''lT'S O.K''
Why, Mr. Editor, do l use your paper to denounce this crime...
against the family budget?
Because, as a retired official of the lBGE, l not only understand...
statistics but also love my country. Therefore...
l consider the letter sent in by Mr. Bezerra...
President of the Meat Producers' Association as a gross untruth.
He makes out of the prices what his carving-knife makes out...
of best sirloin: Mince meat.
The meat, Mr. Editor...
the meat is hidden away in the refrigerator stores...
so as to force up the prices.
How l wish l had my old friends with me...
who besides sharing in youthful escapades...
were, with me, constant vigilantes, and, as l have said...
this is the price of freedom.
Old friends in battle like Dr. Alarico Sombra, veterinary...
surgeon and dentist, founder of the lntegralist Club of Vassouras...
editor of the newspaper 'the Green Shirt'.
Blessed the nations who die in just and holy battle.
-Put it down, Juarez. -You're a visionary, Alarico.
Visionary, my foot! What about my ferocious patrotism.
Remember the 3 parrots Mussolini's nephew gave me?
l got them when l was a schoolmaster.
They only talked and sang ltalian...
Well, l wrung their necks.
l ate one roasted in front of my pupils.
Juarez agreed w¡th the ideas, but only if they were in our language.
What do you have against foreigners?
We gave impetus to this country. When l arrived in 1915...
you had industries, clogs and bobbins!
Even chamber-pots were imported!
You only produced the shit!
ln the fields the ants ate everything.
When l founded my factory of pasta in Giacometti...
how many people didn't eat my macaroni?
Your motto should have been 'pasta for the people'.
l stopped your relatives from going hungry.
My relatives only ate meat, thank God!
-Parrot meat! -No tax-dodging in those days.
The fascist lntegralists gossiped but l paid up.
They said l was always in the whore-houses.
-But that was true. -They said my eggs were rotten...
that my pasta was full of germs.
l only know that when l arrived l was a junkman...
and l ended up owner of that factory.
And all São Paulo was eating what? Giacometti pasta.
Arrowroot biscuits from ltalia.
And when this right-wing lntegralist movement started up...
what sold? Green and yellow panetone.
Then there was the story about fraudulent bankruptcy!
Fraudulent bankruptcy my ass!
l was always a liberal.
''For freedom's sake the human race courts disaster''. Plinio, 1938.
-And what about the women? -What? l don't go with anyone.
Don't be modest. l'm past it with the beard.
Do you remember Eponina? The one who wanted to die for you.
She'd wet her clothes and sleep on the veranda to catch TB.
Eponina...
l keep something with me and l bought it from you.
Ah, my poet!
Sometimes l long to go out with you.
My life is getting very boring. 30 years of integrity, for what?
Yeah. For what?
l had to sell the factory to the Americans.
And the factory's all still there.
Transformed into a factory of spare parts for cars.
But everyone here remembers that neon sign.
The golden macaroni w¡th red tomato sauce all over it.
''Giacometti''. ''Giacometti'. ''Giacometti'.
That's why l support constructive capitalism, Juarez.
Type that in. Type that in.
-Constructive capitalism, Juarez. -Mr. Editor...
l am in favor of capitalism...
but against profits.
We're all foreigners here, except the lndians.
True, the Tupi race has not disappeared. lt's in our blood.
Mr. Editor, the war cries of national salvation will come...
from the depths of the forest.
This letter is against meat withholding.
-There is no lower theme. -Almost finished.
Let's be more specific.
Mr. Editor...
l submit that the Association...
of Butchers...
be closed...
and that the doors...
of the refrigerators be opened.
Now for the coup de grace.
-Me! -No! Penteado. Go, poet!
Me? Type it down.
''The shadows have fallen, the sky is dark...
but l hear 200 million men walking on Brazil.
Listen, Brazil is moving. Multitudes growing on every side.
Not the sound of wind, sea or forest. l hear footsteps.
Millions of footsteps walking.
Where to?''
Just a moment.
l thank you for the publication.
Coming.
Yours faithfully...
Juarez Ramos Barata. Rio de Janeiro
-Good evening, Juarez. -Good evening.
The water will be turned off tomorrow from 8 to midday.
You'd better fill up the bathtub.
-Bathtub? -Yes, and could you sign here.
-A manifesto? -No.
l'm going to prohibit dogs in the building.
l don't know if you've noticed, but there's dog dirt everywhere.
On the stairs, in the elevator, in the garage...
ln the hall...
dirt everywhere.
lt's turning into a slum.
lf it were just Pekinese, it would be all right. But Great Danes?
Have you seen how much dirt they leave?
Absolutely filthy!
The other day a lady fell down, an elderly lady...
and broke her thigh. lt's intolerable!
lf you would be so kind...
Hello?
Speak!
Aren't you going to speak?
Speak, you slut!
Speak!
He doesn't want me anymore.
l get my hair done, get all dressed up.
l try to be pretty for him, but it's no use.
He doesn't want me anymore. He says he's old.
The other day he cried and said he was impotent.
But l know he's lying. He's got another. A slut.
A blonde slut. She's blond.
Want some milk?
How about a nice egg? You must eat something, Juarez.
-Egg has cholesterol. -Cholesterol !
The phone rang this morning.
-Must have been a wrong number. -With that laugh?
