THE FIFTIES # 505: CESAR RAMIREZ AND IRENE WORRELL IN "MATIRA ANG MATIBAY" (1958)/ Re-posted

"Matrira ang Matibay" (1958)
Tamaraw Pictures
Release Date March 11-18, 1958/ Center
Direction Alex Sunga
Cast Cesar Ramirez, Quiel Segovia,Ramon D' Salva, Joe Sison, Mario Barri, Martin Marfil, Bert Olivar, Ding Tello, Flor Bien, Vicente Liwanag, Pedro Faustino/ Introducing Irene Worrell and Rocky Rogers

Synopsis: Thirteen convicts escape from Muntinglupa during the confusion of the liberation battle. Only nine are lucky enough to gain freedom and they strike out for the hills of Montalban. There, they meet Cesar and Enteng, two ex-USAFFE men who have just escaped from a Japanese concentration camp. A struggle for leadership, follows and Cesar wins out and gets the doubtful loyalty of the convicts.

In the course of their search for food, they come across a beautiful girl, Nene, bathing in a river. The effect of the sight of a beautiful girl on the convicts who had not seen a girl for years is devastating. Were it not for the fact that she knows how to use a gun had not Cesar and Enteng defended her, she would have been ravished by these men. The conflict gets worse when the men discover that the girl's grandfather, Mang Pedro, is guarding a treasure in cash and bullions which belongs to the Philippine government and which he intends to return as soon as the war is over.

A fight for the girl and the treasures ensue among the convicts and their lust and greed eventually make them kill each other. Mang Pedro is also killed but before he dies, he makes Cesar and Nene promise that as soon as the war is over, they would return the treasure to the Philippine government. Cesar and Nene give him their promise. (Source: Literary Song-Movie Magazine)

THE FIFTIES # 504: DOLPHY, CARLOS SALAZAR, BARBARA PEREZ, TONY MARZAN, MARLENE DAUDEN in F.V. COCHING'S "PULOT-GATA" (1958)

"Pulot-Gata" (1958)

Sampaguita Pictures

Release Date March 10-19, 1958/ Dalisay

Story Francisco V. Coching 

Serialized in Pilipino Komiks

Screenplay Medy Tarnate and Emmanuel Borlaza

Music Danny Holmsen

Direction Jose de Villa 

Cast Dolphy, Carlos Salazar, Barbara Perez, Tony Marzan, Marlene Dauden

"Pulot-Gata"

Katha't Guhit ni Francisco V. Coching

Inilathala sa Pilipino Komiks

THE FIFTIES # 503: GLORIA ROMERO, RITA GOMEZ, AMALIA FUENTES, SUSAN ROCES IN "MGA REYNA NG VICKS" (1958)

 

"Mga Reyna ng Vicks" (1958)

Sampaguita Pictures 

Release Date March 5-14, 1958/ Life

Based on the celebrated DZRH Radio Program

Sponsored by Vicks International

Screenplay Mar S. Torres, Chito Tapawan, Bert Mendoza, Venchito Galvez

Music Carding Cruz and his Tirso Cruz Band

Direction Mar S. Torres

Cast Gloria Romero, Rita Gomez, Amalia Fuentes, Susan Roces, Ric Rodrigo, Luis Gonzales, Juancho Gutierrez, Romeo Vasquez and Dolphy

THE FIFTIES # 502: NESTOR DE VILLA AND CHARITO SOLIS IN SUSANA C. DE GUZMAN'S "VILLA MILAGROSA" (1958)/ Re-posted

"Villa Milagrosa" (1958)
LVN Pictures
Release Date February 28- March 9, 1958/ Dalisay
Story Luz del Mundo
Serialized in Bulaklak Magazine
Music Lt. Col. A. Buenaventura
Direction Susana C. de Guzman
Cast Nestor de Villa, Charito Solis, Nita Javier, Eddie Rodriguez, Pianing Vidal, Dan Mesinas, Florentino Ballecer

Synopsis: Romy Penaflor (Nestor de Villa), a young physician in a Manila hospital, goes home to his paralytic old uncle who lives alone in Villa Milagrosa. The old man bequeaths the huge hacienda and the antiquated mansion to his nephew. Romy is stricken by the mysterious atmosphere of the Spanish mansion and is particularly intrigued by a room with its massive door locked against all inquisitive intruders.

The young doctor meets a beautiful young woman in the garden of his uncle’s mansion one moonlight night. He falls in love with her but she disappears. When he meets her again he manages to win her heart. But there is something mysterious about this girl who calls herself Virginia (Charito Solis). Romy can only see her in the garden, on Wednesday nights when she would pick flowers for the Lady of Perpetual Help.

