that's what kept me watching. The dialogue was realistic and interesting. William Hurt was just great as Valentin--he doesn't camp it up on underplay it--he does it with just the right amount of swish. Julia, however, is horrible. He was always a bad actor--his idea of acting is to keep his face totally expressionless and yell his lines--that's not acting.
SPOILER
The big kiss between Hurt and Julia doesn't work--Hurt seems comfortable with it but Julia doesn't. His character is supposed to like it, but I guess Julia can't put it across (he shouldn't have taken the role if he was that uncomfortable kissing Hurt).
The film is very overpraised--it won a well-deserved Oscar for Hurt but nominating it for best screenplay, director and picture (!!!) was a little bit ridiculous.
Worth seeing, but no great masterpiece like some people are saying.