''Lábios sem Beijos'' (English: ''Virgin Lips'' or ''Lips without Kisses'') is a Brazilian silent

romantic comedy film Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a sub-genre of comedy and romance fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount all obstacles. Romantic comedy e ...

directed by

Humberto Mauro Humberto Duarte Mauro (30 April 1897 – 5 November 1983) was a Brazilian film director. His best known work is '' Ganga Bruta''. He is often considered the greatest director of early Brazilian cinema. Career Mauro's second feature film ''Thes ...

who was also the

cinematographer The cinematographer or director of photography (sometimes shortened to DP or DOP) is the person responsible for the recording of a film, television production, music video or other live-action piece. The cinematographer is the chief of the camera ...

, and produced in 1930 by

Cinédia Cinédia (originally called the Cinearte studios) was a Brazilian film studio established on 15 March 1930 in Rio de Janeiro, and remained in continual operation until 1951. Between 1930 and 1945, Cinédia averaged two films a year, with a high o ...

at the end of the

silent film era A silent film is a film without synchronized Sound recording and reproduction, recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) ...

. It was Written by

Adhemar Gonzaga Adhemar Gonzaga (26 August 1901 – 29 January 1978) was a Brazilian actor, screenwriter, film producer, and director. Biography Born into a wealthy family Gonzaga had a passion for cinema from an early age, and first appeared on screen in a ...

and Arlindo Muccilo with Lelita Rosa, Paulo Morano, and Didi Viana in the main cast.

Plot summary

Lelita, a young woman from a wealthy family who is courted by her cousin Paul, but she has reason to believe that he is also having an affair with Lelita's sister, which causes problems of jealousy, until everything becomes clear and true love prevails.

Cast

*Lelita Rosa as Lelita *Paulo Morano as Paulo *Didi Viana as Didi *Gina Cavalieri as Gina *Augusta Guimarães as Perpétua *Alfredo Rosário as Rosário *Tamar Moema as Tamar *Décio Murilo *Máximo Serrano *Carlos Eugênio *

*Antonio Paes Gonçalves *Martins Kito *Fernando Lima *Leda Léa *Luiz Gonzaga Martins *

*Celso Montenegro

Production

In an interview with the Brazilian magazine ''A Ordem'' during the period prior to the film's release, Gonzaga stated:

"My company was founded to build true Brazilian cinema. It was launched exclusively with our effort and our capitals. Let us show that we can create a new and legitimate art, capable of turning the smile of the pessimists into a cry of enthusiasm. "

At the time it was released, each state in Brazil enforced its own

censorship Censorship is the suppression of speech, public communication, or other information. This may be done on the basis that such material is considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, or "inconvenient". Censorship can be conducted by governmen ...

standards, resulting in different cuts to scenes.

Reception

The first film from Cinédia, it is regarded as among Mauro's most significant films, and a classic of Brazilian silent film. It has been described as "a landmark in Brazilian comic film... a biting take on daily life, an ironic vision ... that still makes us laugh today". Some contemporary critics objected to its sensual imagery. It won the 1930 ''Journal do Brasil'' award for Best Brazilian Film.

References

External links

* {{IMDb title, 0121999, title=Virgin Lips (IMDB) *
Virgin Lips
' at AdoroCinema *
Virgin Lips
' at

Cinemateca Brasileira The Cinemateca Brasileira is the institution responsible for preserving Brazilian audiovisual production. In July 2021, it experienced a major fire. Since 1940, it has been developing activities around the dissemination and restoration of its co ...

1930 drama films 1930 films Brazilian black-and-white films Brazilian drama films Films directed by Humberto Mauro 1930s Portuguese-language films 1930s Brazilian films