You think so?
Alcira, get that out of your head!
l'm old, l'm not thinking about that.
Give me some toast.
Monday morning, general mediocrity starts, r¡ght?
What's the name of the restaurant you went to?
''Steak House'', idiot!
''Cachorro'' means ''dog''!
Aparecida de Fatima?
''l like eggs in the breakfast''!
Wake up, loser!
-Good morning, doc. -Pass me the butter.
When are we going to start that job?
At the price Francisco quoted we can't.
He said he couldn't do it for less. The workmen are on their last legs.
He can do it. Money just vanishes in this house.
-My husband's a lot of expenses. -l'll speak to him.
Tudo bem. Como o senhor quiser.
You notice that in the PR department...
every time a job comes up they send their wives.
My egg!
l was in line for over an hour.
The cashier turned round and said, the beans have all gone.
We'd all been there for ages.
Ze saw the wife of the owner of lguaçu Spare-parts...
go out the back with 5 kilos.
Ze got mad and called the cashier a faggot.
Said he wouldn't pay that whore, his mother.
At which the cashier opens the door and comes out...
and hits him.
Ze wasn't taking that, of course...
and when l looked...
l saw the cashier lying in the gutter.
He'd slashed him right across here.
From his shoulder down to his waist.
A red slash here. From here to here.
Looked like what Ambassadors have. Like a Vasco football shirt.
They really laughed at it.
Saw the cashier there and went back in the store...
and started taking things. l took 10 shampoos to wash my hair.
My head even feels lighter.
So we all carried the things out stepping over this body and...
laughing about it: ''Speak up, Vasco''!
Just like a Vasco shirt except the stripe was red.
What a marvelous people.
Childish...
lgnoramuses.
Those capable of creating beauty out of wretchedness.
But most of all they're strong. Really strong!
l can't sleep, Juarez.
-l feel bad here. -Feel sick?
No, not sick.
Nervous.
A nice shock, l think.
l've got some Desinocil.
Juarez, it's a pain...
like burning.
Right here.
Brocaine...
Juarez?
No, it's nice, Juarez.
Desinocil with...
lt's a safe sedative of the emotions...
Does not interfere with mental processes.
Prapanteline, culinatic inhibitor, neutralizes pain in the vacuum.
Just talking, Juarez.
l don't know what's wrong.
God only knows.
Looks as if it cures everything. Look, the urethral tubes.
There's nothing wrong with my urethra.
Neuroses, anxiety, mental confusion, fears.
Take it!
l'll go see Aunt Victoria in hospital tomorrow.
Poor thing, at death's door.
Should see the trouble she has on the pot.
Got mushy feces, has she?
l don't know, the cancer's eating away at everything.
She evacuates flat black things. And it hurts, poor thing.
Skinny as a rake.
Uncle Osorio too.
Go visit him. He gets these spasms now.
l need some money, Juarez.
What? You're crazy.
What about the 500 l gave you yesterday?
l've no idea.
Money vanishes in this house, Juarez.
By the way, l wanted to talk to you about that.
You put 100 in the drawer and it disappears.
You should be more careful.
-What do think l am? The Mint? -And what do you think l am?
Think l set the prices?
l scrimp and save. l know all the people at the market by name.
l know Albino's oil is cheaper then Manoel's.
Six stalls down, Velasco's oil is better than Elias'.
And there's a Jewish man too.
l'd never seen a Jewish stall owner before.
He has big tomatoes much cheaper than Carlitos' little ones.
And you say l don't budget? You think it's easy?
Yesterday l left Aparecida in the line for the Chilean beans...
which are awtul anyway. Know how much a kilo costs?
-No! Not demagogy! -Answer now!
-Don't make a speech out of it. -You know the price of a kilo?
And the price of margarine?
My God! And the green beans, do you know? And, the rice?
And the family-size Coke? And yogurt? Do you know?
And the cholesterol-free sunflower oil, eh?
l should be given enough lard to block everybody's arteries.
But this has nothing to do with it.
Beans are just Brazilian dietary ignorance.
All l know is l'm being robbed in this house.
You just take your medicine and go to bed.
You annoy me.
You think l can sleep w¡th those cannibals? lt gives me the shivers.
l dream they're eating me!
-Did you take your medicine? -l'll turn it off.
Dirty pig! Fairy! What a mess these apaches make!
What do you mean, apaches? Nothing to do with it.
The Xavantes are civilized. They have watches, pens...
So what?
Have you been with her?
You've been with your Marilyn Monroe.
Which motel? Come on, tell me, Juarez.
-Don't be silly! -When are you go¡ng...
-to leave your family? -l'm retired, l'm old!
''Love is a fire which painlessly burns...
A wound that hurts unfelt... Discontented contentment...
A pain that maddens without pain''.
ls this how you repay me for keeping you all these years?
ls this how you repay me for keeping my family all this time?
Go to bed.
''Mr. Editor...
l am scared.
l can feel everything breaking up.
We are drown¡ng in a sea of stagnant waters.
-As for the people...'' -Juarez, don't be a defeatist.
-We'll make a few cuts. -Not at all, no cuts!
lt's great, Juarez. Put more, put more.
''Stagnant water only ¡n the UN , a sea of mud.
An ocean of shit, a storm of crap...
in a scintillating universe.''
