The Postman and the Poet

Cosme the postmaster introduces the small Chilean village of Isla Negra as the women wait for the fishermen to land their catch. Cosme persuades work-shy Mario to become the poet Pablo Neruda’s postman. Mario falls instantly in love with Beatriz when she returns from visiting her distant father. Mario introduces himself to Neruda and his wife Matilde. Labbe, the right-wing politico, takes a fancy to Beatriz and makes an ally of her mother, Rosa.

Neruda teaches Mario the power of poetry and gives him one of his books. At last Mario wins Beatriz’s heart. Rosa is horrified and accuses Mario of plagiarising Neruda. Cosme and Labbe start their electioneering on behalf of the Marxist Allende and the right-wing candidate Alessandri respectively.

With Neruda’s help, Allende wins the 1970 election. Labbe apart, Isla Negra celebrates victory and Rosa’s taverna booms. Mario and Beatriz marry, and Rosa puts her new son-in-law to work in the taverna. When Labbe makes a pass at Beatriz, Mario attacks him. The economic boom comes to an end and discontent sets in. Neruda, appointed Chilean ambassador to France, is homesick and asks Mario and Beatriz to record the sounds of Isla Negra. As they do so, they tell him they will soon be parents.

Aided by Labbe, General Pinochet’s soldiers seize power in Santiago. Cosme gives Mario telegrams from round the world addressed to Neruda. At Beatriz’s insistence, Mario leaves her and their baby boy and takes the cables to Neruda. Labbe, now in charge at Isla Negra and desperate for revenge, kills Cosme. He then arrests Mario, who has naively described himself in his notebook as a communist. Mario joins the ranks of the ‘Disappeared’ and, as Rosa, Beatriz and baby Pablito prepare to leave, the citizens of Isla Negra unite in the hope of a better world to come.