Guarnieri, Gianfrancesco 1934-

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GUARNIERI, Gianfrancesco 1934-

PERSONAL: Born August 6, 1934, in Milan, Italy; immigrated with family to Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, 1936; married second wife, Cecí Thompson (separated); children: (first marriage) two; (second marriage) three, include Paulo and Flévio.

ADDRESSES: Agent—c/o Author Mail, Editora Hucitec, Rua João Mouura, 433, São Paulo, Brazil, CEP 05412-001.

CAREER: Writer, actor, and director.

Actor in films, including O grande momento, 1958; O jogo da vida, 1977; As três mortes de Solano, 1978; Diário da provincia, 1978; Curumim, 1978; Asa branca, 1980; Os caminhos da liberdade Gaijin, 1980; Eles não usam Black-Tie, 1981; Beijo 2348/72, 1990; O quatrilho, 1995; and Contos de Lygia, 1998. Appeared on television series, including O tempo e o vento, 1967, and Metamorphoses, 2004. Director of television series Dez vidas, 1969; Os estranhos, 1969; and Vozes do medo, 1972.

WRITINGS:

Gimba, presidente dos valentes (play; title means "Gimba; President of the Valiant Ones"), Sociedade Brasileira de Autores Treatrais (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), 1959, reprinted, Serviço Nacionial de Teatro, Ministério da Educação e Cultura (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), 1973.

A semente (play; title means "The Seed"), Edições Massao Ohno (São Paulo, Brazil), 1961, reprinted, Civilização Brasileira (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), 1978.

(And composer of music) Eles não usam black-tie, (play; title mean's "They Don't Wear Black Tie"; also see below), preface by Delmiro Goncalves, Editoôra Brasiliense (São Paulo, Brazil), 1966, reprinted, 1997.

(With August Boal) Arenaconta Tiradentes, Livaria Editôra Sagarana (São Paulo, Brazil), 1967.

Castro Alves pede passagem (play; title means "Castro Alves Asks for Permission to Enter"), photographs by Alberto Chagas, Palco y Platéia (São Paulo, Brazil), 1971.

Um grito parado no ar; Botequim (play; title means "The Shout Holding in the Air"), Monções (São Paulo, Brazil), 1973.

Toquino, Editoôra Musical Sonata (São Paulo, Brazil), 1974.

Ponto de partida: fábula em um ato (play; title means "Point of Departure"), music by Sérgio Ricardo, Editora Brasiliense (São Paulo, Brazil), 1976.

O filho do cão; O cimento, Civilização Brasileira (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), 1978.

Teatro de Gianfrancesco Guarnieri, Civilização Brasileira (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), 1978.

Gianfrancesco Guarnieri, selections by Maria Helena Pires Martins, Abril Educação (São Paulo, Brazil), 1980.

(With others) Atr'a da máscara, Civilização Brasileira (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil), 1984.

O melhor teatro (plays), selections by Décio de Almeida Prado, Global Editora (São Paulo, Brazil), 1986.

Teatro de Gianfrancesco Guarnieri: textos para televisão, Editora Hucitec (São Paulo, Brazil), 1988.

Contributor to Arena conta: zumbi, 1965. Screenwriter for films, including Presidente dos valentes Gimba, 1963; A hora e a nez de August Matratai (also known as The Hour and Turn of August Matraga), 1965; (and director) Vozes do medo, 1972; O jogo da vida, 1977; and (with Leon Hirsman) They Don't Wear Black Tie, 1981. Television credits include scripts for series Sublime armor, 1967, Carga pasada, 1979, Sol de verão, 1982, and Sampa, 1988.

SIDELIGHTS: Gianfrancesco Guarnieri began his career as an actor but soon turned to writing Marxist-leaning plays about society's outcasts and downtrodden with a focus on their exploitation by the elite. Although the author's political leanings are apparent, his plays are full of ambiguity and psychological depth as they examine Brazilian culture. His most wellknown play, Eles não usam black-tie, tells the story of a young man living in the slums who seeks a better life. His father is a union organizer, and the son's disregard for a strike makes him an outcast in his society. The play has gone through several published editions and was adapted by Guamieri and coauthor and director Leon Hirsman as a film released in the United States under the title They Don't Wear Black Tie. New York Times contributor Janet Maslin noted that the film version is not "stilted or preachy about the way … [it] tells its story," and went on to comment that the "characters never degenerate into politically commendable puppets."

In his play Gimba, presidente dos valentes Guarnieri focuses on people living in urban slums and their need to act together to move forward. In A semente the author combines Greek tragedy with Christian beliefs in the story of a Marxist union leader who is dedicated to bringing about a revolution. Castro Alves pede passagem tells the story of the noted Brazilian poet. Um grito parado no ar; Botequim is a play-within-a-play that focuses on actors preparing for a performance of potentially politically incendiary drama.