-Shut up, you bastard! -Put it all in!
That was your big chance.
''Rowing along rivers of mud...
in barges with crews of bureaucrats...
pedestrians pedal their petulance...
up the boulevards of stupidity.''
-Put it all down, Juarez. -Bravo, bravo!
That's what you call inspiration. But it's a little complicated.
-The populace don't understand. -l agree with you.
Let's see again, a small change.
''Mr. Editor, times are hard...
but l have faith...''
That's it, more enthusiasm. Looking up, chin out...
Looking towards the infinite... That's it, up straight!
-Any experience? -Yes...
l've worked for families since l was small.
l've worked in several houses. l worked for an elderly man.
l only left because he had a heart attack.
lf you want references, l've got one from the last job.
Here's the telephone number. Her name's Miss Eliete...
Someone called and asked about you.
l said you're a Cordon Bleu cook.
Thanks.
Got to get back to work. Short of money.
When times get better, Eliete, l'll stop being a maid.
Right.
Mom !
What's up? You're falling all over the place!
Falling all over the place! Can't you see l'm pissed?
l'm out of my head! They filled me up with whisky!
Why did Marianinho let you drink like that?
He dumped me in some club.
They left me there, Mom, because l'm as blind as you.
That goddamn Neide! That bitch, Neide!
She was the one who egged me on about Marianinho.
Said l was the girl for him, and she leaves me there...
and they go off to Rio das Ostras, Mum, and left me to pay the check.
-Had to come home by bus. -Calm down, dear.
l wore this new bra she told me about, with lace and all that...
new panties to impress him.
Take it easy, dear. Patience!
Easy!
Dear Grandma...
My Grandma, l want Juarez to love me like Grandpa loved you.
Your Grandpa tied me to the bed and l was blue with cold.
And he'd shout, ''she's freezing cold''!
The operation l had last month...
it wasn't a cyst.
Cyst, my ass!
Then he'd cry. My snow white, my ice.
His warm tears washed my feet.
l want Juarez to give up that other slut.
l want him to tie me to the bed and bite me all over.
This country's full of scoundrels.
l think plastic surgery would do it.
Are you crazy?
The only thing l've got of my mother's.
She's from the Sertao. l was born there too.
lt's ''Lampiao''.
They cut his head off.
Once when l was walking down a road, l saw something...
that changed my life. But l can't talk about it.
-Go on, Aparecida. -No, l can't.
lt's something sacred, holy.
l can't talk about it. lt's something... from heaven.
lt's my secret which l have to keep.
l know the laying on of hands.
l learnt from a faith healer there.
l can cure back-ache, the evil eye...
she'd put a cinder from the stove in the glass.
lf it fell heavily...
the evil eye was dangerous.
lf it fell slowly, there wasn't much danger.
lf it stayed up it meant happiness.
l can do that too.
-Don't you believe me? -l don't have much faith.
You don't believe me.
No, l really don't have much faith.
So, l came to the city.
And l got completely lost, just like a lost sheep.
lf Dad were alive, l'd be there with him.
l think l die a little each day.
Sometimes l see myself ¡n a coffin with people carrying me...
l almost enjoy it. lmagine, there l am, ever so still.
People are carrying me and the coffin sways back and forth.
l had a boyfriend.
This is him.
We'd even thought of getting spliced.
But, he died.
He died during Carnival.
lt's nice.
-Enjoying it here? -Yes l am.
The people are nice here. They treat servants well.
Aparecida likes the house.
l like good, French food. Meat cooked well, good seasoning.
We must have a serious chat.
Strange things happen in this house.
Money's been disappearing from Dr. Barata's wallet for 3 weeks.
50, and even 100 cruzeiro bills.
-Are you calling me a thief? -No, no. You don't understand.
She's just explaining. Not talking about you. lt's perfectly normal.
-Could happen to anyone. -l don't steal things.
-l'm religious. -Nobody said you did.
But if was you, own up. l won't be angry.
Was it you? lf it was, just tell me.
Take it easy, mom.
l'm not a thief! l'm a child of God!
No! Are you crazy?
lt's the river invading the land...
the famous ''pororoca''.
The waves grow bigger and bigger.
Like a tidal wave invading the forest.
ln an ecstatic tropical apocalypse!
lf he is drinking, he shall not drink. lf he is eating...
he shall not eat, sleeping, he shall not sleep.
Do my bidding, Prayer of the Stars.
Do my bidd¡ng, Seven Shirts of the Child Jesus.
Do my bidding, O Sacred Host.
lf not, you, Juarez...
shall follow me as St. Mark the wife of Cain.
What's the matter?
Elvira?
What's wrong?
''Mama''...
-What's the matter with you? -l'm sick, Juarez.
You want some passion fruit extract?
l'll never get up again!
l'm sick.
Tummy upset?
l've only got this bed.
And what about her, eh?
-She's got the motel bed! -She who?
For her, motel room beds!
When will you take me to a motel, Juarez?
The ''King's''.
The ''Calypso'', the ''Hawaii''.
l want to go on the Calypso, like her.
Take me.
-l've got no lover. -You go with her, your lover.
Now l see...
The zebra'd walls of the Motel.
A circular bed...
going round and round.
High speed.
That's why they say they go for a ''quickie'', eh?
And you there with her, on top of her, holding her hair like reins.
