Hilda Hurricane
1998
Original language: Portuguese
- drama
- war & politics
- soap
The story
After breaking off her engagement on her wedding day and going directly to a prostitution house, a young model becomes the city's most famous harlot, known as "Hilda Hurricane", in the 50's Brazil. She could do fine if it wasn't for Malthus, a young novice said to be a saint, for whom she falls in love. However, the boy is kept under the strict, severe doctrine of Father Nelson, a conservative priest intolerant even to every minor sin. Things start getting harder when Roberto, Malthus' old friend and a communist reporter (the actual author of the story), tries to interview Hilda and disclosure the real reasons behind her radical change of mind. In the meantime, the middle-classes are terrified by the "leftist threat" in Brazilian politics.
What it’s like
Warm, saturated 1950s Brazilian colour, with sunlit streets, pastel and jewel-toned period costumes, and church interiors lit by candles and stained glass against the dimmer, smoky rooms of the red-light district. It plays like a classic Latin American telenovela stretched into a miniseries: sweeping melodramatic score, lingering close-ups on faces, and a rhythm that lets romantic tension build over many episodes rather than rushing. The mood is romantic and earnest, with a streak of wry political unease as the middle classes grow jittery about leftist activists. Sexual content is suggestive rather than explicit, and the prostitution storyline is handled with melodrama more than grit. Violence is limited and mostly threatened or implied, with some tense confrontations but no gore. This suits a long, unhurried watch on a rainy weekend, or anyone who enjoys period romance, ethical dilemmas about faith and desire, and the operatic emotional register of Brazilian television.
More TV shows like Hilda Hurricane
Closest in mood, pacing and theme. Tell us why you loved Hilda Hurricaneand we’ll explain which ones fit you.
