How Tasty Was My Little Frenchman
Encyclopedia
How Tasty Was My Little Frenchman is a Brazilian
black comedy
directed by Nelson Pereira dos Santos released in 1971
.
Almost all of the dialogue in the film was written in the Tupi
language. The actors and actresses who portrayed the Tupinambas wore historically correct attire resulting in a considerable amount of historically correct nudity and semi-nudity in many scenes.
The location for the entire film was the Bay of Ilha Grande
, which has 365 islands and whose shores comprise the Angra dos Reis
and Parati municipalities in the state of Rio de Janeiro
.
rival French
and Portuguese
settlers are utilizing the indigenous people as allies in their struggle to establish control. The Tupinambas, who live in the Guanabara Bay
area, are allied with the French, while the Tupiniquins are allied with the Portuguese.
A Frenchman who has been captured by the Portuguese is then captured by the Tupinambás after they attack and kill a group of Portuguese. The Tupinambas don't believe that the Frenchman was a prisoner of the Portuguese they have killed, and the Chief thinks he is Portuguese because "No Frenchman would shoot at the Tupinamba." The tribe's shaman predicted they would find a strong Portuguese man to cannibalize as revenge for the chief's brother being killed by a Portuguese musket ball. Now they have one.
However, the Frenchman is allowed free run of the village area, is eventually provided with a "wife," and adopts traditional Tupinamba attire in place of his Western clothes.
Another Frenchman comes to the village and tells the Tupinambas that their prisoner is indeed Portuguese—he then promises the outraged Frenchman that he will tell the Tupinambas the truth when the Frenchman finds a hidden treasure that another European has hidden in the area.
The relationship between the Frenchman and his Tupinanba "wife" remains enigmatic. It is unclear for most of the movie if she intends to save him from the group that wants to eat him, or if she has been assigned to win his trust and prevent him from escaping.
After using cannon powder to defeat the Tupiniquins in battle, the Tupinambas eat
the Frenchman as celebration.
In the last seconds of his life the Frenchman refuses to play along with the ceremonial script that the Tupinambas expect him to follow and instead angrily (and loudly) tells the Tupinambas that his death will not revitalize them (as his death and the subsequent cannibal feast is intended to do) but rather will doom them all to extermination.
The movie ends with a postscript that reveals that the Tupinambas were exterminated within a relatively short period of time after they killed and ate the "tasty" Frenchman.
at the 45th Academy Awards
, but was not accepted as a nominee.
Cinema of Brazil
Brazilian cinema was introduced early in the 20th century but took some time to consolidate itself as a popular form of entertainment. The film industry of Brazil has gone through periods of ups and downs, a reflection of its dependency on State funding and incentives.- Early days :A couple of...
black comedy
Black comedy
A black comedy, or dark comedy, is a comic work that employs black humor or gallows humor. The definition of black humor is problematic; it has been argued that it corresponds to the earlier concept of gallows humor; and that, as humor has been defined since Freud as a comedic act that anesthetizes...
directed by Nelson Pereira dos Santos released in 1971
1971 in film
The year 1971 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*February 8 - Bob Dylan's hour long documentary film, Eat the Document, premieres at New York's Academy of Music...
.
Almost all of the dialogue in the film was written in the Tupi
Tupian languages
The Tupi or Tupian language family comprises some 70 languages spoken in South America, of which the best known are Tupi proper and Guarani.-History, members and classification:...
language. The actors and actresses who portrayed the Tupinambas wore historically correct attire resulting in a considerable amount of historically correct nudity and semi-nudity in many scenes.
The location for the entire film was the Bay of Ilha Grande
Ilha Grande
Ilha Grande is an island located off the coast of Rio de Janeiro state, Brazil, and part of the municipality of Angra dos Reis. The island is largely undeveloped and noted for its scenic beauty, which includes tropical beaches, luxuriant vegetation and a rugged landscape. The land area is...
, which has 365 islands and whose shores comprise the Angra dos Reis
Angra dos Reis
Angra dos Reis is a Brazilian municipality located in the southern part of Rio de Janeiro state. It is located at an altitude of 6 meters and includes in its territory 365 offshore islands. It was discovered on January 6, 1502, but has been under continual settlement since 1556. Its population...
and Parati municipalities in the state of Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro (state)
Rio de Janeiro is one of the 27 states of Brazil.Rio de Janeiro has the second largest economy of Brazil behind only São Paulo state.The state of Rio de Janeiro is located within the Brazilian geopolitical region classified as the Southeast...
.
