MovieChat Forums > Love in the Time of Cholera (2007) Discussion > Olimpia's Story

Olimpia's Story

posted 9 years ago by ciarraiabu
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I felt Olimpia's story was much more poignant and touching than that of Fermina's. Also the actress playing her is much more striking. It has been years since I saw this, but I still remember her interlude in the film, the object of a jealous husband who eventually murders her and used by Florentino. I thought it was so haunting and sad. I haven't read the book (nor was I particularly inspired by the film to do so), but were the main character's meant to be portrayed so callously?

[–] tara_r_a 8 years ago

Yes, that portion was touching. In the book, Florentino "loves" many of his lovers, and always thinks of them, but his ultimate loyalty was for Fermina, and he kept moving on from one woman to another, rather callously, in my opinion. Not just Olimpia, he shares poignant moments with many of the women he had affairs with, some for 30 long years, and many of them led lonely,tragic lives .Another sad episode was America Vicuña's descent into depression and suicide because of Florentino, yet he does not do enough to save her because he was afraid that her parents would find out that they had been having an affair(!) since she was a child and he was in his 70s.

Fermina for her part, was certain that she never loved Florentino and never thought of him that much during her marriage, until he showed up at her husband's funeral.