This series had the best casting I've ever seen in a Brazilian mini-series. Ana Paula Arósio wasn't that experienced of an actress when she won this role, but it only took her a couple of episodes to prove to us all that she wasn't another beautiful face on TV. Rodrigo Santoro was young either, and even though he said, later, that he was scared of playing this role and not succeeding in it, he did make a wonderful job as the pure and immaculate young man who truly lives to be a saint, but he is then tormented by the possibility that he might have fallen in love with a gorgeous prostitute. The rest of the cast was composed by experienced and competent actors as well, it's hard to pick one name to highlight because the whole ensemble did work intensely and in harmony. As for all the other things that surrounded the cast, like filming locations, costumes, soundtrack, everything felt like Brazil at the late 50's. I have to say that, for the whole package, this series deserves 10 out of 10.