Like a mane, a mare on heat...
and you breathing hard in a motel with zebra'd wallpaper.
And the heated pools you get into together there.
When are you going to take me? You take her.
Covered in jewelry. She's blonde, her eyes are blue.
That's where you spend all the money, isn't it?
ln a hotel with heated pools. You see?
-lt's all your imagination. -l know her.
She dances on television, wiggling in white boots...
shaking her ass.
White leather boots. Right here, knee-high.
Her name...
Waldete!
Waldete. Come on, confess, Juarez.
Walks in the street in that skin-tight dress.
Wiggling her bottom...
Making eyes at people's husbands...
-What's she like? -Bright red nails, a brazen mouth.
A chignon, lots of hair-spray.
-Lots of hair spray? -Lots and lots of hair spray.
Hair all tied up so you let it down.
A Dorothy Lamour-type mouth.
She spends the whole day at the hairdresser.
She wears those old-style black bras...
to squeeze her body.
Like that...
-And she wiggles and wiggles... -Does it again.
Black garters around her thighs. To hide the fatties.
And off she goes.
Know how she wiggles...
like this, Juarez.
Sometimes she can look quite prim, quite classy.
And who gave her that big diamond on her finger?
You did!
And her nails?
Long and red. She looks like a devil.
And how she loves to scratch you. Now she's bleached everything.
Bleached absolutely everything. Hair by hair...
all lovely and blonde. She's all lovely and golden.
Ready to go to the motel and take off her clothes...
and go round and round on the zebra-skin bed.
Aparecida, see to the dinner!
l'm leaving. l'm going to push off. Know what that means?
l'm going to meet Waldete.
Blonde Waldete of the long nails that scratch my back.
The same thing as in 1936...
when he fell for that woman in the Rua das Marrecas.
Waldete...
Blonde Waldete with white boots up to here...
dancing...
Waldete, no. Waleska. Do you remember her?
The one who looked like a saint all in blue...
kneeling in a corner of the whore-house...
weeping and lighting candles.
And she would pray with her eyes rolled like this.
But she was a beast in bed!
Remember how you came out all covered in blood once?
Where she'd scratched you. And you screaming naked down the passage...
''l've been wounded!''
And the whores all screaming out of the windows...
''Barman, barman, bring coffee and bread!''
What an uproar! And Juarez naked declaiming Castro Alves.
''We are in the open sea!''
Yes, but she ran off with that big blackman from the bar.
Then he cut her throat in the Red Light District.
You wanted to run off with her during Carnival...
when they sang that song in the streets, what was it now?
You're not leaving, Juarez. No way!
We're all tied to each other.
You're stuck with it.
Your wife, your pyjamas...
your stove, your ice-box...
your kilo of meat, your margarine...
your eggs, your tomatoes...
your urine test!
This Waldete doesn't exist, Juarez.
Here!
Take your pickle!
Juarez?
Yes, that's true.
He was going to run off with a woman who died in 1938...
at the Mangue whore house.
l'm going to finish with Waldete...
e vai ser agora mesmo!
And tell her l have my attributes too.
The family comes first. Got to put a stop to all this.
Hello? Waldete? Juarez.
Everything's over between us, Waldete. Forever.
-Tell her you love me. -l love my wife...
and l have my responsibilities. No tears.
Put on your green silk dress and parade down the streets.
-Go out and find someone new. -Say, the hot pools are over.
Say it. Say it! No more hot pools for you!
Waldete, no more heated pools.
Heated pools, my foot!
There is no Waldete. Or rather, l'm going to get you a Waldete.
Hello? Waldete.
l'll see you here tomorrow.
Hello, Jandira. He's finished with her.
On the phone, in front of me, my dear.
And he swore it was only my imagination!
l heard her weeping and wailing over the phone, like this...
Now our lives will change.
They're going to start redecorating!
l was think¡ng about 'coffee', but ever so subtle.
All these arches, see?
But ever so light, a hint of a color to contrast with the walls.
-Green, maybe... -Bottle green's lovely.
Salmon pink's very classy.
-What do you think, dear? -Salmon pink's a bit sickly.
l think it's great.
lt's a nice contrast.
She knows all about interior decoration. She did a course.
What color should l have here?
You could put mustard yellow or claret.
l did Barreto's office out in piss yellow.
What do you think?
You could use mess green, or a throw-up beige.
She's always joking, but she knows about it.
26 years waiting.
My God, a new life!
Juarez, thanks a million!
lt's gonna look beautiful, wonderful. All these images here...
Nice and light here, dark there, touch of red here, green there.
A hint of Bois de Rose there, yes? Ah, pull it down!
Dropped the potato!
l've just come to tell you that if it was up to me...
l'd give you meals myself...
but workmen here have to eat what we eat.
-Don't worry, lady. -No, but l feel l have to...
but l don't want my husband to know about it.
The cost of living is so high.
Everything's ridiculously expensive.
You used to go to the market and come back loaded up.
But it's absolutely terrible, isn't it?
Let me tell you something, life's got a lot harder.
Remember Carnival in the old days?
Marvelous!
Bathing in fancy-dress. lt was so spontaneous. Lovely!
-Everybody singing in the streets. -The real Carnival's gone.
But at least we've got the Samba Schools today.
l love the Samba Schools.
