Tags

, , , , , , , ,

A musical biopic of the iconic First Lady of Argentina, Evita is a well mounted movie it must be said . It’s mixed in places and a tad choppy, but the sheer star power of Madonna and the cast , plus some terrific music, make it quite the experience. 

The film opens with the announcement of the death of Eva Perón(Madonna), leading to immense mourning throughout Argentina and a lavish funeral. We flashback to her childhood in which she is refused entry at her father’s funeral because she is illegitimate and poor. Fast forward and Eva is a late teenager with dreams of the big city. She latches onto tango singer Agustin Magaldi (Jimmy Nail) and travels to Buenos Aires. There Eva exercises her charisma and know how to attract powerful man who can help her up the ladder of success . This leads to success as a model, popular radio personality and actress. She eventually catches the eye of Colonel  Juan Perón( Jonathan Pryce), and they begin a relationship. Eva’s image helps  Perón as his popularity with most in politics rises. When he is arrested by the administration as they don’t like the idea of him in power, Eva uses her considerable popularity with the public and radio to create a groundswell of support for his release. When this happens , Perón and Eva campaign for presidency as well as tie the knot. The popularity they create leads them straight into presidency and they become a powerful couple as President and First Lady. Eva becomes a stylish champion for the poor and women’s rights, but not everyone is quite as taken with this ambitious woman as it initially seems . As her popularity rises, political turmoil, opposition from the upper class and questions over her seemingly philanthropic conduct are all raging around her. All of these events transpire to turn Eva into an international icon before and after her untimely death. The main story of Eva’s rise to the top is narrated by Che(Antonio Banderas), who pops up in various guises throughout her life and watches her with both varying levels of admiration, uncertainty and contempt.

Alan Parker provides both an energy and sadness to Evita, showing off his considerable skills . And though some parts of the overall picture don’t work , Parker sure knows how to stage a saga and make it dramatic. Once you get used to the fact that the majority of the film is sung, you get the overall picture . Many musical numbers standout thanks to the execution of them. The full throttle spirit of “Buenos Aires” is infectious, which segues into the more sombre “Another Suitcase in Another Hall” . “Goodnight and Thank You” , which is a tongue in cheek nod to climbing the ladder with whatever you have, is an amusing and sharp number. The pining and lush I’d Be Surprisingly Good For You  sets the scene as Eva seduces Perón who falls hook, line and sinker for her considerable charms. The two big ones that stand out are “Don’t Cry For Me Argentina” and the tear inducing finale of “You Must Love Me.” Both show off Madonna’s range and provide a lot of the dramatic crux of the film, from the growing triumph of the former to the mournful latter.  Even though the cohesion can be a bit confusing in terms of timeline and sometimes the depth isn’t there, Evita succeeds in term of scale and panache.  The cinematography has a certain lush sepia glow to it that fits in with the setting of this movie . And as is befitting of a film involving stylish characters, the costume design is of the highest order. Our leading lady goes through an array of dazzling costumes that are undeniably gorgeous. 

The cast is what really makes Evita it has to be said. Pop superstar Madonna may have been a controversial choice of leading lady, but this is the best she has ever been onscreen . Showing the true strength of her vocal ability( she undertook extensive training to expand her range), she shines as the shrewd and ambitious First Lady. Going from a dreamy eyed girl to charismatic climber into power, followed by tragic figure, Madonna doesn’t miss a beat and truly gets across both an energy and emotional nature that’s rather moving. If you ever had any doubts about Madonna as an actress( it has to be said she’s starred in some really bad films and often hasn’t been too good in them either), then Evita should make you reassess that idea as she’s simply sensational in her best cinematic outing. Equally as compelling and possessing a simply smouldering presence is the fantastic Antonio Banderas. Acting as our narrator, he manages to be witty, snarling, charming and engaging throughout. And he certainly has a powerful set of lungs on him too, putting them on fantastic display as our eyes and ears in Eva’s journey. Jonathan Pryce, despite having the role that doesn’t have much for him to work with, still manages to convince as the President with a sense of authority and ambition permeating every time he appears. Jimmy Nail has a brief role but makes the most it off, especially in showing off his vocals. 

So while not the most flawless musical out there, Evita still provides rousing music, fine cast (in particular Madonna and Antonio Banderas) and a glossy look at an unforgettable icon. It’s quite an experience I must say and shows that even though the pre production rambles rumbled for years, the results of the eventual film where largely successful in what they set out to do.  And it shows Madonna at her best in terms of acting and vocals , proving people wrong who doubted her casting in the first place.