Progress has come to the small town of Cordilheira in the form of freight trains and railway lines developed by the British. At the same time, the small
place is about to get on the map as an important development to São Paulo's countryside a series of murders takes place much to the company's displeasure.
All we know is that railway men are getting killed each night goes by and there's no suspects to be found except the ones the chief of police Dr. Guizot
(a frightening Armando Bógus) find here and elsewhere in the community thinking men are killing men because of the women. Paralel to that there's a love
triangle formed by the characters Pereira (Roland Boldrin), his wife Dora (Irene Ravache) and his colleague Raimundo (Antônio Fagundes); and the arrival of
the mysterious Moura (Rodrigo Santiago) and also some prostitutues (which seem to aliviate the tension but not for long) shake up events and people in the
town.
João Batista de Andrade's film "Doramundo" is a very unusual one where the mysteries aren't completely solved, situations escalate to danger time and
again and we're not exactly sure of what to think about. It contains one of the best whodunit scenarios ever in Brazilian film, I was really immersed in the
whole mystery, I was thrilled and excited for the whole ride. One brutal murder after the other and we keep asking ourselves why it's happening and who's
behind the whole charade. It's a pity almost nothing is answered and that the main focus is seeing the work from the railway men, their routine and the
routine of a town advancing in technical progress but failing morally and ethically, and dealing with a repressive police force desperate in finding a killer
and creating chaos for those men, the only possible suspects for the murders.
Interesting locations and good period recreation, "Doramundo" is a story about a period of time where evolution was coming to a place, changing
people's costumes and mannerisms, and creating a sense of dismayed fantasy blown away due to the crimes. The pressure is so high for those men that most of
them are truly committed in leaving town and everything behind because either they'll be killed or they'll be coerced into confessing for a crime they didn't
commit.
Andrade has on his service the talents of Fagundes, Bógus, Santiago, Ravache, Boldrin, Olney Cazarré and Denise Del Vecchio, all coming with small yet
effective performances. As for the story (adapted from a novel, and conceived early on by the late journalist Vladimir Herzog, who also did the research
for the project) it knows how to create tension but lacks of a certain firmness when it comes to develop relationships - the title isn't explained but from
what I could gather it's the junction of names from the lovers couple (Dora and Raimundo). It's an intriguing piece with many quality points. Worthy of view.
8/10.