You look as though you like samba.
Portela. Portela is beautiful ! lt's so strong.
-Which one do you parade on? -Beija-Flor.
-We don't participate in the parade. -Well, you should.
l sleep through Carnival.
You shouldn't. You should dance.
Juarez won't let me, but if l could... My daughter dances.
The Students Wing. She was almost a ballerina.
Look at the Church, for example.
All those riches and luxury.
The Vatican with all that gold! lt's scandalous!
Yes, you're right.
But l mustn't interrupt your lunch.
Must be nice to eat out of a tin like that.
-lt's OK. -Sardines, rice and beans.
What l always say, give me the simple life.
Simple food is so much better sometimes than fancy food...
like you get in flashy restaurants.
Life is wonderful.
You work here and eat out of your little lunch tins...
and then off on the train out to the suburbs...
and when your little houses need repairing, you can repair it...
all because you're workmen.
Ordinary people are so... good.
lt's true you get criminals in the slums...
but l think you people are so nice. A friend tells me...
''Watch out you don't get mugged, mind the bag-snatchers!''
But l don't think she's right. l think the masses are good.
-You're right, lady. -Aren't the people good?
-Yes, they are. -Well, bon appétit.
What a woman!
She's like my Guiomar.
Sure she does!
How can that be?
So much meat on her bones, and so many going hungry.
Let me cover this!
-Zeze, my coffee. -Right, Miss Zeze.
Wrong, wrong. Again, you dummy. Zeze, my coffee.
-R¡ght, miss Elvira. -Let me try it.
Zeze, let me go!
No, Zezé!
Look, a picture of your mother.
Boy, show some respect!
Good evening.
Good evening, sir.
My colleagues from ''Declair''.
My father, my mother.
This is Daniel, our PR right-hand.
Mom, he's Virgínia's boyfriend.
-Pleased to meet you. -Same here.
Make yourselves at home. Excuse the mess.
We've been wanting to redecorate for years.
Everything will be repainted.
We have some 'objects d'art' here covered up.
-Everything covered up. -What can you do?
l'll get the ice.
-Just be comfortable. -Go help your mother.
Then the faggot. Sorry, ma'am.
l know faggot is not a bad word anymore.
So the fag went up to the pharmacist: ''l want an Aspirin''.
So he put one on the counter and sa¡d, ''Want me to wrap it up?''
''No, l'll just bowl it out''.
-Now you tell one, Roberto. -l can't tell jokes very well.
-What do you mean? -Come on, tell us!
Then tell us how you overthrew me in the PR Dept. Of Declair lnc.
l didn't overthrow you.
l'm nice to everybody, so everybody's nice to me. But...
if you walk in front l'll knock you down.
You were promoted and say nothing?
He never tells us anything.
ls this the reason for our celebration?
This boy's the height of modesty.
The PR Dept.'s eating out of his hand. Know what PR means?
lt's the basis of the System.
l work in the chemistry department, for instance.
l make my potions, and sometimes some mistakes.
Someone takes one and kicks the bucket.
And what happens? l'm in trouble, the company's in trouble.
To say the least.
-Am l right? -Sure.
Sure thing! lt's ugly!
Then along comes Super-Ze Roberto. The king of PR.
He makes about 50 phone calls.
Spends some money on publicity and things...
and my family's saved from having their father in prison.
Fantastic!
When l think what this boy can do for me...
it makes me want to cry.
Will you stop it, Tony!
-What a pain! Talk to him. -Hold on. Hold on.
Be nice to him.
-What's up? -Nothing.
The girl got her 'gringo' and nobody says anything?
Bill Thompson from the Board of Declair lnc.
He fell for her in the restaurant.
You silly! And you didn't tell us?
-He's good-looking? -Yes, he's... foreign-look¡ng.
And charming.
Two birds with a stone throw.
-He's not too old? -About 40.
40? He's still a boy!
When l was your age, it's difficult to be a member of the Board.
Now everything's easy. Look at Ze Roberto.
Just a boy and he's Director of P.R.
He won the bosses' hearts...
with an anthem composed for the company employees.
We are employees of Declair We fight for the same ideal
With devotion and much flair To work and capital we kneel
Since you're so happy l'll show you a very rare record.
-Juarez, please, not the lndians. -But, cherie, it isn't lndians.
Not just now.
Please forgive me, but...
The 'uirapuru'.
''the song of a Brazilian bird''. ''the uirapuru is the magic flute...
of angels which re-echoes throughout the Amazon forest''.
''lt is with this belief that we retransmit it...
with our thoughts on God.
A life of peace and love for all the human race''.
Whoever said this was a goddamn Uirapuru?
You shan't speak to me like that! lt's a Brazilian jewel.
You've no love for your father, your family nor your country.
-Country? What country? -You're a moron, an imbecile.
All this stuff about birds.
Woody Woodpecker.
lt's all rotten. Really rotten.
The engineer told me it needed redoing.
-Stop! -No, don't stop! Time is money.
The engineer said it was just a little renovation.
lt's all rotten.
Listen to me. Did my wife put you up to this?
What? l can't hear anything!
Stop for a minute!
Life's very hard, very hard indeed.
Carry on.
-Life is extremely hard. -That's no good, sir.
-See what you can do. -At that price l've no profit.
Only if l fire a few workers.
