User Reviews

O Bem Amado is one of the most amazing soap-operas aired in Brazilian TV. Not only for the quality of Dias Gomes' genius story, but also because it was the first soap-opera presented in living color in Brazil. A masterpiece that, unfortunately, is not re-runned since 1979 (it's a 1972/73 production).

It tells the story of Odorico Paraguassú, the mayor of the Brazilian country-sided city of Sucupira, located at Bahia and his ultimated aim to inaugurate the city's cemetery, since until that time all sucupirians had to be interred in other cities. Due to some unusual reason, no inhabitant of Sucupira died since the cemetery was built by the mayor Paraguassú. The Mayor, in an act of despair, decided to hire a renowned professional killer (known as Zeca Diabo) for that he killed someone and finally the cemetery would be inaugurated with pomp and circumstance.

All the story line rotates around the villainies and tricks of the corrupt Odorico Paraguassú and his obsession in inaugurate the cemetery. The author, Dias Gomes, does in this way, a biting criticism to the Brazilian's politics and politicians since Brazil lived the boom of the military dictatorship that was establish in 1964 . At the end of the story, the cemetery is finally inaugurated... by the own mayor, that ends up being dead by the own Zeca Diabo, when he is informed about the mayor's ambush to incriminate him.

A wonderful and unforgettable soap-opera.

20 stars wouldn't be enough to rate this piece of work which is much more than just a soap opera. Written by late and acclaimed theater drama writer Dias Gomes, the plot, full of his usual political criticism, is about Odorico Paraguaçu, a very corrupted mayor in the small town of Sucupira, who tries, in vain, open the city cemetery for the public. Odorico attempts to get political revenue with such a "great" monument. Meanwhile, he, the well beloved himself, has a triple affair with the Cajazeira sisters, three old maids who pretend to be straight to rest of the citizens. The other protagonist is Zeca Diabo, an ex-cangaceiro, Lampião-like bandit, who returns to his home town to redeem himself from all the sins and crimes of the past.

For a long length series, O Bem Amado had a very agile, fast, action-packed script. There were almost no stops. Regis Cardoso's direction was really superb. The cast, led by late Paulo Gracindo (Odorico) and Lima Duarte (Zeca Diabo), was really all-star. I tell foreigners would think this series to be at least, intriguing. Specially because it has been made during the worst years of the 1964-85 Brazilian military dictatorship. It even has its own view on the Watergate scandal, that makes Zeca Diabo mad with Odorico...I'm not spoiling everything.

As various Globo TV soap operas, The Well Beloved has been exported to many countries all over the world, and I assume it has also been a major hit like the excellent A Escrava Isaura.