Golden Era Cuba

[poetman]

Can anyone recommend some films that are set in, say, 1930-1950's Cuba? I love the the culture, music, architecture, etc. I saw Andy Garcia's "The Lost City." It was okay, but the story wasn't written that well--it seemed to drag a bit. Any other films set at least in Golden Era Latin America?

Thanks!!

 

[dhermann1]

Well, of course there's the terrific scene in the Godfather that takes place just before Castro's overthrow of Batista in 1959. I think this segment of the movie captures the atmosphere and look of the time and place perfectly.
And if you want a wonderful film set in the 90's, check out the Buena Visat Social Club. It's a great documentary about Cuban musicians whose careers were stunted by the revolution.
There have to be dozens, if not hundreds, of great Spanish language films set in, or made in Cuba.

 

[hatophile]

Actually, Godfather II, I believe had a setting in 40's-50's Cuba. There is another, later film about 2 brothers with a Salsa band, but I am drawing a blank on the title.
An excellent book about that period is Havana Nocturne by TJ English. He describes the clash between the Mob
(who developed gaming and nightclubs there) and the eventual revolutionaries led by Fidel. In between, is a discussion of the ambience, nightlife and personalities of all of the players in those days.

 

[hatophile]

http://havanajournal.com/culture/entry/havana-nocturne-book-to-be-made-into-1950s-cuba-mafia-movie/

Looks like that book is going to be made into a movie now.

 

[hatophile]

See "Mambo Kings" set in Cuba and New York in the 50's. My memory did not totally fail me!

 

[JAVIER]

Actually, Godfather II, I believe had a setting in 40's-50's Cuba. There is another, later film about 2 brothers with a Salsa band, but I am drawing a blank on the title.
An excellent book about that period is Havana Nocturne by TJ English. He describes the clash between the Mob
(who developed gaming and nightclubs there) and the eventual revolutionaries led by Fidel. In between, is a discussion of the ambience, nightlife and personalities of all of the players in those days.

MAMBO KINGS 1992 with Antonio Banderas

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Our Man in Havana (1959)

Though set in pre-revolutionary Cuba this film which starred Alec Guinness, Noel Coward, and Ernie Kovacs was shot on location in Havana two months after Fidel Castro came to power.

[video=youtube;obFPAXXeFos]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obFPAXXeFos[/video]

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Set in the years immediately before and immediately after the revolution, Memories of Underdevelopment is one of the best films ever made, and for a film made in Cuba in 1968 it is surprisingly harsh in its criticisms of the regime. It really is an astonishing film, and is chock full of criticism(discussion) of the very culture I think you are interested in, with some of the very best insightful criticism of Hemingway and his ilk and their behaviour in Cuba.

Sorry, I don't know any good films from the 40s or earlier set in Cuba.

bk

 

[Guttersnipe]

Yeah, definitely Our Man in Havana. Not only does it fit the bill, but it's a really good file too.

 

[dhermann1]

Yeah . . . I knew it was one of those Godfathers . . . [huh]

 

[poetman]

I saw Andy Garcia's "The Lost City," but I was a bit disappointed. Most importantly, the story wasn't enticing enough, and the dialogue was a bit sluggish. They should have found another screenwriter. The special feature "Making of the Lost City" said Garcia and some producers had a particular writer in mind while in discussion about the film. The directing was also a bit unglamorous. The film wants to--and should--have an epic scope, but the cinematography doesn't accomplish this. I ordered "Our Man in Havana," which I'm excited to see--and glad to hear the film is actually good. Graham Greene wrote it, and nearly everything her wrote has been made into a movie. He's like Fitzgerald in the sense that his writing is pure and literary, and his stories also deliver well on the big screen. Any other titles that come to mind? I can't acquire "Memories of underdevelopment," but it looks great.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I have the old VHS of Memories. They've just (within the last few years) brought out a DVD in the UK. Do you have a universal coding DVD reader? If so, it's about $15 from UK amazon.

bk

 

[Tomasso]

Do you have a universal coding DVD reader?

You have to ask.............

 

[conrad5157]

You can try Havana with Robert Redford. It's an okay film, has a pretty good look to it.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0099747/

 

[TM]

"Our Man in Havana" was filmed just after the revolution. Graham Greene was a supporter of Castro and supposedly smuggled items to him on an earlier visit. So he was allowed to make the film there. Watch the backrounds for great period images of the time.

For more information about the pre-Castro period, I always recommend the book "Havana Before Castro" by my good friend Peter Moruzzi:

http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1423603672/havabefocast-20

Tony

 

[SGT Rocket]

I'm reading "Our Man in Havana" right now. It is a good book. I'm only about half the way through though. I normally don't read fiction, only history, but this is good. It has me very interested in Cuba now (culturally not politically). So thanks to everyone who searched and posted links here. I'm very interested in learning more and I'm very glad I stumbled upon this thread.

 

[TM]

"Our Man in Havana" is a great book. Greene based the story on an actual incident during WWII of a Nazi agent in Portugal who created a whole string of notional agents in order to satisfy his German handlers. Greene, who was in intelligence, used this as a springboard for his novel. Which was first imagined in Estonia, but that location seemed too bleak, so he choose Havana.

Delightful book!

Tony

 

[Chasseur]

Yes Lost City could have been a really good movie, but never quite came together exactly right. Though it had some good qualities: great soundtrack, wonderful costumes, and a lovely Ines Sastre.

Sean Connery stared in a little seen film Cuba where he played a British mercenary hired by Batista right as the Revolution is breaking out. Its not terrible, but not great either. Also, while set in 1959 it was made during Connery's Zardoz days, so given the large number of bad disco harstyles and fashions one could be forgiven for thinking the film was set in 1979 instead of 1959...

[video=youtube;tXA-AxBvjq0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tXA-AxBvjq0[/video]

 

[Stormy]

The animated film "Chico & Rita" is pretty good. It's for adults. Be sure to watch it on Netflix or somewhere.

 

[resortes805]

I enjoyed Chico and Rita. Another film to check out is 1964's Yo Soy Cuba. Although the film's direction is attributed to a soviet, Latin American lore claims that the Cuban filmmaking team graciously accepted Russian filming equipment, and promptly dismissed the Russian filmmakers!