The Agony (1976): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1976, The Agony is a comedy, crime and romance film directed by Júlio Bressane, running about 90 minutes.

What it’s about. Cropped hair, a rosemary branch behind the ear, yellow shirt of shiny satin, he's behind the wheel of his car when passing by a woman who walks by the roadside. Strongly painted lips, printed dress with round skirt and red shoes matching the color of the lipstick, she catches his attention. He gives her a ride, the two of them stare in silence for a few moments. They introduce themselves to one another and between the two establishes an absurd dialogue and full of metaphors. And they are driving around in corners of Rio de Janeiro, to the sound of Noel Rosa and Lamartine Babo. Eva and Antena, she a seer, he, an assassin on the run, initiate an unusual case of love, a marginal love, where boredom often gives way to tragedy, creating the agony of a holiday spent in an abyss.

Who’s in it. The Agony stars Joel Barcellos as Antena, o malandro, Maria Gladys as Eva, a vidente, Grande Otelo as Sinhô and Wilson Grey as Mudo, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 8.1/10, The Agony sits among the best-reviewed titles in the catalogue.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Agony page.

If you liked it. Fans of The Agony tend to enjoy Forrest Gump, Parasite, Life Is Beautiful and Fight Club.