AllMovie

Based on the 19th-century novel by Machado de Assis, this experimental film combines at least two realities at once -- the literary and the cinematic. In this case, characters from the novel are mixed on different levels with director Julio Bressane's own experience to produce an amusing, substantive commentary on Rio de Janeiro and its society. The end product also says a lot about the nature of filmmaking and will be especially enjoyed by aficionados of that art.