"O Bem-Amado" (1973) TV series

Director:

Milton Gonçalves

Writer:

Dias Gomes (writer)

Seasons:

unknown

Release Date:

24 January 1973 (Brazil)

Plot Keywords:

Soap | Imaginary Town | Fictional City | Geofiction

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Paulo Gracindo	...	Odorico Paraguaçu (1 episode, 1973)
Jardel Filho	...	Juarez Leão (1 episode, 1973)
Carlos Eduardo Dolabella	...	Neco Pedreira (1 episode, 1973)
Zilka Salaberry	...	Donana Medrado (1 episode, 1973)
Maria Cláudia	...	Adalgisa Portela (1 episode, 1973)
Emiliano Queiroz	...	Dirceu Borboleta (1 episode, 1973)
Dorinha Duval	...	Dulcinéa Cajazeira (1 episode, 1973)
Gracindo Júnior	...	Jairo Portela (1 episode, 1973)
Dirce Migliaccio	...	Judicéa Cajazeira (1 episode, 1973)
João Paulo Adour	...	Cecéu Paraguaçu (1 episode, 1973)
Ruth de Souza	...	Chiquinha do Parto (1 episode, 1973)
Milton Gonçalves	...	Zelão das Asas (1 episode, 1973)
Ana Ariel	...	Zora Paraguaçu (1 episode, 1973)
Arnaldo Weiss	...	Libório (1 episode, 1973)
Ida Gomes	...	Dorotéa Cajazeira (1 episode, 1973)
Rogério Fróes	...	Vigário (1 episode, 1973)
Antonio Ganzarolli	...	Chico Moleza (1 episode, 1973)
Angelito Mello	...	Mestre Ambrósio (1 episode, 1973)
Apolo Correia	...	Mestre Sabiá (1 episode, 1973)
Juan Daniel	...	Pepito (1 episode, 1973)
Wilson Aguiar	...	Nezinho do Jegue (1 episode, 1973)
Ferreira Leite	...	Joca Medrado (1 episode, 1973)
Nanai	...	Demerval Barbeiro (1 episode, 1973)
Dilma Lóes	...	Anita Medrado (1 episode, 1973)
Sandra Bréa	...	Telma Paraguaçu (1 episode, 1973)
Lima Duarte	...	Zeca Diabo (1 episode, 1973)
Álvaro Aguiar	...	Hilário Cajazeira (1 episode, 1973)
Marta Anderson		(1 episode, 1973)
Suzy Arruda	...	Florzinha (1 episode, 1973)
João Carlos Barroso	...	Eustórgio (1 episode, 1973)
Jorge Botelho	...	Nadinho (1 episode, 1973)
Jorge Cândido	...	Doorman (1 episode, 1973)
Júlio César		(1 episode, 1973)
Isolda Cresta	...	Nancy (1 episode, 1973)
Alciro Cunha		(1 episode, 1973)
Rafael de Carvalho	...	Emiliano Medrado (1 episode, 1973)
Guiomar Gonçalves	...	Maria da Penha (1 episode, 1973)
Urbano Lóes		(1 episode, 1973)
Lutero Luiz	...	Lulu Gouveia (1 episode, 1973)
Lídia Mattos		(1 episode, 1973)
Augusto Olímpio	...	Cabo Ananias (1 episode, 1973)
Mário Petráglia		(1 episode, 1973)
Nair Prestes		(1 episode, 1973)
Paulo Ramos		(1 episode, 1973)
Margarida Rey	...	Zeca Diabo's sister (1 episode, 1973)
André Valli	...	Ernesto (1 episode, 1973)

Country:

Brazil

Language:

Portuguese

Color:

Color

Company:

Rede Globo de Televisão

Movie Connections:

Followed by "O Bem-Amado" (1980)

Dias Gomes' first masterpiece. The Citizen Kane of soap operas.

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

20 stars wouldn't be enough to rate this piece of work which is much more than just a soap opera. Written by late and acclaimed theater drama writer Dias Gomes, the plot, full of his usual political criticism, is about Odorico Paraguaçu, a very corrupted mayor in the small town of Sucupira, who tries, in vain, open the city cemetery for the public. Odorico attempts to get political revenue with such a "great" monument. Meanwhile, he, the well beloved himself, has a triple affair with the Cajazeira sisters, three old maids who pretend to be straight to rest of the citizens. The other protagonist is Zeca Diabo, an ex-cangaceiro, Lampião-like bandit, who returns to his home town to redeem himself from all the sins and crimes of the past.

For a long length series, O Bem Amado had a very agile, fast, action-packed script. There were almost no stops. Regis Cardoso's direction was really superb. The cast, led by late Paulo Gracindo (Odorico) and Lima Duarte (Zeca Diabo), was really all-star. I tell foreigners would think this series to be at least, intriguing. Specially because it has been made during the worst years of the 1964-85 Brazilian military dictatorship. It even has its own view on the Watergate scandal, that makes Zeca Diabo mad with Odorico...I'm not spoiling everything.

As various Globo TV soap operas, The Well Beloved has been exported to many countries all over the world, and I assume it has also been a major hit like the excellent A Escrava Isaura.