SURELY the Pope would prefer the title to be translated as "lavatory" rather than the unlovely "toilet". Wouldn't he? Anyway, El Baño del Papa(that's better) turns out to be a skilfully made, surprisingly astringent piece of folk cinema from a pair of Uruguayan directors.
César Charlone and Enrique Fernández have elected to tell a story based around John-Paul II's visit to South America in 1988. The inhabitants of a Uruguayan village, convinced that many thousands of Brazilians are set to cross the border, begin devising ways of fleecing the pious pilgrims.
Some borrow money to set up sausage stands. Others intend to flog holy medals. Beto (César Troncoso), a dissolute though inherently decent smuggler and small-time hustler, elects to build an outhouse and charge passers-by a fee for its use.
As is often the case in films that revolve around a crazy scheme, the female characters are sceptical, but grudgingly allow themselves to be won over. The protagonist's long- suffering wife begins rehearsing techniques for hurrying along customers who spend too much time on the bowl. Her educated daughter looks on with a cynic's eye.
Weaving in news footage of the Pope's visit, the film has noisy, earthy performances and, in its last act, as Beto races back to town with a lavatory strapped to his bike, offers moments of real tension.
Most impressively, El Baño del Papa, despite its general good nature, is prepared to make some poisonously accusing gestures towards church and state. Indeed, the film could sit beside Elite Squad, another recent release concerning a pope's visit to South America, as part of a bracingly cynical, anticlerical double bill.
It's just a suggestion.
