At one level, Camila has a very simple storyline: it is a love story made tragic by social intolerance and repression. As a period piece based on actual events, one might expect the film to offer benefits for viewers who love history, but, in reality, Camila finds a deeper level of psychological insights than social or historical ones.

Camila O’Gorman (Susu Pecoraro) was a spirited young woman of the Argentinian aristocracy in the 1840’s, during the reign of dictator Juan Manuel de Rosas – a time of severe political repression. Censorship was strictly imposed and political opposition suppressed. Loyalty to the dictatorship had to be exhibited openly by all male citizens, by the wearing of a red ribbon over the breast. The film opens with the arrival of a carriage in which Camila’s grandmother, a romantic free spirit, is being delivered by military escort. She has been accused of being a spy, but will be allowed to live out the rest of her life under house arrest, under the supervision of her own son, Adolpho, who is a staunch supporter of the dictator. Mother and son clearly do not see eye to eye in matters of politics or personal behavior. Camila, a young girl at this time, witnesses her grandmother’s arrival and greets her for the first time in her young life.

As time passes and Camila becomes a young lady, she and her grandmother prove to be kindred spirits – as if romantic passion and independence were traits that skip a generation. Camila’s fondest desire is to meet a man with whom she can fall head-over-heels in love. Her obnoxiously strict and chauvinistic father looks no more favorably upon these qualities manifested in his daughter than in his mother. Camila frequents the town’s solitary bookstore seeking the latest works of romantic poets and authors. She is dissatisfied with the young man courting her attentions when he lacks passion for the literature that she loves.

Camila attends confession regularly and is surprised, one day, that the confessor is not her usual one. He is a priest, Ladislao Gutiérrez (Imanol Arias), who has been recently transferred from the provinces. He is also nephew of the governor. He is young, handsome, and idealistic, and even if his idealism is largely religious in its embodiment, he is the very kind of man to set Camila’s heart aflutter.

Gradually, against all sense, Camila and Ladislao fall hopelessly in love, but their love is confronted with insurmountable obstacles. Ladislao is devoted to his religion and the priesthood and leaving the priesthood was strictly forbidden during that time period. The conflict between his love of God and his love of Camila torments him to an extent that he is driven, at one point, into a fitful, feverish condition. Camila rushes from the funeral of her beloved grandmother to be at his side.

Their love continues to intensify until all good sense gives way. They run off together – an act of blasphemy of the severest degree. They flee to a remote village where they assume roles as teachers and the respect and appreciation for their service to the community is readily evident. The one thorn in their passionate relationship is that Ladislao’s love continues to be divided in near equal measure between Camila and his God, and Camila reacts to this competing claim on his attention much as a jealous wife might react to a husband’s mistress. His piety conflicts to a degree with her romantic ideals.

Still, it seems, for the moment, that they are beyond the reach of the law -- until they are recognized by a visiting priest and reported to the authorities. Following perfunctory legal formalities, they are condemned to death. Camila’s brother, who is also a priest, implores his father to use his influence with the government to have Camila’s sentence commuted into house arrest, as had been done with his mother, but the father, in his heartless rigidity, refuses to make the effort. He is content that the last vestige of independence will be duly snuffed from his family.

Camila is pregnant and briefly there is hope that this will preclude her being shot, since by Catholic doctrine she carries a life inside. Nevertheless, word comes that the executions are to proceed. Camila and Ladislao are sent before the firing squad. At the signal, the muskets fire, and Ladislao slumps dead . . . but Camila has not been shot, the soldiers each having opted to shoot Ladislao rather than her. Under command, they fire a second round, but all intentionally miss again. Finally, the officer in charge requires them to reload and now threatens to shoot the soldiers if they miss. Camila falls dead.

As a film, Camila is melodramatic at times and lacking in subtlety, but as a political statement about the inhumanity of repression by both dictatorships and the church, it makes its point effectively. It is a message no less apt today than it was in the middle of the nineteenth century. Camila received an Academy Award Nomination when it was released in 1984. It is an excellent film though not a truly great one. Its strength is the skill with which it deals with complex psychological issues, such as passion, independence, repressive authoritarianism, piety, and jealousy. Its weakness is its failure to better illuminate the historical, political, and sociological elements of the story.

Camila was written and directed by Maria Luisa Bembert. It is in Spanish with English subtitles with a running time of 105 minutes. The film is not appropriate for children of any age due to violence and one explicit sex scene.

******************************************************************************************
You might want to check out these other excellent films from Argentina:

Man Facing Southeast
Nine Queens
The Official Story
Veronico Cruz


Recommended:
Yes

Viewing Format: VHS
Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age