"Hukom Roldan" (1957)
LVN Pictures
Release Date May 24- June 2, 1957/ Center
Story Luz del Mundo
Screenplay Consuelo P. Osorio
Direction Dr. Gregorio M. Fernandez
Cast Jaime de la Rosa, Emma Alegre, Nenita Vidal, Alfonso Carvajal, Oscar Keese, Nela Alvarez
I always admire the works of Director Gregorio Fernandez. He was an outstanding director of the 40s to 50s, a terrific storyteller and noted for his remarkable and memorable films like Malvarosa, Luksang Tagumpay, Emily and Higit sa Lahat where he captured the Famas Best Director and Picture in 1955. Add to that list is Hukom Roldan, an absorbing and engrossing story of a judge, involved in a very traumatic domestic problems and emerging from it all still a man of high conviction.
The movie tells of an incorruptible and dedicated judge, known as Hukom Roldan (played by Jaime de la Rosa), whose once quaint and quiet family life was shattered when he handed a verdict unfavorable to his erstwhile and powerful friend, Don Silvestre (Oscar Keese). Humiliated, an evil scheme was hatched by Don Silvestre that would place the judge’s wife, Chita (Emma Alegre) in a very uncompromising position making the judge suspect that she really committed an adulterous relationship. He succeeded and the couple separated. The irony of it all was that Judge Roldan, who has been just and fair in all his court decisions, swiftly and readily ‘convicted’ his wife without knowing her side and was convinced of the whole thing. The father took custody of the only child, a daughter named Gloria, who was 3 or 4 then. She was sent abroad and made to believe that her mother was already dead. Gloria (Nenita Vidal), now a teenager, returned home. On the hand, Chita opened up a modest dress shop and was successful. One of her clients was Gloria. Chita later knew that Gloria was her long lost daughter and never revealed it.
Meanwhile, Don Silvestre was charged in court for murder and the case was being tried on the sala of Judge Roldan. As usual, Don Silvestre went to the judge for help if he would sway the verdict in his favor. The judge said that he would only decide upon the merits of the case. Judge Roldan cleared Don Silvestre and to his surprise, Don Silvestre collapsed and had a heart attack. Before he died, he confided to the judge that his wife was innocent and he manipulated it all.
Jaime de la Rosa as Hukom Roldan presiding over a court trial
