User Reviews

The life story of a man in São Paulo transiting from traditional family to nightlife, from bachelor's to almost pimp, from a promissing career to jail and failure, from fiancé and husband to lustful loafer, from romantic to violent, from a lunatic's son to an absent and unresponsive father. In his varied collection of women, there is a sick beloved girl, a prostitute and performer, a mad maid, her sister who he considers ugly, and the oldest bereaved sister of them. Despite having played with older sisters during his childhood, he became very sexist and selfish, and through abusive relationships he destroyed the lives of those women one by one.

In São Paulo, in the 20's, the future lawyer Tertuliano "Tezinho" (Paulo José) is a young student who falls in love for Aninha (Dorothée Marie Bouvyer). However, due to a heart problem, Aninha is sent to Europe and along decades they correspond to each other through letters. Meanwhile, with a broken heart, Tertuliano becomes a bohemian and meets the prostitute Pupe (Marília Pêra) in a brothel, where she sings and is called "The Queen of the Night". During the nights, Tertuliano self-calls "The King of the Night" and becomes her lover and caftan, being financially supported by Pupe. During the days, Tertuliano has a regular life, and becomes the fiancé of the younger daughter of a family with three sisters, having an affair with her. Later, he marries the older one in a marriage with many quarrels and when she dies, he has an affair with the third sister. His romantic saga ends in the 70's, when a very old Tertuliano meets Aninha in an institute for the aged. "O Rei da Noite" is the amoral and dramatic romantic saga of a Brazilian bohemian Don Juan. There is a beautiful and careful reconstitution of the life in São Paulo along several decades, the performances of Marília Pera and Paulo José are outstanding, but this film is recommended for specific audiences only, since I do not believe it is for all tastes. This is the second film of the Argentinean naturalized Brazilian citizen director Hector Babenco. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "O Rei da Noite" ("The King of the Night")