Reactionary Essay on film “Bitter Sugar”
The themes of love and hate are best exemplified in the 1996 movie “Bitter Sugar” (Azucar amarga). Both themes were illustrated in the Leon Ichaso film through the character of Gustavo, played by actor Rene Lavan who, because of his idealism, manifested enormous love for his country and girlfriend Yolanda.
However, it is the same principle of love which unfortunately made Gustavo hate Cuba as his country and eventually Yolanda as his partner after she opted for a more daring life without Gustavo. This is primarily because of the disappointment brought about by the failure of Gustavo to achieve his high expectations from exerting too much admiration to Cuba and intimate affection with Yolanda (“Bitter Sugar” Motion Picture, 1996).
Truly ironic indeed is the fact that the subject matters of love and hate are two distinct concepts yet, in the movie, were apparently linked together thereby supporting the main principle behind the film’s title. This is best explained with Gustavo’s love to his country and partner which, just like sugar, is the source of sweetness in his life. However, it is the same love which ignited hatred in Gustavo’s character when the love was unreciprocated thus turning everything into a bitter and resentful attitude on the part of Gustavo (“Bitter Sugar” Motion Picture, 1996).
Relating the movie “Bitter Sugar” to the book “Pitching around Fidel” will make the public realize the apparent similarity between the two literary works. This is supported with the fact that the film is very much alike with the S.L. Price book in the sense that both depicted how the magnitude of love and hate can turn an affectionate and optimist person into his totally opposing attributes. Additionally, it is the same level of love and hate which turned a peace-loving and promising country to into a destructive condition (Price, 2000).
In particular, Gustavo depicted too much love for Cuba and Yolanda hence when things turned in contrast to what he expected, the feeling of love turned into hate and this implication clearly depicted a picture of a “bitter sweet” ending for the movie.
Similarly in the book, the love of the Cubans for their sports eventually paved the way for the harmful implications of power of money and politics, as illustrated by the country’s great athletes and President Fidel Castro, respectively, thereby destructing the field of sports in Cuba and eventually inflamed hatred among its people and within the country in general (Price, 2000).
Manifestations of love and hate and their damaging effects to people and country are indeed concretely displayed in both written works “Bitter Sugar” and motion picture “Pitching around Fidel.” Despite difference in genre, both the book and film are existing proofs that love and hate are two different realities of life which can be compared with each other but never be merged together.
References
Ichaso, L. (Director). (1996). Bitter Sugar. Cuba: Azucar Films.
Price, S.L. (2000). Pitching Around Fidel: A Journey Into the Heart of Cuban Sports. New York, NY: Ecco.
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