Four Days in September (1997)

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... See full summary »

Director:

Bruno Barreto

Writers:

Fernando Gabeira (novel), Leopoldo Serran

Stars:

Alan Arkin, Pedro Cardoso, Fernanda Torres

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 2 wins & 3 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:

friend | bank | brazilian | prisoner | political prisoner | 

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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

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, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$310,724, 22 February 1998

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

Did You Know?

Trivia

Caio Junqueira, Fernanda Montenegro and Matheus Nachtergaele were reunited in Central Station (1998), a film which also received an Oscar nomination as Best Foreign Language Film just like this one.

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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

References Black God, White Devil (1964)

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Soundtracks

Intermezzo sinfonico
from "Cavalleria rusticana"
Music by Pietro Mascagni

User Reviews

A new Era

After the dark era of the 1980s - when the only movies being produced locally were, to put it mildly, very erotic - the Brazilian Movie Industry struggled to regain international credibility. And, while "Carlota Joaquina" and "O Quatrilho" clearly paved the way, this is (in my opinion) the production that put Brazil back on the charts. Based on a true story, "O que É isso, Companheiro?" is brought to life by actors who are probably the best performers of the currently generation, and earned an Academy Award Nomination for Best Foreign Language Film. The most amazing aspect of this movie, however, goes unknown by international audiences: two of its main actors (Pedro Cardoso and Luiz Fernando Guimarães) achieved success, in Brazil, through their work as comedians.