Limite

Casting

Olga Breno

Her true name is Alzira Alves Campos. She was born in Rio de Janeiro on January 18, 1911. She worked at the Bhering company whose owner was Jorge Bhering de Mattos, married to Mário Peixoto’s cousin, Cornélia Luíza. Jorge Bhering put Alzira at Mário’s services during all the making of “Limite”, and he did not stop paying her salary.

“Limite” was Alzira’s sole experience in cinema. After she got married, she began to devote herself only to her family. She met Mário again in 1988 in Fundação Mário Peixoto (Mário Peixoto Foundation) in Mangaratiba, when he got the prize from the Bank of the State of Rio de Janeiro.

Alzira died in Rio de Janeiro, on October 11, 2000, being the last remaining member of Limite’s production.

Taciana Rei

She was born in Rio de Janeiro, coming from a modest Italian family. Her true name was Yolanda Bernardi and her artistic name, Taciana Rei, was chosen by Mário Peixoto.

In 1928, when she was about 18, Yolanda Bernardi played a walk-on role in “Barro Humano“, directed by Adhemar Gonzaga and produced by a group of journalists who published Cinearte magazine. She only appeared in close-ups in the sequence shots of the carnival ball.

In 1930, Yolanda Bernardi played a bit longer role in “Saudade”, the second film produced by Cinearte group. On an idyllic island in the back of Guanabara Bay, she played the banjo and sang during a cheerful picnic for youngsters. The film was discontinued in March 1930 on account of the disagreements which culminated in the breakup of Cinearte group. Mário chose Yolanda for the cast in a photo album shown to him by Pedro Lima. Mário went personally to her house to invite her and it was not difficult to get her consent.

Yolanda, now playing the role of Taciana Rei, went to Mangaratiba with her sister around June 1930. Her sister had a short participation in “Limite”. It is her hand that Raul Schnoor kissed before going to the cemetery.

After acting in “Limite”, Taciana gave up her artistic career. According to Olga Breno, she married a rich farmer, had twins and worked in the Treasury Department. According to Mário Peixoto, she married a high-ranking official of the Treasury Department. Mário said he was Taciana’s best man. Yolanda Bernardi died around 1986.

Raul Schnoor

Raul Schnoor was born on March 24, 1910 in Rio de Janeiro. His family was wealthy and fond of the arts. In 1927, together with his brother Sylvio, he engaged in the Teatro de Brinquedo (Puppet Theater) created by the writer and journalist Álvaro Moreyra. It was at that time that Raul met Mário Peixoto. In 1928, Raul acted out the part of an extra in “Barro Humano“, directed by Adhemar Gonzaga. He was also a member of the cast of Gonzaga’s following film, “Saudade”. In 1929, he was the leading actor in “Onde a Terra Acaba”, by Gentil Roiz, which caught fire during the editing process. In “Limite”, he played the role of the man 2. Raul also acted in “Onde a Terra Acaba”, discontinued in October or November 1931, his last cinematographic experience. Away from the artistic career, Raul always avoided any reference to his cinematographic past. He died on February 26, 1998.

Brutus Pedreira

He was born in the State of Rio Grande do Sul, and was a brilliant pianist who quit playing it on account of arthritis. Very cultured and extremely interested in drama, he was a typical dilettante. He was a public official and he never had any artistic career. Mário Peixoto used to say that he was extremely influenced by him and that his encouragement was prime to the making of Limite. He was one of the guardian angels. He took Mário to Eugênia and Álvaro Moreyra’s Teatro de Brinquedo (in which he also participated). There, Mário met the Schnoor brothers, Raul and Sylvio Schnoor, and later in their house, their sister Eva and their mother Mrs. Mathilde Schnoor, with whom Mário engaged in a loving friendship. Brutus Pedreira played an extra in “Barro Humano”, by Adhemar Gonzaga. He had a great participation in “Os Comediantes”, which meant the renaissance of the serious Brazilian drama. He also had a remarkable role at the Drama School in the University of Bahia, and exerted great influence on his pupils. He was the one who organized the original soundtrack of Limite.

Carmen Santos

She was a Portuguese actress who was born in Vila Flor on June 8, 1904 and came to Brazil in 1912. Having an avant-garde and independent spirit, here she founded the Brasil Vox Filmes (which later had its name changed into Brasil Vita Filmes) as a movie company. In 1929, she co-produced and played the lead role in “Sangue Mineiro”, made by Humberto Mauro and “Onde a Terra Acaba“, first made by Mário Peixoto and later by Octávio Gabus Mendes in 1933. After “Onde a Terra Acaba”, Mário developed several projects with Carmen Santos, but none of them was finished.

In “Limite”, she plays the role of a prostitute and her name does not appear on the initial credits. Although “Sangue Mineiro” was finished, Carmen was not still famous. She acted in three films by Humberto Mauro. In 1948, she directed and acted in “Inconfidência Mineira”. Carmen Santos died on September 22, 1952, in Rio de Janeiro.