Dona Flor And Her Two Husbands
“Dona Flor and Her Two Husbands is an intoxicating carnival of a movie, full of bright colors, noisy parties, home cooking, balmy Bahia atmosphere, pulsing Brazilian music (Chico Buarque's theme song has become a disco staple), and steamy soft-core sex. The story, a kind of updated ribald folktale based on Jorge Amado's novel, concerns a young widow whose first husband is seen dropping dead of dissipation when the film begins. In flashback, we learn that he gambled incessantly, whore-mongered, downed rum by the quart, beat his wife, stole her money - and was dynamite in bed. Remarrying, Dona Flor gets the respectable, considerate husband she's always yearned for, but, much to her horror, she finds her neglected libido calling husband #1 back from the grave in all his priapic splendor. As Dona Flor, Sonia Braga combines a sensual physique with an exciting screen presence that several critics found unmatched since the early days of Sophia Loren. The heady hedonism and blithe spirits of Dona Flor have made it the most successful film in Brazilian history, both at home, where it outgrossed Jaws and Star Wars combined, and abroad, where it is eclipsing the track record set by Black Orpheus.”