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Black Orpheus

Orfeu Negro

1959

Marcel Camus

Breno Mello, Marpessa Dawn, Lourdes de Oliveira, Jorge dos Santos ...

6.8

2,318

Drama. Romance Academy Award Winner and winner of the palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival, Marcel Camus' Black Orpheus retells the Greek myth of Orpheus and Eurydice against the madness of Carnival in Rio de Janeiro. With its magnificent color photography and lively soundtrack, this film brought the infectious bossa nova beat to the United States.

	Author	Review
United States	Variety	"Pic is somewhat cerebral, being mainly helped by the fresh playing of the cast, especially Yank actress Dawn. Color is excellent, and director Marcel Camus gives this movement."	POS
United States	Keith Phipps AV Club	"Camus gets it right, presenting a song and sun-drenched vision of life so beautiful that death seems unthinkable."	POS
United States	Bosley Crowther The New York Times	"An arbitrary fable of love foiled in the midst of gaiety, not very well played by its main performers and therefore lacking in real emotional punch"	NEG
United Kingdom	David Parkinson Empire	"A treat for the eyes and ears, this translation of the Orpheus myth to the Rio Carnival wisely reins in the symbolism in favour of good old-fashioned musical melodrama (…) Rating: ★★★★ (out of 5)"	POS
United Kingdom	Tom Dawson BBC	"Despite the wonderful bossa nova soundtrack and the vibrant performances of the non-professional cast, there's more spectacle here than substance (…) Rating: ★★★ (out of 5)"	NEU
United States	Eli Kooris Austin Chronicle	"Bossa nova and a wonderful spin on a timeless Greek tragedy make 'Black Orpheus' a keeper."	POS
United States	Michael Wilmington Chicago Tribune	"Glorious travelogue, vibrant musical and heart-rending romance"	POS
United States	Dave Kehr Chicago Reader	"This sort of thing was considered high art not so long ago; now it seems forced and ponderously symbolic."	NEU

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