Modesta (1956) - full transcript

This could've happened
just yesterday

But it happened a long time ago.

So long

that names of the characters
and dates have been forgotten.

Also in oblivion is the name of the
place where what happened happened.

But there is no doubt
that the facts are true.

That's what the person who
told me the story told me.

Someone of great reputation
and even better memory.

This person

heard the story from
his great-grandfathers

and these from their
great-great-grandfathers.



People that never knew
how to tell a lie.

Not a single lie.

Well then

Once upon a time there
was a happy island

surrounded by a
serene and blue sea

and covered by a
serene and blue sky.

And every day of the week...

Samana!

Wake up, it's late!

Rosa

[unintelligible]

Agustiana!

Throw yourself down from the hammock now!

Caridad!



Go get me some water,
I'm so thirsty I'm drying!

Soledad

Pass me the goad that I must go.

Mmmmodesta!

Oh!

But Sunday!

Sunday was different.

Modesta!

What is it, Love.

"Love", my ass!

Ow! Mari

My body is killing me!

I can't move with this belly.

Ugh!

Don't make a fuss and get up.

Always complaining.

Always with their stories and songs.

Look Mommy,
Pedrito broke my doll!

Lies Mommy,
I didn't break anything.

Shut up!

Why don't you take care
of these kids for once.

Quiet, Daddy is angry and might scold you

So go play there. OK?

Well, I'm going.

Mari, won't you wait for the coffee?

Ugh.

Tired of waiting for it.

Besides I have some important
things to do and I'm running late.

One more thing.

Prepare that chicken that's running around

and make a stew for when I come back.

Well, now you know.

What is it? My little precious.

You want your milk? Uh?

Your milk? Want to go for a walk?
My precious.

Come with mommy. Let's prepare your milk.

Let me see if the chicken is there.

Where the hell is that chicken.

Uh-huh!, there it is.

Hey Severo, what did you do with
the chicken from the other day?

Can't do nothing with
it, I left it at home

for my woman to cook it
for when I come back.

Hi comadre, how are you?

So so, as usual.

With these men that have
no compassion for one.

This morning he didn’t drink the
coffee because he was in a rush.

Then told me to kill a
chicken to cook for lunch.

But look at this belly of mine

I can't do nothing,
I went to catch it and it flew away.

So I cooked some cassava,
he'll have to settle for that.

Ha, men are all the same

they think one has nothing
to do in the house.

And we have to put up with this
since waking up till going to sleep.

Ha! yeah.

There they come.

I'm off comadre my house
is alone, and mine is surely coming too.

-Bye comadre
-Bye comadre

Well Negra, is the chicken
I told you too cook ready?

We are so hungry we could eat a cow.

So, is it ready?

It's not ready yet because...

What are you saying?

Is not ready cause...

as you told me,
I went to catch the chicken

but it flew away and
I couldn't catch it

And with my belly
I can't run around

What kind of woman is this
this that tells me she can't

catch the sad little chicken
because of the belly?

Looking for excuses for
not doing the work.

Women make up stuff so they don't
have to do the things we tell them to.

Women are useless.

They are only good for
that, for breeding.

Don't you dare to come here with a
sandal, or else I'll beat you

Look, now your big belly
is not a bother, right?

Leave you scumbag!,
I'm tired of you and your mistreatment!

Good afternoon!

We heard about the stick!

Ha ha!

The stick you hit your husband with.

Look, there they come too.

The stick, yeah!

♪A woman in my life♪

♪is committed to destroying me♪

♪God will punish her♪

♪For her malice, before I die♪

♪She answers with disaffection♪

♪Any favor I do to her♪

♪Oh heartless woman♪

♪Evil is punished just as good♪

♪I almost can't sleep at night♪

♪Thinking what could be the cause♪

♪And as I can't find any♪

♪Only revenge comes to mind♪

♪A woman in my life♪

♪is committed to destroying me♪

♪God will punish her♪

♪For her malice, before I die♪

IF YOU DRINK TO FORGET,
PAY BEFORE DRINKING

Thanks comrades

Thank you very much

I feel very happy to have been elected
president of our LWL Association

Liberated Women's League

And following the resolution
by our comrade Emeteria

We will use this wood stick as a symbol.

