Themes: Rise To Power, Heads of State, Social Climbing
Main Cast: Madonna, Antonio Banderas, Jonathan Pryce, Jimmy Nail
Release Year: 1996
Country: US
Run Time: 134 minutes
MPAA Rating: PG
Plot
Evita is based on the musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. Actually, the film is more of an opera, with only short moments devoted to dialogue. "Evita" is the friendly, family version of the proper name "Eva," and this film tells the story of Eva Peron (1921-52), a woman whose name evokes powerful feelings in her native Argentina. Throughout this film, as in the musical, the story is explained and commented on by a character known as "Che," played here by Antonio Banderas. The film begins with the news of Evita's death, and then turns to a much earlier scene at her father's funeral. Eva (Madonna) was an illegitimate child (one of many) of a rural landowner and her seamstress mother. Hers is not a wealthy childhood by any means, and she is constantly discriminated against because of her lowly birth. She is refused admission to her father's funeral for this reason. This scene is contrasted with her own funeral, a spectacular affair, not different from the funeral of a beloved head of state. Eva Peron leaves her village at age 15, in the arms her lover Agustin Magaldi (Jimmy Nail), a traveling singer. With his help, she goes to Buenos Aires and begins her campaign to become a performer, actress, and public figure. Many men help her during these years, and she is reported to have given her favors freely. That changes when she becomes involved with Juan Peron (Jonathan Pryce). In 1944, when they meet, Peron is an ambitious young army officer, serving in the right-wing government of the time. When he falls afoul of the government and is imprisoned, Eva uses her position as a celebrity and radio performer to get him released. Peron marries his feisty mistress when he is freed from prison. Eva is a formidable supporter, and her help is crucial to his later becoming head of state. Once Juan Peron becomes the President of Argentina, Eva expects better treatment from Argentina's high society, but they snub her brutally. She, in response, diverts government money from society-led charities, and starts the Eva Peron Foundation. As its president, she works tirelessly to directly better the lot of Argentina's poor. For this work, and for having risen from poor origins to glory, she is beloved by huge masses of her fellow citizens, if not by those in high society. She also arranges for the enfranchisement of women in Argentina. Thus, her death of uterine cancer at age 33, while she was at the height of her power and influence, strikes the whole world as tragic. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
Review
Madonna finally scores an onscreen triumph in Alan Parker's visually resplendent, slightly overlong but always entertaining adaptation of the hit Andrew Lloyd Webber-Tim Rice musical of the same name. A risky project with the potential to be disastrous, the film is illuminated by its key performers, especially Antonio Banderas, whose surprisingly robust singing voice and fierce sexual charisma give the movie a much-needed jolt of electricity. Evita illustrates a return to musical filmmaking for versatile director Parker (following Fame and The Commitments), who does a commendable job opening up the picture from its stage origins, and Darius Khondji's luminous widescreen photography captivates. This project was apparently on the shelf for decades, with performers like Meryl Streep and John Travolta attached along the way, not to mention several top filmmakers. In an act of sheer will, however, Madonna won the coveted lead role after writing a passionate letter to Parker explaining why she was the perfect woman to embody the charismatic and complicated Eva Peron. Additionally, the film's one original new song, "You Must Love Me", won the Academy Award for Best Original Song at the 1996 Oscars. ~ Jason Clark, All Movie Guide
Richard Earl - Art Director, Jean-Michel Hugon - Art Director, Lisa Moran - Associate Producer, Ros Hubbard - Casting, John Hubbard - Casting, Vincent Paterson - Choreography, Penny Rose - Costume Designer, Dennis Maguire - First Assistant Director, Alan Parker - Director, Gerry Hambling - Editor, David Wimbury - Line Producer, David Caddick - Musical Direction/Supervision, Andrew Lloyd Webber - Songwriter, Brian Morris - Production Designer, Darius Khondji - Cinematographer, Alan Parker - Producer, Andrew G. Vajna - Producer, Robert Stigwood - Producer, Philippe Turlure - Set Designer, Ken Weston - Sound/Sound Designer, Alan Parker - Screenwriter, Oliver Stone - Screenwriter, Peter Childs - Draftsman
Evita traces the life of Eva Duarte (later Eva Duarte de Perón) (Madonna) from a child from the lower class to becoming the first lady and spiritual leader of Argentina.
