Four Days in September (1997)

Brazillian urban guerrilla fighters kidnap the American Ambassador. Now, the diplomat's life hangs in the balance - helplessly caught between a government unwilling to cooperate - and his fear of the captors themselves.

Director:

Bruno Barreto

Writers:

Fernando Gabeira (novel), Leopoldo Serran

Stars:

Alan Arkin, Pedro Cardoso, Fernanda Torres

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 6 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Alan Arkin	...	Charles Burke Elbrick
Fernanda Torres	...	Maria
Pedro Cardoso	...	Fernando Gabeira / Paulo
Luiz Fernando Guimarães	...	Marcão
Cláudia Abreu	...	Reneé
Nelson Dantas	...	Toledo
Matheus Nachtergaele	...	Jonas
Marco Ricca	...	Henrique
Maurício Gonçalves	...	Brandão
Caio Junqueira	...	Julio
Selton Mello	...	Oswaldo
Eduardo Moscovis	...	Artur
Caroline Kava	...	Elvira Elbrick
Fisher Stevens	...	Mowinkel
Fernanda Montenegro	...	Dona Margarida

Storyline

Fernando, a journalist, and his friend César join terrorist group MR8 in order to fight Brazilian dictatorial regime during the late sixties. Cesare, however, is wounded and captured during a bank hold up. Fernando then decides to kidnap the American ambassador in Brazil and ask for the release of fifteen political prisoners in exchange for his life.

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Plot Keywords:

democracy | military dictatorship | oppression | operation condor | brazilian military dictatorship | 

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Taglines:

Their goal: freedom. Their only hope: an international incident. Their target: the American ambassador.

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Genres:

Action | Drama | History | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for some language and violence

Did You Know?

Trivia

The film cast includes two Oscar winners: Alan Arkin and Fisher Stevens; and one Oscar nominee: Fernanda Montenegro.

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Goofs

(at around 1h 16 mins) Shortly before 8:30 PM on the final day, late in the countdown to 10:00 PM, Maria's watch clearly shows the hands at approximately 9:32.

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Quotes

[about Maria, the leader of MR-8]
Fernando Gabeira: She either wants to fuck me or fuck me over.

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Connections

Featured in 1964: O Brasil Entre Armas e Livros (2019)

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Soundtracks

Madalena foi pro mar
Written by Chico Buarque

User Reviews

Thank my lucky horseshoe

The year is 1969. Brazil is under a brutal military dictatorship. Political prisoners are being held and tortured. In order to get the junta to free some of their comrades, a group of ragtag "revolutionaries" kidnap the U.S. Ambassabor and threaten his life unless their demands are met.

Well-written and tense, the film ably demonstrates the flaws of people trying to fight fire with fire: "an eye for and eye". Alan Arkin is wonderful as the ambassador. His character gives incisive psychological sketches of his kidnappers: fervent and brooding; yearning and lost.

Fernanda Torres and Pedro Cardoso are marvelous as comrades who become lovers by their admittance of how really scared they are.

My subject line refers to a line in the script that aptly describes the bending of the political spectrum at its ends. I'm glad I found this movie.

Details

Official Sites:

Miramax

Country:

Brazil USA

Language:

Portuguese English

Release Date:

30 January 1998 (USA)

Also Known As:

Four Days in September

Filming Locations:

Ponto Filmes, Rio de Janeiro, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$32,017, 1 February 1998

Gross USA:

$397,517

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$397,517

Company Credits

Production Co:

Columbia Pictures Television Trading Company, Filmes do Equador, Luiz Carlos Barreto Produções Cinematográficas

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1