Since we've given our first
step towards emancipation

We must become

the watch women

for the defense of our rights.

Therefore

we must unite our efforts for that purpose

Yeah!

Hey Modesta.

It think the first thing to do is to make
a law so that our rights are protected

That's what we'll do.

Go girl, get some pen and paper.

I propose that no man has
the right to beat his wife.

Unless it's necessary!

You keep it and prepare,
you're gonna write.

I think our comrade Caridad

has just said something very good.

I've said that since we are
not our husband's slaves

we need more cooperation
in the household duties.

They're all the same

Mine once had me a full month
with a bump bigger than a anvil

Women? Uh!

That's was Adam's biggest mistake.

Sadly, with them is bad,
but without them is worse.

Well, I believe they also
have the right to enjoy life.

You know, even animals get tired of it,
how are they not going to get tired too?

I don't know but things
aren't the same anymore.

Guys, the thing is,
sometimes we cross the line.

Come on, tell him!
What's the matter, a cat got your tongue?

Don't be afraid, we are here!

Well, misters.

We've been talking

about our problems as housewives

And...uh

Come on Woman, say it already
What the hell is going on with all of you?

Well, we've decided

that we also have rights
as mothers and wives

So we've all agreed to
place some conditions on you

First

that since we are not slaves

we demand more participation
from the husbands

in the matters of the
household and marriage.

Second

that the husbands have no
right to beat their wives.

Third

that the husbands have responsibilities
in taking care and educating the children.

Ha, including changing and
washing their underpants?

And why not?
You didn't have your

underpants washed
when you were little?

Well...uh...this is getting ugly.

Fourth

Oh God! There's more?

That the man, as long as they
can, must do the heavy work

in the house, such as carrying
water and chopping wood.

Therefore

it is just to demand that men become
more tolerant and understanding in all

matters that are important to the
peace and happiness in the household.

Also, we want to state

that we're not rebelling against our
responsibilities as mothers and wives

what we ask is fair treatment

the same thing that men are always
asking, we are asking it now for us.

Fair treatment in the
household work and fairness

in the relationship
between husband and wive.

That is all.

Well.

What do you say?

Let's talk about it.

Quiet, they must not listen

It's better if...

Written too.

Wait a moment, I'll get a paper.

He'll get a paper for us to write.

We say what we demand and...

There he comes.

Let's start the same way as them

Solutions as well,
what do you think?

That's what we should do...

Write everything

We agree about the fair treatment to women.

Well...

We've decided that this
matter is of the utmost

importance and can't
be solved so quickly

We've decided to leave it for tomorrow.

Today has been too much.

Besides, we're hungry and we want to
rest, we'll talk tomorrow.

No no, right now!

No sir, you want to fool us!

If we wait till tomorrow
we're back to square one.

We're also hungry and tired!

But there is a saying
that goes: "Never leave

that till tomorrow
which you can do today"

So, no dinner!

We won't move till this issue is addressed.

Moreover, we will sit here.

Severo, let's meet again.

OK, let's go.

What a drag.

It looks like you've decided something.

Here we are to tell you what we've agreed.

The thing is...

well... thing is...

we've decided to accept
in part your petitions.

Hold on! Hold on!

But...

But, we also have some clarifications
to make, and some conditions.

First

we recognize the right of
women to a fair treatment

We recognize that often we husbands

forget to consider and
understand our women better.

Second

we accept,
that a man should not beat his wife

but a woman also must
not beat her husband.

So man, as well as woman

must now forget about the "stick law".

Third

we recognize that women have a high
burden with the house and the children

but women

must also accept that we work as

animals for the
family's livelihood.

Fourth

we're willing to be better
fathers, being more concerned about

the children's education and care

but we're not
willing to wash underpants.

It's out of the question!

Fifth and last

we recognize the right of woman
to ask us to make them happy

but since we also want to be happy

we tell you

please, more caressing and less talking

That is all

And this is how the story
that I was told ends.

The story that happened during
a time in which man and women

didn't understand each other well.

Today, thanks to civilization

things don't happen this way.

Man treat women very, very well

And women, clearly

don't use wood sticks to
convince their husbands anymore

They don't, right?

THE END