Madame Sata (2002/2003)
Cultures, other than the purely
white, American, European- bred one into which I was
born, have often been unfathomable to me. Watching
people of other cultures, from other countries, act
out in ways that seems basic or animalistic often
leaves me frustrated, angry, frightened and reacting
in a racist way. "Madame Sata" had this effect on
me as well. These were characters so different than
myself that I could in no way comprehend them. This
feeling never diminished as the film continued.
The film introduces its main character
in a typical way. We see a disheveled and beaten black
man while an off-screen voice, presumably an officer
of the court, describes him in unsavory terms. The
final words of this would-be introducer mouth let
us know that the story is taking place in Brazil in
1932. No real information about the main character
is given and we have no idea why a motion picture
might be based on such a person, only the nagging
notion that the official who has told us of the man's
"crimes" is reaffirming the bigotry and homophobia
of the time period.
We learn more about the main character
of Joao Francisco dos Santos, who is never called
Madame Sata in the film (until the ending narration).
He lives with a woman and a screaming fairy manservant.
He treats both of these people like dirt or worse.
(In more quiet moments, Joao is himself a manservant
to a female singer in a high class nightclub). He
frequents a neighborhood bar. He has a randy, rough,
homosexual encounter with a young Italian coke addict
in a men's room. The Italian is interested but Joao
only flirts with him and then rebuffs him.
Joao's life becomes more and more
exposed to us and as the plot continues, many incidents
shape its course. Desperate for money, Joao and his
girlish manservant play whores but then con "customers"
and rob them without ever providing a real sexual
service. It is a long time, nearly the climax of the
film, before Joao dons female garb and enters the
stage becoming an underground celebrity.
As a "gay" story, the film is a
horribly homophobic mess. The main character is bisexual
but he acts out in ugly and aggressive ways to his
male and female lovers. He's as vile towards women
as he is to men. As a thief, a hustler, and a pimp,
most of his behavior seems crude. It's not easy to
like him. There are a couple of other portrayals of
gay men but the most prominent one, the manservant,
is one of the most flitty, giddy and disgusting characters
to be portrayed by a black actor since Antonio Fargas
appeared in "Car Wash." This is not a pleasant film.
Not much in the film, in fact, seems
"new" at all. The struggle that Joao undergoes is
no worse nor better than the struggles that occurred
in other parts of the world. The filmmaker and script-writer
here gives us nothing to go upon to help us understand
or forgive Joao. His speech about acceptance at the
film's climactic ending is nothing that we have not
heard a million times before. Nothing about him is
brave, interesting or exceptional. Other than the
time setting and the locale, this story has already
been told many times over. The only thing that makes
it seem "new" is the fact that these are primarily
South American characters and we are still in the
dark ages of acceptance and open sexuality. Still,
the historical significance of the story seems lost
on me, a white American living in 2003.
So, in fact, I can see little reason
for the film "Madame Sata" to exist. The main character
is an ugly creature all through the film, including
his actions once he is allowed to express himself
as a "woman" and as a homosexual. Perhaps in the context
of the time and locale, his actions are understandable,
but that certainly doesn't make them any more interesting
or watchable.
The closing scroll suggests that
Madame Sata was a huge star of several "Carnivales"
in Brazil as time went on. All we see here, however,
is the gutter from which he pulled himself up. It
isn't a pretty sight.
Note:
In Portuguese with subtitles.
Josephine Baker is shown in pictures
and mentioned.
The film has won several awards
at film festivals.
Released in 2002 abroad, the film
appeared in January 2003 at Sundance before embarking
on an arthouse tour during the summer of that year.
Viewed at a press sneak at the Dobie
Theater in Austin in October 2003.
