Name: O Beijo
Genre: Drama
Released: 1965-07-29
Duration: 1 h 18 min
Rating: 6.7
Cast: Reginaldo Faria, Jorge Dória, Nelly Martins

This early adaptation of Nelson Rodrigues tragic moralistic play "O Beijo no Asfalto" is a depressive mess that fails in almost all levels.

The 1981 version is far superior in all levels and I can suggest it easily. It's the same dramatic story of a man (Reginaldo Faria) who witness a man being hit by a car and as the victim lays dying he asks as a final request to get a kiss, which shocks the society because of the "taboo" of homosexuality, and from that moment the man faces persecution from the media, police and even his marriage is threatned. No one believes that a dying man would ask such a thing to a total stranger and someone who isn't gay.

Why I immensely disliked this version? Besides the point of prudish times to the point that the famous kiss of the title isn't shown at all (obscured by the crowd), the story is treated in such a melodramatic and depressive manner that I simply didn't care about almost anything in the story. Ok, it's not a happy story in any way neither should be, but it's hard to feel convinced by many aspects or critical moments of it all, and the only interesting things are the performance of Faria as the tormented guy who simply made an act of kindness, and Jorge Dória as the main persecutor since it gives to his character such an internal drama since he faces his own inner prejudices (I don't recall if the character, as played by Tarcisio Meira in the remake, was made in a similar fashion as being a closeted man, or just curious. Dória was given some great subtle moments of revelation).

I don't think it has the same bite and energy as Rodrigues play, it's just a series of repetitive events destined to make the lead character go crazy and we end up feeling like him, just asking ourselves why oh why this is happening. It's such a downer movie that you can keep waiting for its ending and not in a curious way. 4/10.

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 drama genre is a broad category that features stories portraying human experiences, emotions, conflicts, and relationships in a realistic and emotionally impactful way. Dramas delve into the complexities of human life, often exploring themes of love, loss, morality, societal issues, personal growth, with the aim to evoke an emotional response from the audience by presenting relatable and thought-provoking stories.

Mahershala Ali and Alex R. Hibbert in Moonlight (2016)

An architect sees his own life crumble because of an act of compassion: After being run down, a dying man requests a last wish: a kiss. The architect obliges out of compassion, but people don't understand his gesture, and he soon becomes the talk of the town, and not in a good way.

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O Beijo

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