Oslo Jargo (Bartok Kinski)
*** This review may contain spoilers *** *Plot and ending analyzed*Camila (1984) is a pompous, excessively melodramatic story that rarely rises above the crass emotionalism of a cheap novela, or tele-novela (a soap opera in Latin-American countries). The film stock reduces it even further, since it seems to have been shot on some 'video' camera. The angles are so dull and boring, there's hardly any life in this film at all.In the 1840's of Buenos Aires, Argentina, an utterly lifeless respectable woman, who later falls into the category of "demimonde", lives her boring life with her tyrannical father, who is overbearing, imperious and autocratic. At an instant, there's not much for us to root for, since these wealthy people are so repulsive. Yet the director, María Luisa Bemberg, thinks we should side with Camila, because she reads a few "banned" books. The director throws everything at us from afar, from the drowning of some pet cats on the tyrannical father's order, to the beheading of the bookseller. Clearly, she's not one to engage the audience with slow-nuances, but merely histrionics.Enter some Jesuit priest, Ladislao Gutiérrez, equally boring and without merit. Well, Camila takes to him right off. I can't see how she falls for him so quickly, he's about as empty as a bare bottle that's molded up in the cellar. The rest of the story has the authorities searching for them after they've consummated their "love". Everything is brought down by a priest appearing out of nowhere, who finds them in some local village and they are executed.The film is pathetic, emitting little sympathy from clear-headed viewers; it is gut-wrenching in the extreme. Instead, it seems to be more of a tome or dictum intending to show how the affairs of the heart override any social order.
Alexandra Roberts
A former friend of mine, who was very much into foreign films, "accidentally" rented this movie for both of us to watch after the dissolution of my relationship with a Jesuit, in 1999. Perhaps she was trying to assure me that I was better off now, because I would not be shot by a firing squad for having slept with a priest? Never mind that I was being treated for post-traumatic stress disorder and was suffering through nightmares of Jesuits trying to murder me and make it look like suicide. After watching this movie, I was left numb and freaked-out by the residual irrational feeling that Camila might have been me in a former life? Nine years later, I'm more able to assess the movie apart from my own experience of the Catholic priesthood and its extremely misogynistic tendencies. I admire Camila for having had a strong mind and will of her own, but I would tell her or any other woman involved with a priest that these men just aren't worth our sacrifice of self for their sakes, much less martyrdom.
MartinHafer
This film is about a doomed relationship between the daughter of a rich fascist-type landowner in Argentina about 1830 or so (after the successful revolution against the Spanish). The new government, it seems, feels that the end justifies the means and repression is used to keep control of the fledgling nation.Camila finds that she is not attracted to the macho rich suitors but instead finds herself drawn to the new Jesuit priest. Despite common sense and many obstacles, they run off together. What I found most interesting in the movie was the character of her father, who was instrumental in tracking them down and exacting punishment.In many ways, the plot reminded me of The Thorn Bird mini-series combined with a fascist-like backdrop. A pretty good film overall. Be aware, however, of the nudity. It's NOT as much as you might expect in such a film but considering he's a priest, it's bound to offend some.
ktbaby306
"Camila" is a love story that is based on true events. It is a unique movie in that it draws the audience to it with the promise of passion, but it keeps the audience intrigued with its historical representation of Rosas' Argentina. The forbidden love affair between Camila, the daughter of a wealthy land owner, and Ladislao, a young priest, is defeated by the intensity of Argentina's patriarchal society. Maria Luisa Bemberg's presentation of the power of Rosas' regime is historically accurate, as is her depiction of the passion and independence of Camila.
AD