-No, that's not the point. -l'll fire Deca, l'll fire...
l'll have my bath. Things aren't too good.
-We're all friends after all. -So you speak to the tax people.
-Know how much l pay each week? -Yes, a worker's expensive.
Shut up!
Well, fire that drone over there who never does anything.
l'm hungry.
l'll eat that hick's radio. A party inside my stomach.
My stomach's disappeared!
-The workmen are on death's door. -Not workmen.
Everyone here's an odd-job man. They really are.
What about the taxes l pay?
l wanted to see if you had employees.
l only know l worked 2 days for nothing for you.
This is what l've been do¡ng for 5 years!
-l only know l need an advance. -An advance!
You want an advance on your advance!
-l know 5,000 is a lot of money. -But l can't get by without it.
l had something on my leg that looked like this damp.
That's why l need an advance.
What advance? Can't you see it's too expensive.
Don't rock the boat. You must co-operate.
-You're a kiss-ass! -l am co-operating!
You're a kiss-ass!
What do you think? Everyone here's an odd-job man.
Not workmen, odd-job men. What's your name?
Odd-job men, my ass! Odd-job men, my ass!
Well, fire Francisco. Fire the boss and it'll be cheaper.
We can do the job. Mr. Francisco, you're fired!
That leaves me, Zeca, Paraiba and this Rabbit's Foot.
You eat dirt and shit bricks!
l'm already unemployed.
l've just discovered l'm unemployed.
l spend everything before l earn it. lf l don't earn, l owe.
Who to? To myself. l owe a lot of money to myself.
l live in Coelho Neto and life's like this:
Everyday l get the bus and l give money to the conductor...
who is always a toothless nigger.
l wear out my shoes, l pay. l drink, l pay.
And get through all that grass in the brick factory.
Then l'm mugged: ''Hand over the bread, stupid''.
Then l get pissed. l leave money!
l get home and the goddamn landlord asks for the rent.
That's why l'm owing a hell of a lot of money...
to myself.
Then the social worker comes:
''Tell me how you manage to survive on so little money''.
So l tell her, ''lt's a mystery''.
She says l'm crazy. l'm crazy! l've died!
Excuse me, lady, but it's like this.
Sir here wants to stop the job.
-No, no! Why stop? -He wants 5,000 more!
Get it out of the Savings Bank. 26 years l've waited for this!
Be reasonable, Elvira!
Look what l've bought, this...
and Japanese furniture.
Over my dead body! 26 years l've waited.
-l won't accept... -And who are you to not accept?
Juarez, we've waited all our lives, money saved up.
God only know what l've had to put up with.
You had money for the heated pools, didn't you?
-This is not a good time. -Yes, it is.
l speak when l want to speak. l have no cooth!
-l'm not a coward! -Ok, go ahead.
May as well finish now it's started.
Don't you think l'm right?
You're right, lady. ln fact, let me give you an example.
l live up in the Babilonia slum in Leme. We're almost neighbors.
My shack had one bad wall.
The rain came in, soaked the mattress, pans...
Next morning the kids wet the floor with the potties.
l looked and l didn't know what to do, lady.
Mattress soaked, water everywhere.
l said to myself gotta redo the whole thing.
So l got a 20lb lard tin and cut it in half.
So l went to Mr. G¡ba's pigsty.
-Know him? -Yes, Giba of the pigs...
l got a strong plank, the wood-worm resistant type...
and stuck it to the floor. Got some old tires around it...
fixed them so the water can't get in.
Now it can rain and there's no problem.
The pipe here broke!
-Anyone want this lavatory bowl? -l'm giving it away.
lt's old but it's taffeta. Could be useful.
Doc? Come here, please!
This is my family.
My mother, father, my wife, my kids.
Nice to meet you.
They threw out of where we were living. So l can't work today.
-Have to find somewhere to stay. -My God! But where will you go?
Don't know yet.
-Let's go to Lobo Junior. -Lobo Junior? Where's that?
The Lobo Junior overpass.
You're going to take your family under an overpass?
Only until l can find somewhere.
But these ch¡ldren under an overpass! lt's dangerous.
No, there's no danger.
Have you seen my cologne?
Mr. Piaui's family have been thrown out.
Nice to meet you.
How sweet! May l?
He's so tiny!
Sweet little thing! Look, Juarez.
What a sweetie!
-What's his name? -That one hasn't got a name yet.
-This one's Severino Jr. -Only got these two?
There were more...
Vera, come and see! Look, look...
What a pretty little thing!
So cuddly!
Fancy, they're going to live under an overpass!
For heaven's sake, Mr. Piaui ! No, sir, you can't!
Drop everything and look for somewhere.
Leave your family here for tonight.
l'll talk to Jandira. She belongs to a charity group.
She'll see to it. You can leave it to her.
Look at his little mouth!
Who's a lovely boy?! Teeny-tiny little thing!
Could almost eat him !
Thanks very much, but we'd better go under the overpass.
No sire! Go look for a place. l have spoken! Leave them here.
Move!
Go ahead.
All right, then.
Bye, dad. Bye, mom. Take care of the boy.
An overpass! Just imagine! There's FUN Al too.
-FUN Al's for lndians! -l mean, FUN ABEM !
