Tears and Fears Greet ‘Evita’ in Argentina

Raucous demonstrations and vandalism at theaters by political extremists apparently dampened attendance for “Evita” during its first four days in Argentina, officials at the distribution company reported Monday.

Falling short of the performance of blockbusters like “Independence Day” and “The Hunchback of Notre Dame,” the film played in 85 theaters and sold 81,706 tickets between Thursday and Sunday, said Oscar Scarinci, general manager of Buena Vista Pictures Distribution in Argentina.

Although “Evita” broke no records and did not fulfill the potential for a film of such inherent interest in Argentina, the numbers are nonetheless still good when compared with those for movies like “Ransom” and “The Rock,” which sold about 70,000 tickets in their first four days, Scarinci said.

“Evita’s” sales were hurt by a wave of protests at theaters by political extremists, most of them hard-core militants of the ruling Peronist party who allege that the film insults the memory of legendary first lady Eva Peron. In incidents in Buenos Aires and surrounding towns, bands of protesters scuffled with security guards, tossed insect-repellent bombs, sprayed graffiti on lobby walls and shouted, “Burn down the theater.”

The disturbances and the call for a boycott by Argentine Vice President Carlos Ruckauf, a Peronist leader, kept some moviegoers away, Scarinci said. He said he hoped sales would pick up once the furor dies down and lamented the vehemence of the reaction by what he called a small but vocal minority.

“We did not expect this reaction,” Scarinci said. “We thought that these kinds of situations had been overcome in Argentina. A mistake has been made--a work of art has been interpreted as a political statement.”

Despite the disappointing turnout, it appears that director Alan Parker and the star, Madonna, can feel partially vindicated now that the debate about “Evita’s” artistic merits has moved from the Argentine elites to the streets. Interviews and polls at theaters suggest that a majority of those who did see the movie liked it and regarded it as a work of entertainment rather than a historical document.

There was applause after the first showing at the America theater in the bustling heart of Buenos Aires. Eighty-seven percent of viewers interviewed by professional pollsters afterward expressed favorable opinions.

“The music is beautiful,” said Magdalena Rodriguez, 56. “And . . . ‘Evita’ is not a documentary.”

Parker has offered the same defense of the movie, but his depiction of Argentine history has been the subject of fierce debate. Protesters and some viewers made much of the fact that Parker is English, suggesting that his directorial vision was tainted by rancor from the disastrous Falklands War that Argentina lost to England 15 years ago.

A self-described Peronist militant, Carlos Ramirez, told the newspaper Clarin: “They present a very tough version of Evita’s private life. They treat her like a prostitute. I know history and that is a bit exaggerated.”

The controversy may ultimately benefit the Parker film; it has already spurred a revival of a nonmusical Argentine movie titled “Eva Peron.” The home-grown version returned to theaters this week with an advertising slogan that takes a sly slap at the Hollywood juggernaut: “The Only One. The Real One. The Best.”