Macunaima (1969): Cast & Plot
Macunaima is a 1969 fantasy comedy directed by Joaquim Pedro de Andrade, starring Grande Otelo as Black Macunaíma / Macunaíma's son, Paulo José and Hugo Carvana. It runs 1 hour 50 minutes.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 50m (110 min)
- Director
- Joaquim Pedro de Andrade
- Original language
-
Portuguese - After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is Macunaima About?
The premise of Macunaima without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
Born as an adult black man in a remote Brazilian jungle village, Macunaíma magically transforms into a white man and travels to São Paulo. In the city he becomes a dandy, falls for the revolutionary Ci, who dies in an accidental bombing. After robbing an industrialist, he returns to his village to find his knowledge and riches of little use.
Macunaima Themes & Keywords
· 35 tags- malandro
- satire comedy
- dark comedy
- terrorist
- jungle
- birth
- new latin american cinema
- brazil
- absurdism
- absurd humor
- sex
- puddle
+23 more Show fewer
- psychedelic
- machine gun
- hut
- hippie
- hammock
- goose
- gold
- female nudity
- bright color
- water fountain
- swing
- swimming pool
- surrealism
- satire
- racism
- piranha pool
- nudity
- elitism
- defecation
- brazilian
- blood
- based on novel
- character name in title
Macunaima Cast & Characters
Grande Otelo leads the cast as Black Macunaíma / Macunaíma's son, with Paulo José as White Macunaíma / Macunaíma's mother and Hugo Carvana as Man with duck. Directed by Joaquim Pedro de Andrade; 25 actors are credited in all.
- Director Joaquim Pedro de Andrade
- Grande Otelo as Black Macunaíma / Macunaíma's son
- Paulo José as White Macunaíma / Macunaíma's mother
- Hugo Carvana as Man with duck
- Dina Sfat as Ci
Also Starring in Macunaima
· 21 more- Milton Gonçalves Jiguê
- Guará Rodrigues Bum
- Rodolfo Arena Maanape
- Joana Fomm Sofara
- Maria Lúcia Dahl Iara
- Jardel Filho Venceslau Pietro Pietra
- Zezé Macedo Thin woman
- Wilza Carla Fat woman
- Myrian Muniz Venceslau's wife
- Rafael de Carvalho Caipora
- Waldir Onofre
- Leovegildo Cordeiro
- Maria do Rosário Iriqui
- Tite de Lemos Narrator
- Carmem Palhares
- Maria Letícia
Show all 25 cast members Show fewer cast members
- Nazareth Ohana
- Maria Clara Pelegrino Venceslau's maid
- Maria Carolina Withaker
- Márcia Tânia
- Edy Siqueira
More from Joaquim Pedro de Andrade
More films directed by Joaquim Pedro de Andrade: The Brazilwood Man, Erotic Stories, O Aleijadinho and Tropical Paths.
Macunaima Plot Summary
What happens in Macunaima from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Based on Mário de Andrade’s 1928 book, this modern-day parable follows the misadventures of a Black Macunaíma, Grande Otelo, born to an old woman, Paulo José, who is said to belong to Brazil’s Indigenous peoples in the Amazon. Though he arrives fully grown, he carries the heart of a playful child, mixing wit, charm, and a stubborn curiosity about the world around him. His early life in the jungle is marked by a blend of humor and mischief, as if the world itself is testing a spirit that refuses to be neatly categorized.
Full summary
The whole story of Macunaima, scene by scene
How Well Do You Know Macunaima?
10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 10
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
- Question 10: not answered
Which Brazilian writer created Macunaíma in a 1928 novel that the film adapts?
Cars in Macunaima
16 cars on screen, including the 1951 Chevrolet Advance-Design and the 1951 Chevrolet Styleline De Luxe.
-
1951 Chevrolet Advance-Design Minor role -
1951 Chevrolet Styleline De Luxe Minor role -
Volkswagen Kombi T1 Typ 2 Minor role -
1967 Chevrolet C-1416 Background role
Macunaima Also Known As
5 alternative titles, including “Jungle Freaks” and “Макунайма”.
- Also known as
-
- Jungle Freaks
- Макунайма
- Macunaíma
- 丛林怪兽
- 정글의 괴물
Seen Macunaima?
Movies Like Macunaima
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including Manaos, The Brazilwood Man and Mangúe-Bangúe.
-
Manaos 1979 -
The Brazilwood Man 1982 -
Mangúe-Bangúe 1971 -
Cinema, Aspirinas e Urubus 2006 -
How Tasty Was My Little Frenchman 1971 -
Nosferato in Brazil 1970 -
The Man Who Challenged the Devil 2007 -
Malandro 1986 -
Caramuru: Brazil Reinvented 2001 -
Meteorango Kid, Intergalactic Hero 1969 -
Bacurau 2020 -
The Age of the Earth 1980
Macunaima FAQ: Cast, Runtime & Release Date
Runtime, release date, director, cast, post-credit scenes and language of Macunaima, each answered in a sentence.
How long is Macunaima?
Macunaima runs 1 hour 50 minutes (110 minutes).
When was Macunaima released?
Macunaima was released on September 3, 1969.
Who directed Macunaima?
Macunaima was directed by Joaquim Pedro de Andrade.
More films by Joaquim Pedro de Andrade Who is in the cast of Macunaima?
Macunaima stars Grande Otelo as Black Macunaíma / Macunaíma's son, Paulo José as White Macunaíma / Macunaíma's mother and Hugo Carvana as Man with duck, among 25 credited actors.
Does Macunaima have a post-credit scene?
No. Macunaima has no extra scene during or after the credits.
What language is Macunaima in?
The original language of Macunaima is Portuguese.
Coming soon to your phone
The Plot Explained Movie Summary App
From blockbusters to hidden gems: plot summaries, endings explained and timelines on your phone. Save your favorites and never miss a twist again.
Be the first to know when it launches. Your email stays private, always. Learn more about the app