Let Jandira see to it.
l like poetry because That's what guides me
My greatest pleasure By night or day
lt lives in my heart
When l die l shall go with it to the chapel
Singing
What's up, Zeze?
Nothing.
20 men... 20! l've fucked with 20.
Cab, truck...
Volkswagen, Chevrolet.
Help me, Aparecida!
l feel empty inside.
l cross you between the sun...
the moon and the stars.
lf they will stab you, the knife from the hand shall fall.
lf they try to tie you down, the knots will fall apart.
lf they will chain you, the chain shall break.
lf they will hold you...
the prison doors shall open...
to let you pass, free.
You shall not be seen by your enemies.
Like Jesus at the Resurrection.
Safe you are.
Safe you'll be.
l close you down with the saints room key.
You, shut up!
l'll stick this up your ass!
-Okay? -What's he saying?
What's he saying?
-He wants to speak w¡th you. -Say l'm having a bath.
No, you idiot! Speak properly!
-He wants to come here. -Now what?
-He's coming over. -ls he?
We'll work it out!
What's this... a slum?
Go on, back to work.
Have you found a place for your family yet?
No way! l went to Chico's shack in the slum.
There's other people there now. Chico Balbino's dead.
-Dead? -Yes.
Times are hard, eh?
We'll have to go. Couldn't find anywhere.
Let's go to the overpass.
Get me out of this! How are you? To what do we owe the honor?
Elvira, look who's here! The building administrator.
Zeze, make some coffee.
No coffee. lt's too hot.
As you can see the redecoration's going ahead, within regulations.
True, true, but unfortunately l have bad news.
Something wrong?
Yes, you'll have to tell these people to go.
But how can l? How, for God's sake?
Throw the poor things out?
lt's very irregular. We can do nothing.
-lt's a lack of charity. -lt's a regulation of the building.
l'll speak to Jandira. She'll see to it.
Best stay out of it, dear. ls there nothing you can do?
How? l can do nothing. lt's a regulation.
What about the Charity Group?
ls Jandira there? lsn't that the Charity Group?
She's moved to Support-a-man? She's in Europe?
-Come in, Alaide. -Here comes Father Christmas!
What size shoes do you take? Have you got any beans, Madam?
They're giving out presents. Got any money?
Any food?
Don't worry, we're leaving. Come on, folks.
But have you found some place safe?
Excuse me but do you think the only safe place is in your apartment?
Do you have somewhere safe to take them? They can't stay like this.
You look after yours and l'll look after mine.
l think you're getting angry. The admistrator has his duty.
But sir, l asked for an advance.
To pay the house. But you wouldn't give me it.
l believed in you, but you didn't believe me.
lt was for them because l'm used to roughing it.
That doesn't worry me. l've eaten lizards before.
Know what it's like to eat lizards?
And other things, cactus and suchlike. That's true, isn't it?
And we walked all the way from Piaui to Goias.
You know, to build Brasilia. The old man built Brasilia.
He built Brasilia.
Sing something. Old-timer.
l'm leaving, my friends Leaving you forever
Be happy in the town As l'm off to the Sertao
To visit my family, My holy clump of earth
Anyone at home?
Have you all died?
30 years l've been holding this boat firm.
-Holding this boat full of shit! -That's it, Captain, let it sink!
Calm down, Juarez!
Calm down, or we'll get killed.
What about the people?
Look at their clothes. The people are fucked!
Putting up with it, why?
There they are, starving!
-Come to bed, dear. -Bed my ass!
Go to the devil. Where are your red nails?
Where's your blonde hair?
Where's Waldete?
Never! Even if the world should fall about me...
Never will l take you to a motel.
l'll never take you to a motel with heated pools.
Never! Not even if you hang me...
with your corsets...
not even if you hang me with your pink bra...
or your varicose stockings. Not even then would l take you.
Come to me, Waldete!
Waleska Korpskaya of the whore-houses of my youth!
The sweet calm of my adolescence. Come, youthful buttocks!
Child breasts! Delicate skin...
like the petal of a rose.
Come, my little girl of 1930.
Come here, kid...
lt's this... this cool evening of the suburb that you have killed.
You killed my loves, my Brazilian dreams.
Come, come! Come in! You can see...
the mediocre Pantheon...
of my middle class memories.
lt's not memories...
Go, go away!
l don't want you anymore!
Easy, easy, Juarez.
Look, people's clothes!
l'll show you. Look what l am.
Juarez the Droop. l'm old.
My little cock's like a cat in a gymnasium :
lt spends the whole day asleep on the balls.
What do you mean, Juarez? You're a man of the future.
-What about our ideals? -ldeals my ass!
What have we got left? This country's finished.
Golden spaghetti... in a tomato extract ad.
Know what? Let's wake up this whorehood!
Come out from your Savings Banks!
Put on your pyjamas and out into the streets!
Grand sale!
''We are on the open sea!''
Satisfaction or your money back.
l can't get no satisfaction so l want my money back.
The poetry, Juarez! Poetry! We are on the open sea!
ln the name of Castro Alves, Juarez, l'm right behind you!
The slum is called poetry!
Come to bed. What a scene you're making!
Let me go!
He wasn't only a great poet, but also a zealous member...
of the Water and Sewerage Department.
-He's really dead? -He was a wimp.
Militiamen!
We salute our companion who has left this life...
and passed to the militias of the Beyond!
