Black Orpheus
1959 · Movie · PG · 100 min · ★ 7.0 · 84% critics
During Rio’s Carnaval, a young couple is swept into a whirlwind of music, color, and danger as they try to stay together while being pursued through the hillside neighborhoods. This dreamlike retelling of an ancient myth moves between romance, celebration, and an ominous sense that something darker is close behind.
Based on Orfeu da Conceição
Where to watch
Streaming on HBO Max.
2 hours to watch.
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Details
- Original title
- Orfeu Negro
- Years
- 1959
- Release date
- 1959-06-12
- Language
- Portuguese
- Rated
- PG
- Runtime
- 100 min
- Critic score
- 84/100
- TMDB rating
- 7.0/10 (237 votes)
- Box office
- $750,000
About
You’ll likely enjoy this if you want a romantic, myth-inspired story wrapped in nonstop Carnaval music and color, with a dreamy mood and hints of danger; Not for you if you need realism, subtlety, or tightly plotted drama like The Postman.
Pros: vibrant Carnaval energy; memorable bossa nova music; striking Rio setting | Cons: thin character development; story can feel muddled; lots of repetitive dancing
Themes
- guitar
- rio de janeiro
- samba
- trolley
- dancing in the street
- based on myths, legends or folklore
- detached
- carnaval
- demeaning
- orpheus
Awards & recognition
- Academy Award — Best International Feature Film · 1960
- Palme d'Or · 1959
- Academy Award — Best International Feature Film · 1960 · nominated
- International Submission to the Academy Awards · 1960 · nominated
Cast & crew
Breno Mello
as Orfeo
Marpessa Dawn
as Eurydice
Lourdes de Oliveira
as Mira
Léa Garcia
as Serafina
Adhemar Ferreira da Silva
as Death
- WS
Waldetar De Souza
as Chico
Alexandre Constantino
as Hermes
- JS
Jorge Dos Santos
as Benedito
- AC
Aurino Cassiano
as Zeca
- MA
Maria Alice
as Little Girl
Directed by Marcel Camus