Man of La Mancha (1972) is the movie version of the musical. It is
available on instant Netflix. It is based on the book by Miguel de
Cervantes. It stars Peter O'Toole and Sophia Loren with Coco as
Sancho. I studied this book in college, and I like the way the musical
and movie take concepts from the book and reworks them. For example
in the book there are often side stories. The characters
will find a manuscript and sit down to read it. In the musical, the
prisoners retell the story, taking part as characters. In the book, Cervantes makes fun of the Catholic Church during the inquisition. He
dressed a donkey as a priest. In the movie, it starts with making fun
of the Church in a drama. Cervantes walked a thin line. Another aspect
of Cervantes is the distortion of reality. Such as the helmet of
Mambrino. If a barber's basin is worn on the head, is it in fact a
helmet? In the book an artifact is used as a door knob. It then had
become a door knob.
As for the movie, it is based more on actors portraying characters,
rather than great singing. The characters come through, and carry their
parts. One of my favorite scenes is when Don Quijote finds Dulcinea by
the side of the road after being raped. The emotion really comes
through.
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