In the arid backlands of Northeastern Brazil, a band of outlaws led by Captain Galdino rules the territory, raiding towns and spreading terror. When they kidnap a young schoolteacher, one of the bandits falls in love with her and becomes determined to save her from the clutches of his own gang.
Inspired by the exploits of the legendary bandit Lampiao, Lima Barreto’s O Cangaceiro is a foundational work of Brazilian popular cinema that achieved success both in Brazil and abroad. Its sweeping landscapes, folk-inspired music, and mythic romanticism helped define the ‘Nordestern,’ a distinctly Brazilian take on the American Western. The film was produced by the Vera Cruz studio, an ambitious and ultimately short-lived venture that strived to achieve the high technical and artistic standards of European filmmaking.