Download - Old Man Who Read Love Stories
The Old Man Who Read Love StoriesRolf de Heer (2001)
The storyThe film is set in post-colonial South
America, in a village on the banks of a tributary of the Amazon – El Idilio
After living in the jungle for many years, Antonio Bolivar returns to the village. He learns to read and is given books by Josefina. A poacher hunts and kills jaguar cubs, and the jaguar seeks revenge on man. Antonio is convinced he must kill the jaguar. He goes out into the jungle, hunts the jaguar and kills it.
Key CharactersAntonio Bolivar (‘old man’)Rubicondo (the dentist)JosefinaLouis Agalla (the mayor) (‘slimy t
oad’)Nushino
Antonio Bolivar(Richard Dreyfuss)First came to South America as a
Spanish colonistBrought his wife, Delores. She died of a
fever after only 2 years in the jungle.After being poisoned by a snakebite in
the jungle, he is rescued by the Shuar people. He lives with them for forty years.
He is learning to read through love stories
Antonio Bolivar - characterisationHis hut straddles the divide between
the village and the jungle.◦He is the bridge between civilisation and
savageryHe is referred to as ‘old man’ – he is
respected for the length of time he has managed to survive in the jungle
He wears light coloured clothes and no shoes – representing his harmony with the jungle
Antonio Bolivar - characterisationDe Heer shows that he is patient,
cool, considered.◦He reflects on his reading – trying to
seek the meaning◦He is patient when speaking to the
mayor about the death of the prospector Solinas - he doesn’t get angry with his ignorance
◦His memories help us to unlock his search for redemption.
Characters
Rubicondo(Hugo Weaving)Is the travelling dentist – he journeys
throughout the area to each settlement to provide the settlers with dental care
He is a shameless womaniserHe becomes stuck in El Idilio for the
rainy season after being caught having sex with another man’s wife
Shamelessly critiques the establishment – eg. ‘those bloodsuckers from the government’
Rubicondo - CharacterisationChair is set up on the pier –
emphases his nomadic life – he doesn’t have ‘rooms’ to see his patients
At Antonio’s hut, he is shot leaning in through the open window – he is Antonio’s connection to a wider world
Dresses in pastels – emphasising the vibrancy of his character as a flamboyant ladies’ man.
Characters
Josefina(Cathy Tyson)Josefina is the Mayor’s domestic
servantShe is willing to sell sex for
moneyShe gives Antonio the love
stories after Rubicondo convinces him that he shouldn’t read the bible
She leaves the service of the Mayor to live with Antonio in his hut
Josefina - characterisationHer hair is worn tied back,
however, you can see that if it were loose it would be wild and frizzy. This represents her personality – being held back, restrained.
Wears long skirts, tops – not necessarily revealing – you don’t see her as ‘easy’
Often shot to the left of the frame or in close-up – it is through her that Antonio builds his understandings of his life.
Characters
The Mayor(Timothy Spall)Also referred to as ‘His Excellency’
and ‘slimy toad’Is the mayor of El IdilioCorrupt – as shown during the electionBelieves himself to be better than the
others because he is educatedIs overbearing and disrespectful to the
people in the townPhysically abuses his wife
Mayor - characterisationDress is untidy, he is always
sweaty and his shirt is open. Unshaven.◦Relaxed about his appearance and
appears ‘wild’◦Although he claims to be civilised, in
a city his appearance would be considered poor
Use of boots to show that he is not attempting to embrace his environment, rather wants to control it.
Characters
NushinoIs the leader of the Shuar peopleTeaches Antonio how to live in
the jungle as ‘the Gods have accepted you, Antonio Bolivar’.
Acts as Antonio’s guide – and conscience
Used in flashbacks to tell the story of Antonio’s life in the jungle
The shooting of the gringo that shot him leads to Antonio’s quest for redemption
Nushino - characterisationWalks upright through the jungle – implies
he is noble, upstanding, knows his place in his environment
Often shot in close up – emphasising his significance in Antonio’s life.
Eyes wide open, often staring – he can see the ‘truth’ of the world
Dress for all Shuar is the same, including haircuts – emphasising the unity of their tribe. Their loincloths are clean and bright red – they are at one with the jungle.
Characters
SettingThe film is set in South America, in the
jungleSettlement at El Idilio appears shabby
and rundown – in contrast to the lush expanses in the jungle◦The jungle appears to be ‘rotting’ the village
so that the settlement will disappear and it can take over
The land around Antonio’s hut is not cleared – the jungle hugs his home – his building appears to fit within the environment
The JungleThe jungle is used not just as a setting
but as a lens through which we can view the film
The jungle represents the wild, untamed side of nature. This links clearly with the Jaguar.
The Shuar appear to fit well within the jungle – they are able to survive and heal Antonio from snakebite without needing modern medical technology
The JungleIn contrast to the Shuar, the white
settlers and their town do not ‘fit’ with the land◦They cut away branches with machetes
rather than moving them aside◦They carry guns to hunt the jaguar rather
than using the natural weapons the jungle could provide
◦Whilst walking through the Jungle, the displacement of the white settlers is well represented through the actions of the mayor
The JaguarThe film uses magic realism to humanise
or ‘anthropomorphise’ the jaguar◦she longs for her babies◦She gets Antonio to put her mate out of its
misery and cries out in pain at its death◦She seeks revenge on the ‘gringo’ who
murdered her babies – ‘grief-crazed’The Jaguar is the champion of the
environment, fighting against the poachers and prospectors who are destroying the beauty of the jungle
Central ThemesBarbarity of manFear and CourageLove and BeautyGuilt and Redemption
Barbarity of manAlthough set in the ‘civilised’ village
of El Idilio, the film highlights the inherently barbarous nature of men.