Finally, he convinces her to attend a birthday party he was throwing. Virginia consents on condition that she could only be present up to twelve o'clock. At the appointed time she arrives. But before she could be introduced to the crowd, the clock strikes twelve and she disappears into the night. It was at this time that the old uncle learns of the true identity of Virginia. He tells Romy that she had died twenty years ago. She had been his sweetheart and had haunted him for years.

(Source: Literary Song-Movie Magazine/ 1958)

THE FIFTIES # 501: PANCHO MAGALONA AND SHIRLEY GOROSPE IN "BE MY LOVE" (1958)

"Be My Love" (1958)

People's Pictures< Inc.

Release Date February 23- March 4, 1958/ Life

Story and Screenplay Cesar Amigo

Music Tony Maiquez

Dance Choreography Al Quinn

Direction Cesar Gallardo

Cast Pancho Magalona, Shirley Gorospe, Lopito, Vicente Liwanag, Chiquito, Lerrie Pangilinan, Diomedes Maturan, Mike Joseph, Romy Katindig and his Combo

THE FIFTIES # 500: AMALIA FUENTES, ROMEO VASQUEZ, ROSA MIA, VAN D LEON, GREG MARTIN IN "AKO ANG MAYSALA" (1958)

Teen sensation Romeo Vasquez played a juvenile delinquent in the movie, for which he won the Golden Harvest Award for Best Actor.

"Ako ang Maysala" (1958)

Vera- Perez Productions 

Release Date February 13- 22, 1958/ Life 

Story Dr. Fausto J. Galauran

Music Carding Cruz and the Tirso Cruz Orchestra

Direction Armando Garces 

Cast Amalia Fuentes, Romeo Vasquez, Rosa Mia/ Guest Star Van de Leon/ Introducing Greg Martin

THE FIFTIES # 499: FERNANDO POE, JR., LANI OTEYZA, LEONOR VERGARA, BEN PEREZ IN "PEPENG KALIWETE" (1958)

"Pepeng Kaliwete" (1958)

Premiere Productions, Inc.

Release Date February 8- 17, 1958/ Dalisay

Story Alex Manansala

Serialized in Bulaklak Magazine 

Screenplay Augusto Buenaventura 

Music Tony Maiquez 

Direction Cirio H. Santiago 

Cast Fernando Poe, Jr., Lani Oteyza, Leonor Vergara, Ben Perez, Jose Garcia, Abelardo Cortez, Larry Ramos, Max Alvarado, Bino Garcia, Doming Del Valle, Roger Suerte

THE FIFTIES # 498: JAIME DE LA ROSA, ROSA ROSAL, LOU SALVADOR, JR., MARITA ZOBEL IN LAMBERTO V. AVELLANA'S "FAITHFUL" (1958)

"Faithful" (1958)

LVN Pictures

Release Date February 3-12, 1958

Music F. Buencamino, Jr.

Direction Lamberto V. Avellana

Cast Jaime de la Rosa, Ros Rosal, Lou Salvador, Jr., Marita Zobel, Rosa Aguirre, Oscar Keese

 Lou Salvador, Jr.

Jaime de la Rosa, Oscar Keese and Lou Salvador, Jr.

 Marita Zobel and Lou Salvador, Jr.

THE FIFTIES # 497: GLORIA ROMERO, DOLPHY, JUANCHO GUTIERREZ, BARBARA PEREZ IN "PAGODA" (1958)

"Pagoda" (1958)

Sampaguita Pictures

In collaboration with Golden City Film Co.

Release Date January 28, 1958/ Odeon/ January 29- February 7, 1958 /Dalisay

Direction Wong Tien Lin

Cast Gloria Romero, Dolphy, Juancho Gutierrez, Barbara Perez, Lee Mei, Panchito Alaba, Tito Galla

THE FIFTIES # 496: EDDIE RODRIGUEZ, LINDA ROXAS, RAMON YULO AND MANDING CLARO AS "EDDIE, JUNIOR DETECTIVE" (1958)

"Eddie, Junior Detective" (1958)

LVN Pictures 

Release Date January 24- February 2, 1958/ Life

Direction Tony Santos

Cast  Manding Claro, Eddie Rodriguez, Linda Roxas, Ramon Yulo, Jose Corazon de Jesus, Vic Diaz, Perla Bautista, Cita Della, Bebong Osorio, Norma Ledesma, Miguel Lopez/ Featuring Geisha as Spot

THE FIFTIES # 495: FERNANDO POE, JR., CORAZON RIVAS AND THE LO' WAIST GANG IN "LUTONG MAKAW" (1958)

  "Lutong Makaw" (1958)

