Evita is the
1996 film adaptation of
Tim Rice and
Andrew Lloyd Webber's
musical based on the life of
Eva Perón. It was directed by
Alan Parker and starred
Madonna,
Antonio Banderas and
Jonathan Pryce. It was released on
December 25,
1996 by
Hollywood Pictures and
Cinergi Pictures.
Cast
- Victoria Sus as Doña Juana
- Julian Littman as Juan Duarte Jr.
- María Luján Hidalgo as Young Eva
- Servando Villamil as Cipriano Reyes
Plot
Evita traces the life of Eva Duarte (later Eva Duarte de Perón) (
Madonna) from a child from the lower class to becoming the first lady and spiritual leader of
Argentina.
The film begins with the announcement of Eva's death and public funeral as the audience is introduced to the film's narrator, Che (
Antonio Banderas), an everyman who tells the story of Eva's rise to power and subsequent illness and death, appearing in many different guises and serving as Eva's conscience and critic. The film flashes back to Eva's childhood, and she is seen as a young girl attempting to attend her father's funeral in the town of
Junín with her mother and siblings. But her father's wife and other family (who are middle class) ban Eva's family from entering and carry Eva out screaming and claiming that he's her "papa" after she runs in on her own and pays her last respect.
At age 15, Eva decides to leave Junín to seek a better life and hitches a ride to
Buenos Aires with a tango singer,
Augustin Magaldi (
Jimmy Nail), with whom she's having an affair. After Magaldi leaves her, she progresses through several relationships with increasingly influential men, becoming a model, actress and radio personality, until her fateful meeting with Colonel
Juan Perón (
Jonathan Pryce) at a fundraiser. Perón's connection with Eva lends him a populist air, since she is from the working class (as is Perón himself). Eva has a radio show during Perón's rise and uses all her skills to promote Perón, even when the controlling administration has him jailed in an attempt to stunt his political momentum. The groundswell of support Eva generates forces the government to release Perón, and he finds the people enamored of him and Eva. Perón wins election to the presidency and Eva promises the new government will serve the "
descamisados" (literally, "the shirtless ones"—
i.e., the working poor). Eva establishes a foundation and distributes aid while the Perónists otherwise plunder the public treasury. Argentine society is very class-based, and the military officer corps and social elites despise Eva's common roots and affinity for the poor. During a world tour Evita becomes ill and is rushed home. Towards the end of her life she understands that she is terminally ill but rationalizes that her life was short because she shone like the "brightest fire" and helps Perón prepare to go on without her. A large crowd surrounding the
Casa Rosada in a candlelight vigil praying for her recovery when the light of her room goes out, signifying her death. Eva's funeral is shown again. Che is seen at her coffin, and he kisses it.
Ryan, who played Magaldi in the original 1978 London stage production, appeared as a waiter and
Billie Piper was an uncredited extra, appearing next to Perón in
A New Argentina.
Production and casting
Discussion of the film production began soon after the original 1978 London production was staged. Several actresses were considered for the role. At one point, Lloyd Webber favoured an actress of Spanish descent to play the lead role and suggested
Charo. Then
Meryl Streep was offered the role, but production was delayed. Meanwhile,
Madonna had been campaigning for the part but when Parker was ready for filming, several people objected to Madonna playing the part.
Cher,
Barbra Streisand,
Glenn Close,
Olivia Newton-John and
Michelle Pfeiffer were rumored to be involved. Pfeiffer, who recorded a number of demo tracks, was almost cast, but director
Alan Parker wanted to shoot the picture on location, not in Pfeiffer's preferred Hollywood sound studio.
Patti LuPone was not offered to reprise her original role as Evita. As an actress, in her forties, she was too "old" to play the part of Eva Peron. When the lead of Eva was announced,
Madonna,
Patti LuPone was asked to play the role of Eva's mother, but she refused.
Filming began on
February 1996 and it finished in May. Midway through production, Madonna discovered she was pregnant with daughter Lourdes Maria Ciccone Leon who was born on October 14, 1996.
Soundtrack
Album
Singles
Awards
- Blockbuster Entertainment Award for Favorite Song from a Movie ("Don't Cry for Me Argentina").
- LAFCA Award for Best Production Design.
Box office
Box office performance
Reception
The film received a warm reception from many critics. It was nominated for five
Academy Awards and won the award for "Best Song" for "
You Must Love Me".
Evita had five
Golden Globe nominations and three wins (Best Picture - Comedy or Musical; Best Original Song, "You Must Love Me"; and Best Actress in a Comedy or Musical,
Madonna) and was one of the
National Board of Review's Top Ten Films of the Year.
Following the success of the film, the government of Argentina released its own film biography of Peron, entitled
Eva Perón, to correct alleged distortions in the Lloyd Webber account.
World record
The movie earned Madonna a Guinness World Record title, "Most costume changes in a film". The record was previously held by
Elizabeth Taylor for the 1963 film
Cleopatra (65 costume changes). In
Evita, Madonna changed costumes 85 times (which included 39 hats, 45 pairs of shoes and 56 pairs of earrings).