Antonio states that he reads to “escape the barbarity of man”
De Heer questions what makes one civilised?◦Is it because people can build and erect
cities?◦Is it because they are educated?
Barbarity of manConnects to the setting – the nature
of the jungle in contrast to the village◦South American settlement in the
Amazon – de Heer explores the nature of settlement and colonialism
All characters in the film have the potential to be barbaric – even the Shuar kill the sloth – however, it is their quest to move beyond this that sets some characters apart.
Fear and CourageCourage is required to defeat the JaguarThe Shuar value courage and shrink heads
in order to gain it from their adversariesGuns and other unnatural weaponry are
seen as representative of fear – they do not require the adversaries to meet on equal terms
The mayor represents the fear that white men have fallen into – he is afraid even of the dark and fires randomly into the night, spoiling the hunt
Fear and CourageAntonio must step out from
behind the gun in order to regain his courage and thus atone for his failures towards Nushino
When hunting the jaguar, Antonio lies waiting on the jungle floor for her, and ultimately kills her with the blowpipe – it is this act that requires true courage.
Love and BeautyThe jungle is used to signify the
natural beauty of the environment, it appears lush and vibrant
Antonio’s previous relationships have been hollow – his marriage with Delores was one of obligation and his interactions with the Shuar woman are without passion as they don’t kiss
Love and BeautyBeauty is ultimately seen as accepting
and embracing what things are◦After this, love will follow
Shown through Josefina – her beauty is wild, untamed. Antonio does not seek to control it and is therefore rewarded with her love.
Antonio remarks that the words in the love stories are beautiful – it is this quest to find beauty in the mundane that sets him apart.
Guilt and RedemptionAntonio’s guilt for failing Nushino is
central to his choice to hunt the jaguar◦He feels that he must redeem himself for
failing to ‘capture the courage’ of the gringo who killed Nushino
This guilt sets Antonio apart from other characters and suggests that, morally, he lives outside of the societies he inhabits◦Rubicondo shows no guilt after being
caught with a married woman
Guilt and Redemption◦The mayor shows no remorse after
falsely accusing the Shuar of murder after they bring him the body of the Jaguar’s first victim
◦The mayor also apparently feels no remorse for his ill-treatment of the women in his life, including abusing his wife
◦The townspeople laugh shamelessly at others’ misfortune and are gleeful when someone must have their teeth pulled by Rubicondo.
StructureThe film begins and ends with
Josefina reading◦Initially, she is narrating Antonio’s
story but exists outside of it – she is not yet part of his life
◦In the end, she is inside Antonio’s hut, sharing the story with him. Their life and their love is complete – ‘happily ever after’.
StructureThe film uses flashbacks to help us
understand Antonio’s quest◦Flashbacks are predominantly illustrating
Antonio’s life with the Shuar and his interactions with Josefina
Antonio’s fall from grace in the eyes of the Shuar is emphasised at the same time as Josefina’s growing estimation of him◦ Illustrates the dual need for redemption –
not only to atone for Nushino but also to show that he is worthy of Josefina’s love
MotifsLooking glass
◦Represents the clarity with which he sees life
◦Highlights the way the stories are helping him to gain insight on the nature of life and love
Blowpipe◦Connects to nature – what nature provides is
the best for the jobDentistry
◦Illustrates the moral decay of El Idilio and the settlements in South America
MotifsGuns
◦Used throughout the film to represent western settlement and ideals
◦Destructive nature of guns is highlighted by the killing of Alkaselter’s mule
Reading and Responding: SAC41-50 marks:A highly-developed and well-sustained
interpretation of a selected text supported by the considered selection and use of highly appropriate textual evidence. Thorough and insightful understanding of the ideas, characters and themes constructed and presented in the selected text. Complex discussion and critical analysis of the ways in which the author constructs meaning and expresses or implies a point of view and values. Highly appropriate use of relevant metalanguage to support analysis. Highly expressive, fluent and coherent writing
The CriteriaA highly-developed and well-
sustained interpretation of a selected text supported by the considered selection and use of highly appropriate textual evidence.◦Have you thought about multiple
interpretations of the question?◦Have you got a central idea in your
response?◦Are you including relevant evidence -
and a variety of it?
The CriteriaThorough and insightful
understanding of the ideas, characters and themes constructed and presented in the selected text.◦Are you considering all of these
elements, or just some?◦Have you considered the characters in
an in-depth manner or do they seem one-sided?
◦Are you connecting events to central themes and ideas?
The CriteriaComplex discussion and critical
analysis of the ways in which the author constructs meaning and expresses or implies a point of view and values.◦Are you acknowledging that De Heer
is trying to say something with this movie?
◦What is De Heer trying to say?◦Link to post-colonialism and
environmentalism as springboards here.
The CriteriaHighly appropriate use of
relevant metalanguage to support analysis.◦Are you using the right terms in the
right places?Are you using a range of terms?
◦Do your terms make sense in the sentences, or have you just thrown in some ‘metalanguage’ to tick off this criteria?
The CriteriaHighly expressive, fluent and
coherent writing◦Can I easily understand what you
mean (or are you just inferring it)?◦Do your sentences flow?◦Are your paragraphs broken up
clearly and sensibly?Have you got the right structure?
◦Spelling and grammar – any big boo-boos?