Larry Santiago Productions

Release Date January 6-15, 1958/ Center

Music Clod Delfino

Direction Pablo Santiago

Cast Fernando Poe Jr., Corazon Rivas, Myra Crisol and The Lo' Waist Gang--- Berting Labra, Boy Francisco, Paquito Toledo,Tony Cruz, Arsenio 'Butch' Bautista, Boy Sta. Romana, Mario Antonio/ Introducing Tito "Chiquito" Pangan

THE FIFTIES # 494: JOHN AGAR, PANCHO MAGALONA, ALICIA VERGEL, RICHARD ARLEN IN EDDIE ROMERO'S "THE DAY OF THE TRUMPET" (1958)/ Re-posted

Original 50-year old lobby card of "The Day of the Trumpet"

"The Day of the Trumpet"(1958)
Cirio H. Santiago Film Organization
Released thru People's Pictures
Release Date January 17-24, 1958/ Ideal
Executive Producer Cirio H. Santiago
Associate Producer Gerardo de Leon
Story and Direction Eddie Romero
Cast John Agar, Pancho Magalona, Alicia Vergel, Richard Arlen, Michael Phipps, Myron Healey, Cielito Legaspi, Eddie Infante, Boy Planas, Vic Diaz, Max Alvarado

Director Eddie Romero made his first English language film for international release in 1958. With Cirio H. Santiago of Premiere-People’s Pictures and long-time collaborator Gerry de Leon, he co-produced and directed The Day of the Trumpet, a period movie on the early days of the American occupation in the Philippines. The American cast included John Agar, Richard Arlen, William Phipps and Myron Healey. The Filipino cast had Pancho Magalona, Alicia Vergel, Eddie Infante, Cielito Legaspi, Boy Planas, Vic Diaz and Max Alvarado.

At the Fifth Asian Film Festival held in Manila in April 1958, Boy Planas, who had a memorable role, as the boy who played Magno Maxalla's (Pancho Magalona) brother in the movie, won the Best Child Actor award. 

The movie made its theatrical run in the United States in 1963 as Cavalry Command and later released in home video with the same title.

Did you know that Alicia Vergel had a kissing scene with lead star John Agar? Her reaction: “It was my first movie kiss and I certainly hope it was my last. I was so nervous that I didn’t feel anything. Cirio Santiago (the producer) and Eddie Romero (the director) were mad at me when we were shooting scenes in Vigan because I didn’t like to do the kissing scene. It was only when we were back in Manila that I consented to go into the clinch…”

Vergel did the kissing sequence and after viewing the first rushes of the picture, she suddenly realized that the picture would be dull in America (the movie was for worldwide release) without the said scene. "Besides, I don’t want it said Filipinos don’t know how to kiss. But I insisted on only one take. Agar commented he liked the kiss so much that he wanted one more take. But I lifted my Maria Clara dress and ran like the dickens, bawling all the while. Later, John teased me, I feel insulted. You are the first leading lady I kissed who cried, he said…” (Jose Quirino)Source: A Movie Album Quiz Book by Jessie B. Garcia
Here's that scene ---

Courtesy of Cirio H. Santiago Film Organization

THE FIFTIES # 493: ZALDY ZSHORNACK, LANI OTEYZA, MELITA DE LEON, LAURO DELGADO IN "BATANG-PIYER" (1958)

"Batang-Piyer" (1958)

People's Pictures, Inc.

Release Date January 14- 23, 1958/ Life

Music Tony Maiquez

Story and Direction Nemesio E. Caravana

Cast Zaldy Zshornack, Lani Oteyza, Melita De Leon, Lauro Delgado

THE FIFTIES # 492: TESSIE QUINTANA, JESUS 'OG' RAMOS, RAMON D'SALVA IN "KURANGGA" (1958)

"Kurangga" (1958)

Cinematic Philippines, Inc.

Release Date January 11-17, 1958/ Royal

Story Santy Valenciano

Music Tony Maiquez

Direction Felix Villar

Cast Tessie Quintana, Jesus 'Og' Ramos, Ramon D'Salva, Bruno Punzalan, Ric Bustamante, Ely Nakpil, SOS Daredevils

THE FIFTIES # 491: LOLITA RODRIGUEZ, EDDIE ARENAS, TONY MARZAN AND MARLENE DAUDEN IN "KUNDIMAN NG PUSO" (1958)

"Kundiman ng Puso" (1958)

Sampaguita Pictures

Release Date January 4- 13, 1958

Story Susana C. de Guzman

Serialized in Liwayway Magazine

Screenplay Susana C. de Guzman amd Chito Tapawan

Music Dr. Rodolfo Cornejo

Direction Tony cayado

Cast Lolita Rodriguez, Eddie Arenas, Tony Marzan, Marlene Dauden, Rod Navarro, Nori Dalisay, Pacita Arana