Story :Lisbon, 1938. Mr. Pereira is the editor of the culture section of an evening paper. Although fascism is on the rise in Europe, like in nearby civil war Spain or even inside Portugal itself in the form of Salazar's regime, Pereira only concerns himself with writing bios and translating French novels. Things change after he hires a young writer as his assistant, getting to know also his girlfriend – both opponents to the regime – and reluctantly helps them when they begin to get in trouble for subversive activities. Eventually, he's forced to take a stand...
Cast
Marcello MastroianniPereira
Stefano DionisiMonteiro Rossi
Nicoletta BraschiMarta
Daniel AuteuilDr. Cardoso
Joaquim de AlmeidaManuel
Marthe KellerMrs. Delgado
Teresa MadrugaPorter
Nicolau BreynerFather Antonio
Filipe FerrerSilva
João GrossoPolice chief
Mário ViegasNewspaper editor
Manuela Cassola
Pedro Efe
Carlos César
Massimo PopolizioDr. Cardoso (voice)
Ada Maria Serra ZanettiMrs. Delgado (voice)
Paila PavesePorter (voice)
Paolo LombardiFather Antonio (voice)
Stefano De SandoSilva (voice)
Luca BiaginiNewspaper editor (voice)
Iris CayatteGirl (uncredited)
Simão CayattePaperboy (uncredited)
Sofia ReisGirl dancing at the Salazarist party (uncredited)