The Economics Section - Page A6
December 26, 1996 EVITA - A LACK-LUSTER PROPAGANDA FILM
by Willam Heartstone, The Daily Republican Newspaper
The film 'Evita' is at best a rusted-out propaganda shell of Juan Peron's anti-American Fascist dictatorship in Argentina, an allly of Adolh Hitler.
The death of Evita in 1952, complete failure of Fascist Peronista Economics (building up industrial capacity at expense of agriculture and food production) increasing labor unrest, and his excommunication by the Roman Catholic church further weakened Perón's government, and on September 19, 1955 he was ousted by the military.
Maria Eva Duarte (1919-52), was a second wife of Juan Domingo Perón. Born in Los Toldos, Eva began an acting career at the age of 15. She met Perón in 1944, when she was a successful radio soap opera actor, and was married to him in 1945.
After his inauguration as president (1946), she began to plan an active role in Fascist politics, became his liaison with labor. She then created a state sponsored Eva Perón Foundation for the stated purpose of obtaining government money for social welfare hand-outs.
She used the Foundation to organize the women's branch of the Fascist Peronista party. By 1949, Eva, or 'Evita' as she was affectionately known to the uneducated welfare recipients, was the second most influential figure in Argentina and co-leader of the farm workers, the mainstay of her husband's support.
Worshiped by her welfare followers and hated by those who were taxed to pay for the welfare programs, she tried to obtain nomination as the vice-president in 1951 but was blocked by the military.
The new film 'Evita is swept along by slick propaganda film techniques perfected in Nazi Germany in the 1930's. There is pulsing music and powerful images dramatically presented for the sole purpose of pushing the viewing audience into embracing the movie's themes.
However, the hollowness of that theme begins to make the viewers feel empty. For example, there is an impression of a sense of pageantry that is flat and just for show.
Andrew Lloyd Webber's music, with lyrics by Tim Rice help to carry a film that would otherwise have the audience walking out mid-way through the fist hour. So, the impassioned music and lyrics adds a dimension that thrills the theater audiences.
That has been the story for the past twenty years. On and off-broadway stage productions of 'Evita' have been 'cinematic' in the whimsical treatment of historical Fascism swirling around the 'heroine' as she climbs from illegitimate outcast to the pinnacle of Argentine Fascist dictator power and then, descends through corruption, illness and death.
On the movie screen, director Alan Parker, glosses over the cruelty and inhumane events of the suppressive Peron government.
Parker and Oliver Stone, have used the device of a narrator named Che (Antonio Banderas).
The film uses a series of stagey episodes to display the events in the story. This technique used in a film makes the audience think efforts are being made to manipulate their thinking process. For example, when the Argentine army mounts a coup, Parker & Stone show the army. When the narrative calls for an earthquake, insurrection or state funeral, the film then shows an earthquake.
Madonna seems believable as 'Evita', at least for a few minutes at the start of the film. She's ambitious, spunky, stage-struck. She loves the bright lights of Buenos Aires.
The Evita role places Madonna in Peron's bedroom where she discovers Peron's teenage mistress in his bed. Evita, moves into action, and yells "Hello and goodbye, I just unemployed you!"
Jonathan Pryce who plays the Fascist dictator is passive. His leadership qualities are practically nil and his sex life with Evita is nonexistent.
As Evita begins to enjoy the extravagant life of an aristocrat, her tastes change, along with her wardrobe.
Soon after the opening scene in the film, it becomes apparent to everyone in the theater audience that Madonna hasn't had a single musical moment that goes beyond artificial amplification. But, the score of the film requires a strong actress and a strong voice. Madonna doesn't have any voce. She doesn't have the energy.
Without strength, the premise of the story, that Evita was the strong mastermind of Peron's government, falls flat. By the time this dawns on the audience, they also want to know but are never told:
- (1)What was the Peronista Economics justification for Peron's rise to power?
- (2)Who really is Che and why does he pop-up in the guise of a reporter, janitor, guerrilla fighter and, several times, a waiter?
- (3)Why is Evita stripped of emotional connections?
The Parker-Stone film is so full of muddled indistinct, dull, and numbing propaganda images that their film becomes an inept and laughable politically confused waste of time.