Macunaima (1969): cast, story & where to watch
1969 · Film · ★ 6.7
Released in 1969, Macunaima is a comedy and fantasy film directed by Joaquim Pedro de Andrade, running about 110 minutes. “My! Such laziness!” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. Born a fully grown black man in a village in the Brazilian jungle, Macunaíma later magically transforms into a white man before making an adventure-filled trip to the city of São Paulo. Once there, he becomes something of a dandy, falling in love with Ci, a revolutionary who dies in an accidental bombing. After robbing a ruthless industrialist, Macunaima returns to his village where he finds his newly acquired knowledge and possessions of little use.
Who’s in it. Macunaima stars Grande Otelo as Black Macunaíma / Macunaíma's son, Paulo José as White Macunaíma / Macunaíma's mother, Milton Gonçalves as Jiguê and Rodolfo Arena as Maanape, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 6.7/10, Macunaima has drawn a solid, mixed-to-positive response.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Kino Film Collection and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Macunaima page.
If you liked it. Fans of Macunaima tend to enjoy Forrest Gump, Parasite, Life Is Beautiful and Fight Club.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Macunaima (1969)?
- In US, Macunaima is available to stream on Kino Film Collection, and rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is Macunaima worth watching?
- Macunaima holds an audience score of 6.7 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy comedy and fantasy. Reactions are mixed, so it may depend on taste.
- Who stars in Macunaima?
- Macunaima stars Grande Otelo, Paulo José, Milton Gonçalves, Rodolfo Arena and Jardel Filho.