''Better Days Ahead'' ( pt, Dias Melhores Virão) is a 1989 Brazilian comedy-drama film directed by

Carlos Diegues Carlos Diegues, also known as Cacá Diegues (born May 19, 1940), is a Brazilian film director. He was born in Maceió, Alagoas, and is best known as a member of the Cinema Novo Cinema Novo (), "New Cinema" in English, is a genre and movement o ...

Plot

The staff of a dubbing studio celebrates the announcement of a Brazilian dubbing of an acclaimed show called ''The Mary Shadow Show''. Mary Shadow is played by brazilian biggest rockstar,

Rita Lee Rita Lee Jones (; born 31 December 1947) is a Brazilian rock singer, composer and writer. She is a former member of the Brazilian band Os Mutantes and is a popular figure in Brazilian entertainment, where she is also known for being an animal ...

. To dub the main character, Dalila (

Zezé Motta Maria José Motta de Oliveira (born 27 June 1944), known as Zezé Motta, is a Brazilian actress and singer. She is considered one of the most important actresses in Brazil. Life and career Born in Campos dos Goytacazes, she moved with her famil ...

) indicates her neighbor Marialva ( Marília Pêra), who adopts the name "Mary Mattos" as she dreams about becoming a Hollywood star. Marialva lives tormented by the death of her former boyfriend, and finds refuge on Wallace (

José Wilker José Wilker Almeida (20 August 1944 – 5 April 2014) was a Brazilian film, stage, and television actor and director. The actor gained fame in telenovelas like '' Roque Santeiro'' (1985), but became known internationally for his role as Vadinho, ...

), a married man who promises he will abandon his family to live with her. Meanwhile, Pompeu (

Paulo José Paulo José Gómez de Souza (20 March 1937 – 11 August 2021) was a Brazilian actor. TV work *2014 - ''Em Família'' *2011 - '' Morde & Assopra'' *2009 - ''Caminho das Índias'' - Profeta Gentileza *2006 - '' JK'' *2004 - ''O Pequeno Alqu ...

), the dubbing director falls in love with Marialva and says he will direct a film starring her. After some dates, Marialva asks Pompeu to go to

Jacarepaguá Jacarepaguá (), with a land area of , is a neighborhood situated in the West Zone of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. In 2010, it had a population of 157,326. The name comes from the indigenous name of the location, "shallow pond of caymans", yakaré (c ...

, the district where Wallace lives; when he notices she just wanted to Wallace, Pompeu abandons Marialva there. From the top of a tree, Marialva witnesses Wallace with his family as he dies of a heart attack. After this, Marialva says to Dalila she will quit from the job. When Dalila asks her to translate a letter from an American admirer, Marialva discovers ''The Mary Shadow Show'' needs a new actress to play the role of Mary Shadow's maid. Without telling to no one, Marialva goes to Wallace's office, takes some money he had left, and travels to the United States aiming to get the role. In the end, Marialva gets the role and when a new episode from ''The Mary Shadow Show'' arrives at the dubbing studio, Pompeu, Dalila and the rest of staff are thrilled.

Cast

* Marília Pêra as Marialva "Mary" Mattos *

as Pompeu *

as Dalila *

as Wallace Caldeira *

as Mary Shadow * Marilu Bueno as Adelaide * Paulo César Pereio as Pereira *

Aurora Miranda Aurora Miranda da Cunha Richaid (20 April 1915 – 22 December 2005) was a Brazilian singer and actress. She began her career at the age of 18 in 1933. Miranda appeared in several films, including '' The Three Caballeros'', where she danced with ...

as Aurora * Antônio Pedro as Salgado * Betina Vianny as Janete * Benjamin Cattan as Ferreirão * Patricio Bisso as Juanita *

Joffre Soares Joffre Soares (21 September 1918 – 19 August 1996) was a Brazilian film actor. He appeared in 100 films between 1963 and 1996. Selected filmography * '' Vidas secas'' (1963) - Fazendeiro (Farmer) * ''Manaus, Glória de uma Época'' (196 ...

as Coronel

Release and reception

After a limited release on September 4, 1989, the film was first exhibited to general audience through

TV Globo TV Globo (, "Globe TV", or simply Globo), formerly known as Rede Globo, is a Brazilian free-to-air Television broadcasting, television network, launched by media proprietor Roberto Marinho on 26 April 1965. It is owned by media conglomerate Gr ...

in the early 90s; thus, film distributors boycotted ''Better Days Ahead'' on its theatrical release on October 4, 1991. In 1990, ''Better Days Ahead'' won the Special Prize at the

Denver Film Festival The Denver Film Festival is held in November, primarily at the Denver Film Center/Colfax, in Denver, Colorado, now the Anna and John J. Sie FilmCenter (Sie FilmCenter). Premiere events are held in the Buell Theatre and Ellie Caulkins Opera House ...

and Biarritz Film Festival. It won the 1991

Cartagena Film Festival The Cartagena Film Festival ( es, Festival Internacional de Cine de Cartagena de Indias), or FICCI, is a film festival held in Cartagena, Colombia, which focuses mainly on the promotion of Colombian television series, Latin American films and short ...

in the categories Best Screenplay and Best Actress (Pêra). In addition, it was the Brazilian submission for the 62nd Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film, although it was not nominated.

References

External links

* {{Brazilian submission for Academy Awards 1989 comedy-drama films 1989 films Brazilian comedy-drama films Films about actors Films directed by Carlos Diegues 1980s Portuguese-language films Films set in Rio de Janeiro (city) Films shot in Rio de Janeiro (city) 1989 comedy films 1989 crime drama films