简介：PerhapsthemostenjoyableOliveirafilmI'vewatchedsofaralsoprovedtobethemostfrustratingexperience(throughnofaultofthegenialPortuguesedirector,whomIsawatthe2004VeniceFilmFestival):unfortunately,thecopyshownonlate-nightItalianTVwasofanatrociousquality–withintermittentpictureloss,rampantpixellationandconsiderablestretcheswherethedialoguewassolowandmuffledastobebarelyaudible(thankfully,themoviewaspresentedinitsoriginallanguageaccompaniedbyItaliansubtitles),despitethevolumeofmyTVbeingpracticallysetatitsmaximumlevel!Theironyisthatthiswasscheduledagainontheverysamechanneljusttheotherweekand,hadIknownofthepoorstateofmycopy,I'dhavetriedtorecorditagain…though,ofcourse,Iwould'vehadnoguaranteethattheywereablegetholdofasuperiorprintunlessIwentthroughthewholethingoveragain! Anyway,havingseenit,I'mnowabletounderstandhowOliveirafeltsocompletelyathomemakingthatBunueliantributeBELLETOUJOURS(2006);infact,thishasmuchthesameauraofelegantsurrealismevidentintheSpaniard'scontemporaneousmasterpieceTHEDISCREETCHARMOFTHEBOURGEOISIE(1972),whilethroughoutOliveiradisplaysanadmirablyOphulsianpropensityforintricatelymobilecamera-work.Thepremiseisoriginalandquitedelightful:awomanhaslostahusbandandremarried;sheusedtodespisetheformerbut,now,sherealizeshowmuchsheactuallylovedhimand,consequently,startstoneglectSpouseNo.2.Also,thefirsthusbandhadanidenticaltwinbrother–sothewifefeelsclosertohimthanhercurrenthusband;thelatter,humiliatedbythisawkwardsituation,commitssuicide!Then,thesiblingofthedeceasedconfessesthathe'sactuallythemanshemarriedandthatitwashistwinwhohaddied(hejusthadtheinexplicableurgetoexchangeidentitieswithhim!);so,theex-brideandgroomgotocourttomaketheirre-unionlegal…exceptthat,bythistime,itdawnsonherthatHusbandNo.2istheoneshetrulyloves! Amidallthis,theirclosecircleoffriendstrytomakeheadortailsofthewoman'swhimsandquirks;furthercomplications,however,ariseoutofthesubplotinvolvingamanwhomakespassesattwoofthewomen(one'smarried,theotherhappilycohabitingwithherdivorcedex!).Thelatterturnshimdownflat,whilehisaffairwiththeformerprovesnolessvolatilethantheleadinglady'sroundaboutways;theman,then,deliberatelypicksafightwithhislover'shusband–whohadearlieralsoexchangedharshwordswiththeheroine'scynicalsecondhusband.ThoughlackingperhapsthecheerfulmockerythatBunuelmanagedtobringtothisessentiallystaidenvironment(eveniftheMendelssohnscorestilllendsitundeniableirony),Oliveira'sscriptisbothintelligentandwitty–towhichhissmallcastofunknownactors(tome,atleast)respondextremelywell.Theseextendtoeventheminorrolesofbutlerandmaid:apartfromindulgingintheirownromanticdalliancesfromtimetotime,thebutlerisvisiblyannoyedinhavingtoattendtothemansion'sgatesaftereveryvehiclethatcallsatthepremises(infact,apartfromabriefflashbackandthechurchfinale,we'revirtuallystuckonthegroundsofthissinglelocation).Healsowitnessesthesecondhusband'sfatalleapfromthewindowaswellasthewife'sescapefromtheverysameroom(inwhichshe'sbeenlockedbySpouseNo.1afterherpassionforhisreplacementisre-ignited),whilethemaidhasnoqualmsaboutspyingonhermasters'violentsquabblesthroughakeyhole. Theironicendingseesallconcernedattendingtheweddingceremonyofayoungbrideandgroom–withthecentralcoupleenteringthechurchtogetherbutthentakingseparateseatsawayfromoneanotherbecauseoflackofroom;theemphasisplacedonthenewlyweds'promisesoflifelongdevotionobviouslyringhollowatthispointwhile,seeminglyonawhim,Oliveiradecidestoendthefilmonanamusingshotofthechurchorganist(sportingthesomewhatclichédunkemptappearanceofthetypicalmusicologist).ItshouldbesaidherethatPASTANDPRESENTisthefirstentryinthedirector'sso-called"TetralogyOfFrustratedLove"alongwithBENILDEORTHEVIRGINMOTHER(1975),thefive-hourTVserialDOOMEDLOVE(1979)–bothofwhichIownandintendtocheckoutpresently,aspartofmyongoingretrospectivehonoringOliveira's100thbirthdaynextmonth–andtheas-yetunavailableFRANCISCA(1981).…