Plot
In 1594 BrazilColonial Brazil
In the history of Brazil, Colonial Brazil, officially the Viceroyalty of Brazil comprises the period from 1500, with the arrival of the Portuguese, until 1815, when Brazil was elevated to kingdom alongside Portugal as the United Kingdom of Portugal, Brazil and the Algarves.During the over 300 years...
rival French
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
and Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
settlers are utilizing the indigenous people as allies in their struggle to establish control. The Tupinambas, who live in the Guanabara Bay
Guanabara Bay
Guanabara Bay is an oceanic bay located in southeastern Brazil in the state of Rio de Janeiro. On its western shore lies the city of Rio de Janeiro, and on its eastern shore the cities of Niterói and São Gonçalo. Four other municipalities surround the bay's shores...
area, are allied with the French, while the Tupiniquins are allied with the Portuguese.
A Frenchman who has been captured by the Portuguese is then captured by the Tupinambás after they attack and kill a group of Portuguese. The Tupinambas don't believe that the Frenchman was a prisoner of the Portuguese they have killed, and the Chief thinks he is Portuguese because "No Frenchman would shoot at the Tupinamba." The tribe's shaman predicted they would find a strong Portuguese man to cannibalize as revenge for the chief's brother being killed by a Portuguese musket ball. Now they have one.
However, the Frenchman is allowed free run of the village area, is eventually provided with a "wife," and adopts traditional Tupinamba attire in place of his Western clothes.
Another Frenchman comes to the village and tells the Tupinambas that their prisoner is indeed Portuguese—he then promises the outraged Frenchman that he will tell the Tupinambas the truth when the Frenchman finds a hidden treasure that another European has hidden in the area.
The relationship between the Frenchman and his Tupinanba "wife" remains enigmatic. It is unclear for most of the movie if she intends to save him from the group that wants to eat him, or if she has been assigned to win his trust and prevent him from escaping.
After using cannon powder to defeat the Tupiniquins in battle, the Tupinambas eat
Cannibalism
Cannibalism is the act or practice of humans eating the flesh of other human beings. It is also called anthropophagy...
the Frenchman as celebration.
In the last seconds of his life the Frenchman refuses to play along with the ceremonial script that the Tupinambas expect him to follow and instead angrily (and loudly) tells the Tupinambas that his death will not revitalize them (as his death and the subsequent cannibal feast is intended to do) but rather will doom them all to extermination.
The movie ends with a postscript that reveals that the Tupinambas were exterminated within a relatively short period of time after they killed and ate the "tasty" Frenchman.
Cast
- Arduíno ColassantiArduíno ColassantiArduíno Colassanti is an Italian-born Brazilian actor. He has appeared in 30 films since 1967. He starred in the 1968 film Hunger for Love, which was entered into the 18th Berlin International Film Festival...
- The Frenchman - Ana Maria MagalhãesAna Maria MagalhãesAna Maria Portinho Magalhães is a Brazilian film actress and director.-As Actor:* 1965 - Attack by teen street gang* 1967 - All the Women of the World* 1967 - Girl of Ipanema* 1967 - The Devil Deferred payment In the Blood...
- Seboipepe - Eduardo Imbassahy Filho - Cunhambebe
- Manfredo Colassanti - The tradesman
- José Kléber - Ipiraguaçu
- Gabriel Archanjo - Mbiratata
Awards
The film was selected as the Brazilian entry for the Best Foreign Language FilmAcademy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
The Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film is one of the Academy Awards of Merit, popularly known as the Oscars, handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences...
at the 45th Academy Awards
45th Academy Awards
The 45th Academy Awards were presented March 27, 1973 at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, Los Angeles. The ceremonies were presided over by Carol Burnett, Michael Caine, Charlton Heston, and Rock Hudson....
, but was not accepted as a nominee.
- Brazilian Cinema Festival of Brasília. Best Screenplay (Nelson Pereira dos Santos). 1971
- Brazilian Cinema Festival of Brasília. Best Dialog (Nelson Pereira dos Santos and Humberto Mauro). 1971
- Brazilian Cinema Festival of Brasília. Best Cenograph (Régis Monteiro). 1971
- Berlin Film Festival21st Berlin International Film FestivalThe 21st annual Berlin International Film Festival was held from June 26 to July 6, 1971.-Jury:* Bjørn Rasmussen * Ida Ehre* Walter Albuquerque Mello* Paul Claudon* Kenneth Harper* Mani Kaul* Charlotte Kerr* Rex Reed* Giancarlo Zagni...
. Golden BearGolden BearAccording to legend, the Golden Bear was a large golden Ursus arctos. Members of the Ursus arctos species can reach masses of . The Grizzly Bear and the Kodiak Bear are North American subspecies of the Brown Bear....
. 1971 (nominated) - São Paulo Association of Art Critics Awards. Most Promising Actress (Ana Maria MagalhãesAna Maria MagalhãesAna Maria Portinho Magalhães is a Brazilian film actress and director.-As Actor:* 1965 - Attack by teen street gang* 1967 - All the Women of the World* 1967 - Girl of Ipanema* 1967 - The Devil Deferred payment In the Blood...
). 1973
See also
- List of submissions to the 45th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film
- List of Brazilian submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film