Orpheus and Eurydice

Orfeu Negro tells the story of two Latin lovers who parallel the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice in this Brazilian adaptation directed by Marcel Camus. The story is set in Brazil’s Rio de Janeiro during the Carnaval season in 1959. The two main protagonists, aptly named Orfeu de Babilonia and Euridice, encounter each other by chance on the way to their homes. Euridice has left her home fleeing from a dangerous figure and is visiting her cousin Serafina, while Orfeu is returning to his fiancée Mira and preparing for the Carnaval festivities. Although promised to Mira, Orfeu irresistibly falls for Euridice beauty. Orfeu’s charm and musical talent make him a very admirable character and he risks much in his pursuit of Euridice, which creates tension between other female characters, principally Mira. The tale of two lovers is moving and is an excellent adaptation of the story of Orpheus and Eurydice, with many allusions to the myth made throughout the film.

Orfeu Negro depicts a lively Brazilian culture that is rich with music, dance and diversity. It does a decent job of including people of all colors and the norms of the very affectionate and intimate Brazilian way of life, but the question is; How accurate is this French Interpretation? There are many medium to light skinned individuals in this film which demonstrates the racial and ethnic mixture that exists in Brazil that seems to embrace this feeling of equality and joy, but is this the reality of those living in and around Rio de Janeiro? This film also includes ethnocentric depictions of candomblé, religion and omens of Brazilian culture that directly relate to the symbols and emphasis of gods and fate within the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice. This was one of the strengths of the film because this is a nuanced adaptation of a classic story and captures the essence of the myth well. One can see this in the names that Camus gives to the characters. Names such as Orfeu and Euridice directly relate to the story and even early on in the film when Orfeu and Mira seek out a marriage documents. The clerk jokes about Orfeu being with a Euridice, but the characters are unaware of how connected their stories truly will be. This is also true of the maintenance man at the end of Orfeu Negro because his role is very similar to that of Charon, the ferryman of the Underworld and Sisyphus as he ceaselessly attempts to clean up the loose pages in the building, or rather the lost souls…

Orfeu Negro relates to the course material because, as we have read in our course, Brazil was a place that depicts itself as truly accepting of people of all colors and backgrounds. The focus in this film is that Afro-Brazilians are a very warm and lively people who value the arts and romance rather than focusing on how one specifically identifies is strongly related to the idea of the false racial democracy. Orfeu doesn’t address the issue of race and ethnicity as it was during the mid-20^th century. It avoids that aspect of life entirely in Brazil. This would be the main weakness of the film; it only seems to highlight positive aspects of life in Brazil. It shows how even in media and the entertainment industry, issues of color are not accurately depicted and further blurs or even eliminates the fact that there are any issues at all during the mid-20^th century Brazil. Can we trust this French interpretation of Brazilian culture and society, or must we be wary to not stereotype an entire city, let alone an entire country such as Brazil?