Poetic Film Review: Burn! (Quiemada, 1969)

In realms of cinema, where art meets fire,
A golden age dawned, with passion's highest desire,
The 1960s, a time of turmoil and strife,
Reflected on screens, a mirror to life.

Gillo Pontecorvo, a master of the lens,
Crafted films that spoke to the soul's deep tensions,
"The Battle of Algiers" and "Burn!" his notable claims,
Works that ignited minds, and fueled the flames.

"Burn!", a tale of colonialism's darkest night,
Set in the Antilles, where sugar plantations took flight,
A fictional island, Quiemada, where slaves toiled and bled,
Their story woven, a testament to the oppressed, long dead.

Marlon Brando, a thespian of great renown,
Played William Walker, a character of complex crown,
A British agent, with motives shrouded in gray,
He stirred the embers, of a revolution's sway.

José Dolores, a poor porter, with a heart afire,
Became a leader, with a spirit that aspired,
To free his people, from the chains of bondage and pain,
A hero emerged, with a story that would remain.

The film's allegory, a reflection of its time,
The Vietnam War, a conflict that did chime,
With the struggles of the Third World, and the fight for freedom's call,
"Burn!" spelled out its message, for one and all.

Pontecorvo's vision, a blend of neorealism's might,
With a budget substantial, and a cast that shone so bright,
Brando and Márquez, a duo of contrasting flair,
Delivered performances, that left a lasting air.

The film's pacing, occasionally uneven, it's true,
The musical score, at times, uninspired, anew,
But "Burn!" leaves a mark, that time cannot erase,
A testament to Pontecorvo's art, and his vision's blaze.

A film that speaks, to the heart of humanity's plight,
A story that burns, with a fire that ignites,
The spirit of revolution, the struggle for what is right,
"Burn!" remains a classic, a cinematic beacon, shining bright.

(Note: The review in its original form can be read here.)

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