The Courtyard of the Ballads (1942) Poster

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8/10
Ó Evaristo, tens cá disto?!
filipemanuelneto17 September 2015
This film tells the relationships and stories between the residents of a courtyard in downtown Lisbon, where their lives intersect each other in a web of joys and sorrows. Directed by Francisco Ribeiro (known as Ribeirinho, which also enters the film as an actor in the role of Rufino), the film has the participation of Maria das Neves (as Rosa), Vasco Santana (as Narciso), Antonio Silva (as Evaristo), Laura Alves (as Celeste) and António Vilar (as Carlos).

Lisbon is a city known for having a spirit and mentality very similar to a small village: the inhabitants of each neighborhood and courtyard are known to each other and usually help each other in difficult situations. This creates a strong sense of community, which they call "bairrismo". This film is a comedy in the best Portuguese style, where comic situations alternate with word games and even romantic scenes. Francisco Ribeiro, known as an excellent comedian, has one of most humorous roles and co-stars with another great humorist, Vasco Santana. The film is full of moments that entered in the history of Portuguese cinema and even justified a more recent film, with the same name, that revisits the story in our time.

This film is for the entire family and appeals to everyone, whether you have 9 or 99 years. It has absolutely delightful scenes and jokes. Its timeless, its a masterpiece.
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8/10
A Portuguese patio, for sure
jpmota22 April 2005
Warning: Spoilers
An honest and furious salesman, a funny drunk and his obsessive young son, an un-practical inventor, a Russian immigrant (for political jokes), a Brazilian singer (for amusement) and her hard-working Portuguese mother... the most irregular group to liven up things in a typical Portuguese patio (the backyard of buildings)! There is no way you can stop laughing!

(spoilers) The three most famous scenes: - when the drunk's son uses a fake streetlight that his father's mistakes for a person ("Can you give me a light?" - hilarious!), to call him home; - when the inventor listens to music on his home-made radio (when he is, in fact, listening his Russian's neighbor's graphonola), and ends up smashing it with hammers when he discovers he cannot switch it off! - when the singer arrives from Brasil, and everybody on the patio wants to be the first to give the good news to her mother using his own different method (a pigeon, a boy, a home-made radio,...), all arriving at the same time!

A true portrait of a certain way of life in Portugal during the times of fascism. Second only to Italian comedies!
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9/10
The best Portuguese musical!
afonsobritofalves4 October 2018
Lately, Portuguese cinema has been a bit bad; But in the 1940s the films were fantastic, and this movie proves completely. Fantastico, one of the best musicals and best comedies ever. Highly recommend, great for movie lovers
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A masterpiece!
BB_GiRl1 February 2002
This is one of the most hilarious films ever made in Portugal. It's full of those little jokes everybody remembers, even today! The actors transformed this, rather simple story, into a masterpiece! This movie is a definite "must see".
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10/10
The best!
bfp-314 February 2000
This is it! The best Portuguese film ever! As a Portuguese cinema lover, it is kind of sad for me to say this about a movie made in 1942, but since this is not a debate about the present Portuguese cinema I will just go straight to the point. This movie is not just a fabulous piece about Lisbon and the way it was for the working class back in the 40's. This a fabulous comedy with fabulous gigs performed by even more fabulous actors. Vasco Santana and António Silva played unforgettable rolls that still today are remembered by us all.
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8/10
A true Portuguese Masterpiece
marco-natal24 June 2017
One of the best comedies in Portuguese cinema. A very funny movie, with the two best comedy actors from Portugal of all time, Vasco Santana and António Silva. I believe that true cinema in Portugal ended in the sixties and this film is the pinnacle of this period. I recommend this film to all the people, who wants to know our country and our culture in the middle of the fifty's.
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10/10
A masterpice with no defects
snunosilva22 June 2023
This is one of the Portuguese movies you must watch before you die.

Sometimes i wonder where are the great movies of today, and we need to go way back to find something like this.

With a luxury enrolment of great and timeless portuguese actors this movie shows exactly the portuguese way mixt with other cultures.

It gives a 2 hour fun on where you laft, cry, fell good it as it time passes without you even notice.

It focues on the dereivations of diferent families and their problems but all mixed in a very well told story where on the end every one lives happy ever after.

Movies like this are timless and you will see it and repeat it over and over again.

If you want to find the real portuguese soul embebed in a movie, this is it.
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The best portuguese comedy ever
Indio-218 November 1998
The best portuguese comedy ever.With lovely performances by António Silva e Vasco Santana this film is a decomentary of portuguese neighborhoods in the past.Must see,
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