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