Evita

Evita follows the rise of Eva Duarte, a provincial actress who uses charm, ambition, and careful public performance to climb Argentina's social ladder and become the wife of Colonel Juan Perón. The story is framed by a sardonic narrator, a man who watches and comments as she builds a dizzying public profile through music, spectacle, and charity work. The film shows her relationships, media savvy, and the fierce devotion she inspires in many citizens, while also touching on the critics and rivals who question her motives. Musical numbers drive much of the narrative, turning political events and personal moments into staged, often theatrical sequences.

Directed by Alan Parker, the 1996 film adapts the stage musical by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber, with Madonna starring as Eva and Antonio Banderas as the narrator figure. It kept the musical score intact while translating several large stage set pieces to cinematic locations.

Madonna won the Golden Globe for Best Actress in a Motion Picture Musical or Comedy for her performance, and the film's new song "You Must Love Me" received the Academy Award for Best Original Song, earning recognition for its contribution to the screen version.

"Don't Cry for Me Argentina" became an especially enduring number, and Madonna's interpretation and costume choices became widely discussed in pop culture. Images from the film, including glamorous pageantry and grand staging, influenced fashion and music video aesthetics, and the movie helped reintroduce the stage score to a global audience.

Critics were mixed, often praising the production design, choreography, and lead performances while arguing the film's tone sometimes flattened historical complexity. Many viewers respond to its themes of celebrity, power, class, and the creation of public myth, with the movie prompting debate about how charisma and publicity shape political life.