Search - Four Days in September on DVD

A repressive regime. Idealism. And harsh realities.

Linda Linguvic | New York City | 11/30/2002

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Based on a memoir of one of the participants in the kidnap of the American Ambassador in Brazil in 1969, this is a thought provoking film. We all remember the idealism of the times and the student protests around the globe. Most of it was aimed at governments, which needed reform, but were never the ogres that the protesters claimed they were. In Brazil, however, it was different. A military junta had just toppled a democratically elected government. All civil rights had been suspended and terror reigned.A small group of radical students became revolutionaries. Clearly they were over their heads with their dreams of freedom. A bungled bank robbery caused one of the students to be tortured and imprisoned. Something drastic had to be done. Several hard-boiled older radicals came to assist them and the plan for the kidnap was hatched. How it played out is the brought to the screen by Bruno Baretto, as all the participants from the student dreamer played by Pedro Cardoso, to the strong minded woman who saw herself as a revolutionary, played by Fernanda Torres, are shown to be both dangerous and naïve. Alan Arkin is cast as the ambassador and some of the scenes between him and his captors are masterpieces of subtlety and realism. We see many sides of the problem, including the side of the young policeman who has nightmares because his job forces him to torture prisoners.Instead of making judgment, the film lets the audience experience the realities of the situation, which exacerbates the harshness of the government. The emotional tenseness never ceases and the audience is drawn into the drama. As an epilogue it jumps to a later time, when the original radicals, now older and wiser are freed in a prisoner exchange. As the camera pans their faces, we see how they have changed.The film sets us down in a time and place that is gone now. Times have changed and so have the methods of idealists. There is something to learn, however, from this lesson in history. It is well crafted, brilliantly directed and the actors are superb. No wonder it was nominated for an academy award. Highly recommended."

US installed dictatorship vears out of control...

Charlie W. | Northern California | 09/26/2005

(4 out of 5 stars)

"In March of 1964, democratically elected Joao Goulart was kicked from office by a right wing military movement, mentored and financed in the US. President Johnson had some US Navy ships at the ready to support the Brazilian generals if necessary, all this in the context of fear of comunism taking root in South America's largest country - the old story of the dominoes theory run wild. The Brazilian junta proved so brutal that students and intelectuals started resisting and doing the unheard of, at the time: Kidnapping ambassadors and consuls of powerful nations (US, Japan, Switzerland, Germany) and exchanging them for political prisoners that were being tortured and killed by the military. Brazil would not dare show its torture chambers or even admit to the practice much less accept international inspections to its jails - as a result the junta would simply give in and release lots of priosioners that would otherwise likely perish. Some of the release are now in government: President Luiz Inacio Lula, former Chief of Staff Jose Dirceu, former President Fernando Henrique Cardoso and many others. After 21 disgraceful years in power, the last general, Joao Batista Figueredo allowed indirect elections - 1985 was the year.The film does an excellent job showing the incredible conditions of those days. Alan Arkin is great!"