Black Orpheus (1959)
Kernel Score: 75% · 231 ratings · Rated PG
Genres: Drama, Romance
Released: 1959-06-12
Runtime: 100 minutes
Where to watch Black Orpheus
- Stream: The Criterion Channel, HBO Max
- Free with ads: Kanopy
- Rent: Prime Video, Apple TV, Fandango At Home
- Buy: Prime Video, Apple TV, Fandango At Home
US availability, updated 2026-10-22.
Overview
Young lovers Orfeu and Eurydice run through the favelas of Rio during Carnaval, on the lam from a hitman dressed like Death and Orfeu's vengeful fiancée Mira and passing between moments of fantasy and stark reality. This impressionistic retelling of the Greek legend of Orpheus and Eurydice introduced bossa nova to the world with its soundtrack by young Brazilian composers Luiz Bonfá and Antonio Carlos Jobim.
Black Orpheus parents' guide: ages 11+
Parents need to know that Black Orpheus is a PG-rated 1959 drama-romance retelling the Orpheus myth in Rio's favelas during Carnaval, featuring a hitman, a vengeful fiancée, and themes of death.
- Violence & scariness: Some — A hitman dressed as Death pursues the protagonist, and the story culminates in themes of pursuit and mortality, though not graphically depicted.
Fresh Kernels AI-assessed from the official PG rating, publicly documented content. A guide for families, not an official rating.
Movies like Black Orpheus
If you liked Black Orpheus, these are the movies we'd watch next.
- City of God (2002) — 92%
- All That We Never Were (2026) — 88%
- Gabriel's Inferno: Part II (2020) — 92%
- Orpheus (1950) — 87%
- Just Another Christmas (2020) — 82%
- Dark Passage (1947) — 81%
- The Legend of La Llorona (2011) — 87%
Director
Marcel Camus
Cast
- Breno Mello as Orfeo
- Marpessa Dawn as Eurydice
- Lourdes de Oliveira as Mira
- Léa Garcia as Serafina
- Adhemar Ferreira da Silva as Death
- Waldetar De Souza as Chico
- Alexandre Constantino as Hermes
- Jorge Dos Santos as Benedito
- Aurino Cassiano as Zeca
- Maria Alice as Little Girl
Black Orpheus FAQ
Is Black Orpheus good?
Black Orpheus has a 75% Kernel Score on Fresh Kernels from 231 audience ratings.
Where can I watch Black Orpheus?
In the US you can stream Black Orpheus on The Criterion Channel and HBO Max, watch it free with ads on Kanopy and rent it from Prime Video, Apple TV and Fandango At Home.
Is Black Orpheus OK for kids?
Black Orpheus is rated PG. Fresh Kernels suggests ages 11+. Parents need to know that Black Orpheus is a PG-rated 1959 drama-romance retelling the Orpheus myth in Rio's favelas during Carnaval, featuring a hitman, a vengeful fiancée, and themes of death.
What movies are like Black Orpheus?
If you liked Black Orpheus, try City of God, All That We Never Were, Gabriel's Inferno: Part II and Orpheus.