Thursday, May 13, 2010
Guantanamera
There were many aspects of Hispanic culture noted in this film. One aspect that shines through many of the films we have viewed is love. The great love Georgina and Candido have is powerful. After 50 years to finally be together again. They seem so happy and then tragedy strikes. It was so sad when Gerogina died, and I think their love was so strong that Candido seemed to carry that sadness with him. He showed it many times in the film, for example when he asked the driver Tony to turn off the radio. Candido said this is not the time for celebrating. I found it interesting that Candido died at the end of the movie. Many times in America, we hear people talk of their grandparents who when one dies and the other shortly after, the say it is of a broken heart. I think many people who are so saddened by the loss of a great love loose their will to live. Another aspect of the Hispanic culture is the machismo male again. Aldofo was a character that was difficult to like. He was argumentative throughout the film. The first time we see him, he is arguing to present his idea about sharing the body. He continues to be a strong minded character, as he tells everyone what to do. He tells his wife Gina that she should not wear a beautiful dress and insults her. He later beats her in the film and she doesn't seem to show that this is unusual or the first time. I think part of the Cuban culture we see is making use of their resources. We see men on the street selling garlic, which Tony the driver buys because people in Havannah will want it. Later we see him buying bananas. Kindly he shares them with the people in the car. Aldofo doesn't seem to care about stopping for food, just sharing the body and transferring the casket form hearse to hearse. When they are getting closer to Havannah, Tony has acquired a trunk full of items to sell. The Cuban government is shown as very controlling and powerful. Adolfo must have had a higher position and them been placed as a funeral director. One lady in the film commented that it must be difficult to have the position he had an now be a funeral director. It seems that even burial is controlled by the government.
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Adolfo sure was self centered. The comment he made about Candido was horrible to the funeral director.
ReplyDeleteI thought it served him right that he finally will lose Gina, because he definitely did not deserve her.
I too did not like Adolfo's characther. From the beginning you know he is not a nice person.
ReplyDeleteThe love story of Candido and Gina's aunt was very impressive and sad. To love someone for so long and to lose them was aweful.
I did not really like Mariano either, he was a womanizer and a creep! Gina is going from the pot to the fire.
And how about the little girl that represented death.....everyone that saw her died. Adolfo gets it in the end.
I also agree Adolfo was very difficult to like. From the beginning we see he was a mean person. I am getting really tired of seeing women in these films that are treated horribly by their husbands and even beaten. I really don't know whey see left Adolfo for Mariano he was just as bad. A womanizer. Oh well doesn't seem that these women are always the brightest in these films.
ReplyDeleteGina was a very likeable and beautiful person in the movie. She had beauty, intelligence and strength. This was a very strong feminine in a latino movie. She held her own, except for the beating by her husband, Adolfo. But in the end she triumphed over everything. She got the guy, and also left the abusive husband.
ReplyDeleteHowever, I wished they would have portrayed Mariano as not just a womanizer, but a more sensitive man. Oh well, we cannot have everything????? >>>>>>Or can we??????????????????