A special piece on Brazil's contribution to Hollywood

I was really impressed not only by the great archive footage presented but also in hearing and seeing plenty of unfamiliar names of actors and directors who had an international career in Hollywood with many projects since I always thought Carmem Miranda was the only main reference - she gets a special part devoted to her films near the end but she wasn't alone, and the film shows the artists, their films which works as an invitation to discover their work or at least what's available to find; and more special comes the fact that the Brazilians presence in the town came way before 1940's.

Obviously that the mecca of cinema has its prejudices over certain cultures, back then foreigners played foreigners showing distinctive qualities of each country, and while Miranda was born in Portugal she lived most of her life in Brazil and embraced its culture to the point of becoming an unofficial cultural ambassador (though her presence was a mere charicature of Brazil as a colorful and musical place). But gotta admit, they gave us some space, some presence and importance.

It's a pity the film never addresses the issue neither establishes why Brazilian artists had those opportunities, specially during World War II. Reason given was the cultural proximity Roosevelt wanted to have with Brazil since Vargas administration was neutral on the early stages of war and considering social/political aspects and the massive territory down South, we could be an important ally. Destiny favored Brazil in the early 1940's when Nazi forces started to sink ships on the Brazilian Northeast coast and a decision was made. FDR's exchange policies also benefitted economy and investments, and the U. S. cultural department even sent Orson Welles to film documentaries in Brazil, of which he shot plenty of things, had a lot of fun but didn't deliver a finished project - his visit is legendary and resulted in several small projects over the decades. Gladly, the result worked for all parties and American audiences fell in love with an unknown culture and mostly fell in love with Carmem Miranda and her South American Way.

The film shows that there wasn't much of a case of prejudice as sometimes I think it existed back then while embracing another culture or making them welcome to show their art - though after Carmem's death there wasn't much Brazilian contribution or artists there except for musicians showing Bossa Nova - the 1960's had plenty of great filmmakers during the Cinema Novo movement yet none of them were called for anything there; some went to film on Europe. Talents were shared very early on, though slightly limited but it existed, it can be viewed even today and cinema world is grateful for such partnership. 7/10.

Portuguese-language cinema, spanning Portugal, Brazil, and other Lusophone regions, focuses on history, cultural identity, and the struggles of ordinary people, often framed with poetic or allegorical storytelling. In Portugal, cinema has emphasized meditative pacing and philosophical depth, reflecting on memory and tradition. In Brazil, it has often been politically charged and socially vibrant, highlighting inequality and resilience while experimenting with popular and avant-garde forms.

Alexandre Rodrigues in City of God (2002)

The documentary is a form of non-fiction storytelling that aims to present factual information, insights, and perspectives on real-world subjects, events, issues, or people. Documentaries can cover a wide range of topics, including history, science, culture, social issues, nature, biographies, and more.

Dziga Vertov in Man with a Movie Camera (1929)

The short form refers to creative works characterized by their brevity and concise storytelling. Unlike full-length feature films, short films have a running time of less than 45 minutes, while TV shorts have a running time of less than 22 minutes.

Benedict Cumberbatch in The Wonderful Story of Henry Sugar (2023)

A short documentary showcasing the evolution of many Brazilian artists who managed to get a special place in the Hollywood limelight in between the late 1920's and 1950's, performing on countless films and achieving great success around the world.

The Biggest Movies and TV Coming in September

"The Gentlemen" and "Slow Horses" return this fall, while the "Reacher" spin-off series "Neagley" makes its debut. See our guide of the biggest Fall TV and streaming releases.

2026 Fall TV and Streaming Watch Guide

&quot;The Gentlemen&quot; and &quot;Slow Horses&quot; return this fall, while the &quot;Reacher&quot; spin-off series &quot;Neagley&quot; makes its debut. See our guide of the biggest Fall TV and streaming releases.

Get a closer look at these actors from their many TV and streaming series roles.

Brasileiros em Hollywood

Photos5

Top Cast12

User reviews1

Related interests

Storyline

Did you know

Top picks

Details

Tech specs

Contribute to this page

More to explore

Recently viewed