Treated with the same surpassing directorial ingenuity characteristic of "Pakiusap," "Ikaw Rin" and other Octavio Silos successes, "Ibong Sawi," Excelsior's latest production as well as Director Octavio Silos' first vehicle for 1941, starring Lirio Lerma, Jaime de la Rosa and Pacita del Rio, opens today at the Dalisay theatre on its first-run schedule in Manila.
Positively the best work of Director Silos to date, "Ibong Sawi"— based on one of the best-read novels by Susana de Guzman — is easily conceded to fulfill the cine-goers' idea of a well proportioned screen play. Featured in the stellar cast are Lirio Lerma, formerly known to cine and radio fans as Lirio Lakindanum, Jaime de la Rosa, brother of Rogelio de la Rosa, and Pacita del Rio, smooth-going movie personality, well-known for her fluent "other woman" characterizations. A capable supporting cast composed of old time players and new talents are also featured— they are, Naty Bernardo, Raquito "Bolero" del Rosario, Patricia Mijares, Tony Arnaldo, Pedro "Tembong" Cruz and Jose Cris Soto.
The story of "Ibong Sawi" is sure fire in its dramatic embodiments, amusing in its comedy flavorings and heartwarming in its highly melodramatic conclusion. It is about a country physician and a charming young woman who love enduringly in spite of a powerful barrier in the person of the physician's legal wife. The story presents in a comprehensively detailed manner the manner the struggle between two conflicting forces — the doctor on one side and his wife on the other — trying to outdo each other, the former to justify his right to love and happiness and the latter to give vent to her frivolous nature. How the physician's Illicit love-affair triumphs and what happens to his wile is the principal intrigue in the plot.
Lirio Lerma and Jaime de la Rosa are perfectly convincing as the illicit lovers. Pacita de Rio as the physician's legal wife is fluent. Among the supporting players, Naty Bernardo, Tony Arnaldo and PatriciaMijares deserve mention for their fine performances.
"Ibong Sawi" features Prof. J. Buencamino’s composition of the same name as its theme song. The musical numbers were handled by Prof. Constancio de Guzman. Comedy mix-ups featuring Pedro ‘Tembong’ Cruz and Jose Cris Soto and beautiful dance interludes, including the popular "Quezon Walk," arc among the higllights of this latest Excelsior production.
(The Tribune, February 28, 1941)
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