The film begins with the announcement of Eva's death and public funeral as the audience is introduced to the film's narrator, Che (Antonio Banderas), an everyman who tells the story of Eva's rise to power and subsequent illness and death, appearing in many different guises and serving as Eva's conscience and critic. The film flashes back to Eva's childhood, and she is seen as a young girl attempting to attend her father's funeral in the town of Junín with her mother and siblings. But her father's wife and other family (who are middle class) ban Eva's family from entering and carry Eva out screaming and claiming that he's her "papa" after she runs in on her own and pays her last respect.
At age 15, Eva decides to leave Junín to seek a better life and hitches a ride to Buenos Aires with a tango singer, Augustin Magaldi (Jimmy Nail), with whom she's having an affair. After Magaldi leaves her, she progresses through several relationships with increasingly influential men, becoming a model, actress and radio personality, until her fateful meeting with Colonel Juan Perón (Jonathan Pryce) at a fundraiser. Perón's connection with Eva lends him a populist air, since she is from the working class (as is Perón himself). Eva has a radio show during Perón's rise and uses all her skills to promote Perón, even when the controlling administration has him jailed in an attempt to stunt his political momentum. The groundswell of support Eva generates forces the government to release Perón, and he finds the people enamored of him and Eva. Perón wins election to the presidency and Eva promises the new government will serve the "descamisados" (literally, "the shirtless ones"—i.e., the working poor). Eva establishes a foundation and distributes aid while the Perónists otherwise plunder the public treasury. Argentine society is very class-based, and the military officer corps and social elites despise Eva's common roots and affinity for the poor. During a world tour Evita becomes ill and is rushed home. Towards the end of her life she understands that she is terminally ill but rationalizes that her life was short because she shone like the "brightest fire" and helps Perón prepare to go on without her. A large crowd surrounding the Casa Rosada in a candlelight vigil praying for her recovery when the light of her room goes out, signifying her death. Eva's funeral is shown again. Che is seen at her coffin, and he kisses it.
Ryan, who played Magaldi in the original 1978 London stage production, appeared as a waiter and Billie Piper was an uncredited extra, appearing next to Perón in A New Argentina.
Production and casting
Discussion of the film production began soon after the original 1978 London production was staged. Several actresses were considered for the role. At one point, Lloyd Webber favoured an actress of Spanish descent to play the lead role and suggested Charo. Then Meryl Streep was offered the role, but production was delayed. Meanwhile, Madonna had been campaigning for the part but when Parker was ready for filming, several people[who?] objected to Madonna playing the part. Cher, Barbra Streisand, Glenn Close, Olivia Newton-John and Michelle Pfeiffer were rumored to be involved. Pfeiffer, who recorded a number of demo tracks, was almost cast, but director Alan Parker wanted to shoot the picture on location, not in Pfeiffer's preferred Hollywood sound studio. Patti LuPone was not offered to reprise her original role as Evita. As an actress, in her forties, she was too "old" to play the part of Eva Peron. When the lead of Eva was announced, Madonna, Patti LuPone was asked to play the role of Eva's mother, but she refused.[2]
Filming began on February 1996 and it finished in May.[3] Midway through production, Madonna discovered she was pregnant with daughter Lourdes Maria Ciccone Leon who was born on October 14, 1996. [4]
The film received a warm reception from many critics. It was nominated for five Academy Awards and won the award for "Best Song" for "You Must Love Me". Evita had five Golden Globe nominations and three wins (Best Picture - Comedy or Musical; Best Original Song, "You Must Love Me"; and Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical, Madonna) and was one of the National Board of Review's Top Ten Films of the Year.
Following the success of the film, the government of Argentina released its own film biography of Peron, entitled Eva Perón, to correct alleged distortions in the Lloyd Webber account.[6]
World record
The movie earned Madonna a Guinness World Record title, "Most costume changes in a film". The record was previously held by Elizabeth Taylor for the 1963 film Cleopatra (65 costume changes). In Evita, Madonna changed costumes 85 times (which included 39 hats, 45 pairs of shoes and 56 pairs of earrings).[7]
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