In Neruda (2016), Gabriel González Videla, the president played by Alfredo Castro, constitutes a very minor role within the film. However, it is the conflict between this character and the main character, Pablo Neruda played by Luis Gnecco, from which the narrative springs forward. Elected by the help of the Communists, Videla later abandons them in his politics, which leads Neruda, the man who incentivized the communists to vote for Videla, to turn on him, spurning his ability and character. From this conflict, Videla directs Peluchonneau, the policeman, to arrest Neruda. In Christian Keathley’s essay “Pass the Salt… and Other bits of Business”, he discusses the effect of actors embodying space and action in their roles as minor characters, saying “such business employs objects for dramatic and expressive purposes” (Keathley para. 3). What this is to say is that, by being within the film as the embodied character, actors are able to exaggerate, expand, and extend the perceived weight of this character despite their frequently short screen time as minor characters. We can see this with Castro’s depiction of Videla within the film. Aided by purposeful cinematographic style, Castro is able to command an unwavering air of dominance and resolution. Particularly, when Castro speaks hurriedly as he rushes into a stately room to make demands of Peluchonneau, he fiddles with his cufflinks before seating himself at his desk. But, rather than simply sitting in the chair slumped over or with his hands on his lap, Castro places his hands on the desk and positions his body in such a way as to take up more space than what is perceived. Even further, he gets up and brings Peluchonneau to the window to speak quietly. Utilizing the scene’s features and spaces in such a way adds to the weight of the character of Videla.
Works Cited
Neruda (2016)
Christian Keathley, Pass the salt … and other bits of business, Screen, Volume 52, Issue 1, Spring 2011, Pages 105–113, https://doi.org/10.1093/screen/hjq065
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