I could talk about the animation style of Chico & Rita, I could also talk about the beautiful music, but what really drew me into this film was the use of color. Color was one of the first elements I observed, noting the yellow sunlight pouring through present Chico’s apartment window. Immediately after that, Chico’s first flashback begins, and I specifically noted the muted blues, whites, grays and purples. Amidst all these frankly boring colors is Rita, singing in a bright yellow dress and red lipstick. She stands out, catches his, and our, eyes. Rita features many outfits like this, red and pink, white with yellow flowers, and a simple white gown, usually contrasting with the background, giving her more status. I also noticed that Chico’s girlfriend, Juana, wears a light blue dress in both scenes she appears in, maybe nodding to the fact that Chico sees Rita over her, and Juana was a much smaller part of his life.
All of this to say my own perception of colors relating to the dreamlike state of Chico’s flashbacks. The yellow sunlight, I believe, symbolizes his early life in Havana, back when he met Rita. This is an idealized time of remembrance, unlike Chico’s time in New York, which was detailed in grays and whites. I believe Rita’s white dress with yellow flowers symbolizes her unhappiness in New York, and the yellow flowers represent her desire to go back to her romantic, “golden” time in Havana. The whole story in New York was dull, illustrating the racism and struggles the two faced. In the very end, when present Chico decides to find Rita, the color scheme is a mix between the warm bright colors of Havana and the dull muted tones of New York, showing Chico’s maturity that grew over time. He no longer idealizes Havana, but he also doesn’t carry the downcast feeling from New York. He and Rita are old, they don’t have the vitality of their youth, but they’re okay with that because they found each other.
