Introduction to the Killing Story of Love Without Borders

Introduction to the Killing Story of Love Without Borders | Appreciation | Reflection

1984 color film 100 minutes

Co-produced by Argentina Haiya Film Company/Spain Mopala Film Company

Director: Maria Luisa Bemberg Screenplay: Maria Luisa Bemberg Beidasu Campofiza Juan Batista Stagner Luo Photography: Fernando Alibaba Bass Main Actor: Susu Pescoraro (as Milla Ogman) Emmanuel Arias (as ladislao Gutierrez) Hector Atrio (as Adolf)

The film won the 1984 London Film Festival Award; 1985 nomination for best foreign language film by the American Academy of Motion Picture Arts

abstract

A quiet manor with trees in Buenos Aires province is sunny. Little Milla and his sisters are playing freely. The old woman, known as the "bad woman", ended her years in prison and was escorted back to the manor by heavily armed soldiers. She will be under house arrest for the rest of her life. For the sake of freedom and love, this humiliated and painful grandmother has no remorse or shame. She calmly got off the carriage and went straight to her granddaughter Jia Mila, whom she had never met before, and asked, "Do you like love stories?" Naive little Milla was puzzled by all this. Why is my father so cruel to my grandmother? Why do some people say that my grandmother is a "bad woman"?

Over time, Milla has grown into an elegant and noble lady, and her rebellious nature makes her incompatible with her overbearing father Adolf. She did what she liked behind her father's back, kept some lovely kittens in the attic, went to the bookstore alone to buy some books on private circulation and democratic ideas, and even went to visit her grandmother despite her father's strict orders, reading for her those yellow love letters full of warm memories and her lover's heartbreaking last words. All this is often severely reprimanded by my father.

One day, Jia Mila confessed to the priest the "sin" of quarreling with his father, and the confusion and shame of adolescent sexual excitement. A young and strange voice in the confessional stopped her, and a new priest came.

A few days later, Jia Mila played hide-and-seek with his sisters at home and accidentally caught the visiting guests as prey. She immediately recognized the new priest from her voice. Open the blindfolded cover, Milla froze, in front of him was a clear-eyed, handsome young man. Father learned that the young priest Radislav was the nephew of the governor, liked him very much, and invited him to go home often. In this way, Milla and Radislav became familiar with each other. She chose LaDis to work as her confessor, and told him everything in her heart. Unconsciously, they reached a tacit understanding.

Mariano, the bookstore owner, was beheaded by the authorities for selling books with democratic ideas to warn the public. This bloody atrocity is chilling. While preaching in the church, ladislao Gutierrez fearlessly accused the "federalist" authorities of the cruelty of killing creatures. His sharp words made the Milla family very unhappy. Only Jia Mila truly felt the courage and integrity of Simpera Dislau. She openly sided with the young priest, for which the "Federalist" father was very angry.

The bishop was nervous about Father Gutierrez's political sermon, reminding him of the seriousness of carelessness and especially warning him about his relationship with Christians. He said, "Women may become the incarnation of the devil." As a priest, Radislav is determined to kill his budding secular love. He tried his best to be indifferent to Milla, constantly repenting, flogging his body and punishing himself.

At the same time, Adolf chose a fiance for his daughter and forced her to get married. However, Jia Mila refused. She thinks that only love is the foundation of marriage, and she wants to marry a different person, someone who can make her proud and really love her. Taking the opportunity of confession, she told the young priest that she was suffering from love, and boldly hinted that the person she loved was Radislav himself. Although Radislav stopped her confession, he could not avoid his feelings. He has fallen in love with this girl who bravely pursues freedom and love.

When his grandmother died, Milla knew that Lardy was unable to attend her grandmother's requiem prayer because of illness, so he desperately avoided the crowd and went to the priest's living room. Seeing that his beloved suffered mental and physical torture, Milla held a white handkerchief tightly in a coma and gave Radislav a deep kiss. She knew that the young priest was caught in the double torment of love and responsibility, and suffered more than himself.

Milla can't and won't suppress his intense love. As long as she hears the church bell, she will feel the call of her love. She boldly dated Lardy, told him how much she missed him, and vowed, "I will kneel before you and spend my life together." Milla "repented" frequently, and the extremely contradictory Lardy finally couldn't help telling the truth. During a mass, the young priest distributed the Eucharist to Christians, and then went to Milla, who was kneeling on the ground. He stopped blankly and his heart tightened. Milla's oath prevented him from being as hypocritical as a priest in front of her. Radislav made the final decision and took off his heavy robe.

On this day, when the whole family was taking a deep nap, Milla cut off a strand of hair and left it to her mother as a souvenir. She said to herself, "Love me forever, Mom." Resolutely left this suffocating family. They flew away like free birds.

