O último mergulho (‘the last dive’), Joao César Monteiro’s contribution to The Four Elements, is about water. The film is an idiosyncratic reconnaissance with a fanciful ending about the red-light districts of Lisbon.The young Samuel is standing staring into the water of the River Tejo in the middle of the night on a deserted quay. Eloi, an aged, retired seaman suspects that Samuel wants to jump to end his life. Samuel invites Eloi to take the last dive together, but Eloi takes Samuel into town. They hit the town for two long nights, while the festivities surrounding the Holy Anthony are in full swing. In a nightclub they meet four women: Esperança, a dumb prostitute, Eloi’s daughter, and two other women of the night, the Italian Rosa Bianca and Ivonne. Samuel discovers love in the arms of Esperança; the River Taag no longer inspires him. It is Eloi who jumps from the quay in the end. Rosa Bianca signs on with a Russian ship and Ivonne allows herself to be led by her fate. Esperança and Samuel disappear into their own idyllic world.Monteiro made O último mergulho rapidly using improvisation. During shooting, scenes were added and changed to suit the circumstances. For instance, use is made of the chance arrival of a Russian ship in Lisbon. Monteiro developed the story line from day to day, so that the ‘small-scale’ film eventually developed into a feature lasting almost 90 minutes.
