As bodas de Deus

Just as in the previous parts of Monteiro’s trilogy, Memories of the Yellow House (1989) and A comédia de Deus (1995), the visually stunning As bodas de Deus (The Wedding of God) is also about Monteiro’s familiar old-men’s eroticism, mixed with an almost old-fashioned erudition and a strange kind of joie de vivre. Monteiro’s ironic alter ego, the atheistic saint Joao de Deus (John of God) with his rather obscene fascination for young women, is not in a very good state at the start of the film. In an ice-cold park he sadly consumes a simple lunch. But then he receives a visit from a messenger of God. The messenger, dressed in a military uniform, gives him a suitcase full of American banknotes and leaves. Joao counts the banknotes. The motionless surface of the nearby pond is disturbed when something heavy falls into the water. Joao sees a young girl, Joana, who is drowning. He jumps in after her and takes the unconscious girl to a nunnery. Then the attentive Joao takes the cigar-smoking mother superior out to dinner. Then he returns to the park to fetch the suitcase with its valuable contents. Fortunately no one has touched it. The adventures continue. Joao is hopelessly in love with the beautiful Elena, a friend’s lover. He puts all his possessions on the line.