In addition, Milla eloped with Father Gutierrez, which made Adolf furious with this audacious rebellion. Regardless of the difference between father and daughter and his wife's pleading, he immediately reported this "scandal". The bishop wrote to the authorities, demanding that the police be mobilized to arrest these two "heinous people". In the church, the priest sternly warned the parishioners; Wanted orders signed by the authorities were posted everywhere in urban and rural villages and towns.

Milla and Radislav, alias Brandier Maksimov, came to Goya town near the Brazilian border to live and teach for a living. Although life is hard, they feel extremely happy. The villagers like them, and even the local police take care of them from time to time.

However, even in this remote hinterland, the two young people did not feel a little relaxed. Whenever night falls, the villagers who worship incense will feel guilty of betraying God. As a priest, Radislav is particularly heavy. For the omnipresent and omnipotent God, Jia Mila often feels palpitations, but she does not regret it. As the wife of Maxim, she is very proud.

They were invited to the town at Christmas, and people thanked them for their enlightenment education to the children in Goya town. However, this joy soon ended, and a priest recognized him: "Father Gutierrez, God is everywhere." Radislav didn't make any excuses. He rushed to the church with a pale face and shouted to the idol in despair and sorrow, "Why don't you let me be quiet?"

It is raining cats and dogs outside. The local police who sympathized with them came to tell Jia Mila that Father Gutierrez had been recognized and told them to escape as soon as possible. After dawn, as a policeman, he will perform his official duties.

Milla went to the church to find Lardy in the rain and saw him kneeling there praying silently. She didn't make a sound and retired with tears. At dawn, Radislav came back exhausted. "I'm still a priest. Sorry. " He knelt in front of Milla and buried his head in her skirt. Add Milla compulsively burst into tears. They hugged each other tightly and listened to the footsteps of the police outside. ...

The "federalists" in power wanted to prevent political opponents from making a fuss about this scandal. The church wanted to protect its reputation and did not ask for a trial at all. The authorities decided to execute the prisoners. The cold and selfish father only wants to save the family's reputation and personal dignity with violence and blood, and refuses to make any efforts for his daughter.

Lardy always expected to be sentenced to death. He just felt anxious for Milla. How much he wanted to see his beloved girl one last time and then die peacefully. He didn't know that poor Milla would have the same fate as him.

Milla spent a lonely sleepless night in the cold and humid Santos prison, looking particularly pale and haggard. She was stunned by the sudden judgment. When she woke up, the prison doctor told her that she was pregnant. Milla's face showed a gratified smile, and he shouted at the prison with mixed feelings: "Lardy, we have a baby." This sad and energetic voice echoed in the prison.

The law forbids killing pregnant women, which gives a glimmer of hope to those who sympathize with the couple in prison. The prison doctor and the warden hurried to report the diagnosis. However, Governor rosas was unmoved and sent the dispatch back to uphold the original judgment. Hopes were dashed.

Outside the prison, the cold wind is howling, and in four hours, the death penalty will be executed. Radislav wrote the last letter to Jia Mila: "Dear Jia Mila, all I know is that you will die with me. We can't live together, so let's meet in heaven ... "Jia Mila, like her grandmother, read her lover's heartbreaking masterpiece. What is more tragic is that she will also be executed, even the life in her stomach will not be spared. How does Milla want to live such a life?

The drums of the execution sounded anxiously, and they finally went to the execution ground. Eyes intertwined, silent, the last deep eye contact, black blindfold blocked their line of sight. The executive coldly and mechanically ordered the preparation for the filming. Milla asked eagerly, "Lardy, are you there?" "By your side, plus Milla." The young priest answered calmly. With a burst of gunfire, Radislav threw himself on the ground first. The executive ordered another shot. The soldiers couldn't bear to shoot the young pregnant woman. They all pointed their guns down and pulled the trigger. Milla is still safe. The executive once again ordered the soldier to put down his gun and draw a cross on his chest. The soldiers didn't close their eyes and shoot at random until the executive pulled out a pistol and threatened. After a few seconds, the gunfire stopped and the execution ground was as silent as death. Only the cold wind was calling, the soldiers stood motionless, and two young people were lying in a pool of blood. At this time, their voice-over sounded: "Lardy, are you there?" "By your side, plus Milla."

Distinguish and appreciate

This film is taken from 1847 true events in Argentina. Milla Ogman and Radislav Gutierrez, pure lovers who pursue freedom, were strangled, which became the symbol of the Argentine people's historical and realistic spiritual pursuit. People praised this noble-born Ms. Jia Mila as "/kloc-Juliet on the grassland of pampas in the 9th century".

