The hit musical based on the life of Evita Duarte, an Argentinian actress who eventually became the wife of Argentinian president Juan Perón, and the most beloved and hated woman in Argentina.
| Tagline | Unforgotten, forever loved and adored. |
| Release Date: | Dec 14, 1996 |
| Genres: | History, Drama |
| Production Company: | Hollywood Pictures, Cinergi Pictures, Robert Stigwood Organization, Dirty Hands Productions |
| Production Countries: | United Kingdom, United States of America |
| Casts: | Madonna, Antonio Banderas, Jonathan Pryce, Jimmy Nail, Victoria Sus, Julian Littman, Olga Merediz, Laura Pallas, Julia Worsley, María Luján Hidalgo, Servando Villamil |
| Status: | Released |
| Budget: | $55000000 |
| Revenue: | 141047179 |
So if you know anything about the history of the rise of Perón in Argentina, and/or have seen the excellent theatrical performance of Rice and Lloyd Webber's "Evita" then you will already have the basis for this really rather poor big screen adaptation of both. Madonna is not much of an actress and though her voice manages the songs well enough, her on-screen persona here just falls flat. She is not helped much by a poorly cast Jonathan Pryce as her president - and frankly rather insipid - husband and by the terribly wooden Jimmy Nail as journeyman singer "Magaldi". Perhaps only Antonio Banderas salvages anything from his authentic characterisation of the narrator "Ché" - but otherwise this is a good looking but lacklustre, episodically constructed, series of musical set-pieces that creates an overall feeling of - well, emptiness. Madonna's efforts fail to ignite any sense of the magnetism of this astonishing woman who went from brothel to Presidential palace in such a short time; it pays scant regard to the ruthless (and venal) nature of the prevailing politics of Argentina and in the end proves to be little more than a compendium of good/great songs set to well attired and produced videos. Some things are better left to the stage - and this is certainly one of those!
