In memory of the itinerant cinema that used to be shown in the yard of CULTIVAMOS CULTURA when it was the Simões family’s farm house we fill the thursday’s nights of August with old movies again!

The Lisbon Song, 1933

The Lisbon Song: is a Portuguese film comedy from 1933, directed by José Cottinelli Telmo, and starring Vasco Santana, Beatriz Costa, António Silva, Alfredo Silva, Ana Maria, Artur Rodrigues, Coralia Escobar, Eduardo Fernandes, Elvira Coutinho, Fernanda Campos, Francisco Costa, Henrique Alves, Ivone Fernandes, José Victor, Júlia da Assunção, Manoel de Oliveira, Manuel Santos Carvalho, Maria Albertina, Maria da Luz, Silvestre Alegrim, Sofia Santos, Teresa Gomes and Zizi Cosme. Synopsis: Vasco (Vasco Santana) is a medical student in Lisbon, supported by his rich aunts from Trás-os-Montes, whom he had falsely told he had already graduated. In fact, he devotes himself to a bohemian life, preferring the popular fairs and pretty women, especially Alice (Beatriz Costa), a seamstress from the Castelinhos quarter, which rather upsets her ambitious father, tailor Caetano (António Silva), who is familiar with Vasco’s debts. After failing yet another final exam, he is surprised by his aunts’ announcement that they will visit him in Lisbon to see his practice.

The Tyrant Father, 1941

The Tyrant Father: is a 1941 Portuguese film comedy directed by António Lopes Ribeiro, starring Vasco Santana, Ribeirinho (Francisco Ribeiro), Leonor Maia, Teresa Gomes and Laura Alves. It is one the best known comedies of the Golden Age of Portuguese cinema, still popular six decades after its release. Synopsis: Francisco Mega (Ribeirinho), a clerk at the then leading department stores of Lisbon, “Grandes Armazéns do Grandella”, is in love with Tatão (Leonor Maia), who works in front at “Perfumaria da Moda”. Tatão, however, is a cinephile who largely ignores him, whereas Francisco is also an amateur theatre player; so his amateur theatre company, the Grandellinhas, uses its rehearsals of the play O Pai Tirano (ou O Último dos Almeidas) to present Francisco as a son who split from his tyrant father for love, and woo Tatão.

O Leão da Estrela, 1947

O Leão da Estrela is a 1947 Portuguese film comedy directed by Arthur Duarte. Starring Oscar Acurcio, Laura Alves, Holbeche Bastos. Synopsis: A Sporting a fan is going to Oporto city to see the mach between football clubs and stays with some family acquaintances, impersonating a rich man. The worst is when his acquaintances traveling back to Lisbon for a visit.

The Courtyard of Songs, 1942

The Courtyard of Songs is a Portuguese film from 1942, directed by Francisco Ribeiro, “Ribeirinho”, that takes place in a typical Lisbon neighbourhood during the Popular Saints festivals, through a maze of misunderstandings and innuendos, with Vasco Santana, António Silva, Laura Alves and Ribeiro. Synopsis: In a typical Lisbon “pátio”, or courtyard, by the Popular Saints festivals, a handful of plain people live their day-to-day, their dreams, disappointments, passions, jealousies and joys in an almost enchanted atmosphere. Alfredo is a good lad whose brother Carlos, flirts with frivolous Amália. Her sister, Suzana, is in turn in love with Alfredo. Narciso, Rufino’s father and his partner in the neighbourhoods café, is a chronic drunkard and a guitar virtuoso. Rosa, a merry widow that sells flowers, is in turn courted by Narciso and by the unpleasant and arrogant Evaristo, the grocer, father to envious and spoiled Celeste. The rivalry between Narciso and Evaristo reaches its height in a dance night at the courtyard that ends in a veritable camp battle. At long last all is settled between the several loving couples and life goes on serenelly in the courtyard.