This true event has been circulating in Argentina for 140 years, which can be said to be a household name. Many baby girls are named Jia Mila, which shows the great influence of her thoughts. Of course, this is not just a simple love story, because through the surface of this love story, it also profoundly reflects the contradictions and struggles of Argentine social reality. 19 12, this theme was shot in the form of a silent short film, but it was banned. Since then, film creators have been concerned, and no one dares to reflect on the tragedies of Milla and Radislav. The reason is self-evident.

The writer and director Maria Luiza Bemberg, with the support of producer Rita Stantic, took the risk to start shooting without the approval of Argentina, which is also very courageous. However, she is the lucky one of the times. On the day of filming, the newly elected President Alfonsin came to power. His first decision was to cancel the censorship system, which cleared the way for filming. Without this important process, the fate of this film can be imagined. When we turn from thinking about the fate of movies to thinking about the tragic fate of Milla, we find the similarities between them. Because the meaning of the film is not only an anti-feudal love theme, in the final analysis, it touches the most sensitive social and political issues in Argentina. If not, why did the love of a pair of pure young people disturb the church, the army, and the police, and they were not happy without the death penalty?

Bemberg is a descendant of German Catholic immigrants in the18th century, and he was also educated by a typical Argentine upper class like Milla. She said: "One of my nannies highly advocates the philosophy that' religion must be instilled in the minds of aristocratic ladies because it can save them trouble'. This is obviously the same as the view held by Milla's father in the last century. " Boumbera was born in 1923. At the age of 47, he wrote his first autobiographical script "A Lady's Chronicle", and at the age of 52, he directed a short documentary film "Toys". It was only at the age of 62 that this world-famous film "Boundless Love Killing" was made, which can be said to be a late bloomer. She said, "Jia Mila is a rebel. She has violated the accepted Argentine model, not to mention the dignity of women. She not only enjoyed her love affair with the confessor, but also opposed the patriarchal order, that is, the trinity of family, church and country. ..... In fact, the reason why the story of Milla has been circulated among Argentine people for so long can be directly traced back to the fact that this kind of circulation reflects the root of oppression in Argentine history. Milla's tragic fate makes us indignant at * * * *'s interference with her and Lardy. ..... No regime has the right to impose its authority on people's private lives. Milla thinks she is only responsible for her own conscience. In this respect, she can be said to be an example of modern Argentina. I think the suppression of her is a tragic symbol of the suppression of the entire Latin American people. "This should be said to be the director's best interpretation of the film theme.

In the face of this real historical event, the screenwriter and director Bemberg did not use the popular drama technique that is usually the easiest to please the audience, but grasped the emotional trend of the audience with tortuous storylines and fierce external drama conflicts. If the audience thinks they are watching a play, it means failure. The murder of the soul in Infinite Love reproduces the life scene of the last century by realistic means, and expresses the character track of an aristocratic lady formed under the influence of strict church thoughts in a scattered way (rather than a linear way). For example, her imprisoned grandmother, Echeverilla's works with democratic thoughts, Mariano whose head was cut off, aristocratic forces from the opposite side, such as her father, forces from the church represented by the Snow Maiden God, and Lardy's dual personality all affected her growth. Under the joint action of this historical "parallelogram of forces", Milla became a symbol of people's pursuit of truth. This cannot but be attributed to the choice made by Bemberg, because it is the most faithful way to real life. This method just belongs to the structural method of film, which requires works to be like life, not like drama performance. For example, Lardy Lao and Jia Mila, who fled under false names, were discovered by Father Cannon. The director did not use the usual "parallel montage" technique, but entered the picture with the sound of the pace of the army, thus canceling the external tension and strengthening the internal tension of the characters' thoughts.

As a mature director, Bemberg used her works to show her mature thinking and skillful application of film skills. Because movies are not just about telling a story and an experience, but how to use the language of movies to achieve touching results.

Bemberg has created fascinating and even poetic visual images in the face of cruel reality, which is far more thought-provoking than those bloody images. This is undoubtedly due to the efforts of the famous photographer Fernando Ali Bass. The film gradually changes from warm tone to cold tone, revealing the cruelty of life and struggle step by step. Innocent Jia Mila always wears white clothes, and even wears a white gauze blindfold to play with young people dressed in black. But this short-lived happiness can't restrain the impact of human inner desires. She chose her own path until she was slaughtered. The black eye patch cloth has a great visual impact. Jia Mila wore black clothes once in prison, and we obviously felt the maturity of her thoughts. The author's complaints and the ideological connotation of his works are strongly expressed through images rather than the characters' language. The film skillfully controls the color flow of black, white and red, and makes the audience better understand the "trinity" of church, family and political power in Argentina that stifles human nature.

As a female director, Bemberg endows Boundless Love with artistic charm with her delicate techniques. Similarly, as a feminist, she sent a deep cry to Argentina and the world with her works.