-Companion and poet Pedro Penteado. -Present!
Where are you go¡ng, Zeze?
l don't want to hear My love
Of the things l learnt on records
l want to tell you how l lived
And of everything That has happened to me
So be careful, my love. There Are dangers on the corners
You could even say l'm out of touch
But you love the past And don't see the world
You stay in madam's house
But l fight to defend What's mine
What's the matter, Aparecida?
Where's Zeze, Aparecida?
-ls she there? -What's wrong with her, Mom?
Don't know. She's locked herself in. l'll call Juarez.
Open up, Aparecida.
Are you sick or something?
What's going on?
Stop playing around! Stop being hysterical.
-Open this damn door! -l think she must be sick.
Sick, my foot!
l'll break this door down.
This is absurd!
Crazy!
My son, go to her!
You're making a scene!
Come here!
Hey, she's jumping the line!
So she is, the cow!
Should be at the butcher's! l'll complain to your mistress!
Go ahead. Think she'll spank me? She's over there...
trying to catch her husband at feeling people's bottoms!
Arise Lord, thy enemies are nigh. With one finger l catch thee.
With two, l thee kill !
You shall be as humble as the sole of my shoe.
Holy Saint, for the love of God, l'm at my wits' end.
l've given him a private maths teacher.
He gets to school and can't do one division sum.
Every time he gets bad marks his father beats him.
Hits him around the head. l've told him...
''Don't hit the kid's head or he'll never learn anything''.
Help me, God! Help me!
Mate-tea, real cheap!
What in the hell's going on?
What's happening in my house?
Go away! Put that candle out!
You're the Administrator. Get this spastic out of here.
Aren't you ashamed to allow this? Get out!
Put out those candles! Want to set fire to my apartment too?
Put them out!
This is so unfair.
Put that candle out!
What the hell?
You think this is a party?
We've got to get rid of this maid now!
-No, sir! Why? -What do you mean, why?
Because, no. Good maids are difficult to find.
She might call down a plague or something! l don't know.
Let's get to work.
The man's going through the roof.
Get your ass up!
Did you hear me, jerk? Get a job!
Get a hold of your life, boy! Stop bugging me!
Look, there's the Saint.
-l'll put her on my altar. -Have some respect!
l want this house in a fit state by midday tomorrow!
l don't want to see any of you here midday tomorrow.
But Doc...
No 'buts'. Work night, day, overtime, as you will...
but l've got important guests coming tomorrow.
Take it easy. lt's going to look lovely, right?
-My daughter's engagement party. -Not engaged yet.
He's just a friend!
Bill Thompson wants to take me to Disneyland.
This is no amateur TV show! To work! That's why it's not ready!
What's got into you, Juarez?
Good afternoon. ls this where the Saint is?
Duke's had tummy upsets all week.
l am not a veterinary surgeon, madam. There's no voodoo here.
We're Christians! What the hell? Unbelievable!
lt's over! Thank God, it's over.
l think it's lovely.
26 years of struggle! No, Juarez, not the parrot!
Lilinha... l forgot Lilinha!
Cidinha's coming, and Carminha, and Aurinha, and Didinha...
Couldn't do the kitchen.
Couldn't do it... give your all.
Everyone's coming.
Come. Jandira Aranha!
She's my friend.
lt'll be a marvelous party! l'm very nervous.
l haven't even slept!
American... l think it's a good catch.
l'm so excited!
This is no picnic! Come on, let's get on with it!
Dad, you know if he brought the meat cakes?
What are you doing?
Don't come out like that with workmen here.
-ls that how you taught her? -Oh, don't be such a prude!
Does she have to show up like that?
-Where can l put this? -All you do is complain!
-Give me that banana! -This banana is mine.
Give me that right now.
-That's my banana! -You're a real shit!
l would be if l was your brother.
You've a long way to go 'cos you're a thief!
l would be if l was your mother's son!
What did you do?
My God! That's awful !
l don't care if you've got a hearse or not.
One lunatic hit the other over the head with a hammer...
in the middle of my living room. lt's 6.30 and nothing's been done.
l've spoken to everyone at the Police Station! The guests will...
arriv¡ng in 2 hours. l've spoken to your chief. Please, do something!
l know him. He said you'd do something.
But you must. Send the hearse over here or else...
you can start looking for another job!
Ze Roberto...
Excuse me.
Everything OK? Everything happy?
lt's lovely to see you. l'm really happy!
You can't imagine!
Your company deals with artificial satellites, right?
Not exactly. We make relays for telecommunications.
Ah, very interesting!
Without relays the satellite can't get up.
Turns into an old shit satellite. lt's very important.
Don't you think the future of man depends on electronics?
lndonesia, lndia, Pakistan...
all countries have got satellites now.
lt's a sort of... Global Village.
A Global Village!
You send television waves... ...waves... TV to the sky...
TV waves go to the sky...
jump from satellite to satellite. Send the waves back to earth.
So everyone can communicate.
Sort of international, universal communication.
-Good for the football, eh? -You said it!
Pele playing for New York Cosmos... Goal in Copacabana!
Give me the ice bucket!
lmagine this is a satellite. You are Mato Grosso...
You are Rondonia... You are Goias and you are the negroes...
and the satellite goes round, joining everything...
sending television waves, video-tapes...
Around, around, around...