POST-WAR TAGALOG MOVIES # 41: ROSA DEL ROSARIO, LEOPOLDO SALCEDO, WITH EDDIE INFANTE, QUIEL SEGOVIA, FERNANDO ROYO, LUIS SALVADOR, LOPOITO, PEDRO FAUSTINO, LEROY SALVADOR IN LAMBERTO V. AVELLANA'S "TANDANG SORA" (1947)

"Tandang Sora" (1947)
Release Date July 1947/Boulevard
Cinematography William H. Jansen
Music Ray Alinsod
Original Script Daisy H. Avellana

Direction Lamberto Avellana
Cast Rosa del Rosario, Leopoldo Salcedo, Eddie Infante, Quiel Segovia, Fernando Royo, Luis Salvador, Lopito, Hanasan, Pedro Faustino, Rita Rivera, Leroy Salvador, Cresing Aligada, Totoy Torrente, Eddie San Jose, Arsenio Trillian, Bayona Brothers

MORE ON PRE-WAR TAGALOG MOVIES: ELSA ORIA, ERNESTO LA GUARDIA AND LILIAN VELEZ, WITH GREGORIO TICMAN, GUILLERMO CARLS, VICENTA FERNANDEZ, NATI RUBI, LETTY PEREZ, VICENTE OCAMPO, FIDEL DE CASTRO IN "INDAY" (1940)/ UPDATED

"Inday" (1940)

Filippine Films

Release Date June 29, 1940/ Fox Theater

Story Daisy Hontiveros-Avellana

Direction Lamberto V. Avellana 

Cast Elsa Oria, Ernesto La Guardia, Lilian Velez, Gregorio Ticman, Guilermo Carls, Vicenta Fernandez, Nati Rubi, Letty Perez, Vicente Ocampo, Fidel de Castro, Jerry & His Romancers, Socorro Campillos

MORE ON PRE-WAR TAGALOG MOVIES: LEOPOLDO SALCEDO AND ARSENIA FRANCISCO IN "SAKAY" (1939): LAMBERTO AVELLANA'S DIRECTORIAL DEBUT

Lamberto Avellana’s career in film started with an offer of then General Carlos P. Romulo to direct a film on the revolutionary hero Macario Sakay for the big screen. Although his wife, Daisy (Hontiveros-Avellana) apparently chided him for not knowing the first thing about movies, Avellana was not dissuaded and Daisy ended up writing the screenplay.

Sakay jump-started what came to be Avellana innovative introduction of a point of view replacing the traditional eye level camera angle in film storytelling. With the assistance of William “Pop” Jansen, a man he acknowledges as mentor in his starting years, Avellana learned the nitty gritty of film-making and at age 23 was dubbed “The Boy Wonder of Philippine Movies.”

Sakay was adjudged best film of 1939, cheered for its technical aspects and especially for realism then uncommon in Philippine cinema. The fly in the ointment was their portrayal of Sakay as bandit instead of revolutionary, which belatedly Avellana realized had been based on American propaganda materials of the time. His son Mari Avellana, who was later to follow in his directorial footsteps, tells us today that his dad was so disturbed by the mistaken portrayal that he had always planned a remake to right the wrong but died before this was realized.

(Source: Filipino Directors Up Close by Bibsy M. Carballo/ 2010)

"Sakay" (1940)

Filippine Films

Release Date February 14, 1940

Director Lamberto Avellana
Cast Leopoldo Salcedo, Arsenia Francisco and Salvador Zaragoza in the title role

Salvador Zaragoza as Sakay, fifth from left

The film is about Macario Sakay, a controversial real-life figure in the fight against American colonial domination. For the American authorities, he was last remaining “rebel” who refused to swear allegiance to the U.S. government. But to Filipino natives, Sakay was a hero. Played by Salvador Zaragosa, Sakay was a barber from Tondo who tried to revive the Katipunan, an outlawed organization agitating independence. Charged with sedition, he was later released fro prison after being giving amnesty. Joining the guerilla outside of Manila with the help of Montalan (Leopoldo Salcedo), he waged a clandestine war that turned him into a folk hero (but with a price on his head). The Americans organized the Philippine Constabulary to chase after him. Sakay sought refuge in a church but later met his end when a whole village was burnt.

For a debut film, Avellana was entrusted by the producers to make a “super production.” He had a mock-up village constructed only to be burnt at film’s end, something unheard of during the early years of Philippine cinema. He likewise made two set miniatures for close-ups. Finding his way into film from a promising stage career, the young film director remarked, “It was hell of a way to launch a career. But it did mine very well, I must admit.” (Source: Lost Films of Asia by Nick Deocampo)

From left- Ben Perez, Leopoldo Salcedo and Joseph de Cordova

Leopoldo Salcedo (photo credit: Pelikula atbp)

THE SIXTIES # 734: NICK JOAQUIN'S " A PORTRAIT OF THE ARTIST AS FILIPINO" (1965): A FILM BY LAMBERTO AVELLANA/ Re-posted

"A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino" (1965)
Diadem Productions
A Manuel de Leon Presentation
Story Nick Joaquin
Screenplay Donato Valentin and Trinidad Reyes
Music Mike Velarde, Jr.
Director of Photography Mike Accion
Producer and Director Lamberto Avellana
Cast Daisy H. Avellana, Naty Crame-Rogers, Conrad Parham, Vic Silayan, Sarah K. Joaquin, Nick Agudo, Pianing Vidal/ Also Starring Francisco 'Koko' Trinidad, Oscar Keesee, Veronica Palileo, Nena Perez Rubio, Manuel Ojeda, Rino Bermudez, Alfred Burgos, Nena Ledesma, Polly Anders/ Guest star- Miriam Jurado

Adapted from the famous play by Nick Joaquin, A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino, revolves around the lives of the Marasigan family--- Don Lorenzo (Pianing Vidal) and his unmarried daughters Candida (Daisy H. Avellana) and Paula (Naty-Crame Rogers).

The sisters blame their illustrious painter-father for their financial difficulties. Don Lorenzo keeps himself and his priceless creations secluded in his studio. Spurred by his daughters’ resentment, he does a self-portrait, which echoes a scene in Virgil’s Aeniad. Set against a burning city, the portrait presents two versions of Don Lorenzo--- one as a young man full of vitality and another as an old man in his decline. The painting is an expression of an artist’s anguish over the commercialization of himself, as represented by the city ravaged by flames. A despondent Don Lorenzo tries to commit suicide but fails.

This brilliant painting becomes the focus of contention. Tony Javier (Conrad Parham), the Marasigan’s boarder and Paula’s suitor, sees it as his ticket to riches. The daughters resist the temptation to sell father's self-portrait, which could fetch a small fortune, and ignore their siblings' coercion to dispose of the family house. In the end, an enraged Paula uncovers Tony’s scheme and destroys the painting. Paula’s act served as a catharsis--- healing the selfishness and pain in the family. The Marasigans begin a new life, coming together as one family. They celebrate the La Naval feast in honor of the Virgin of the Rosary with a nostalgic mood, unaware of the impending threat of was that will forever change the world as they know it.

Here’s that engrossing scene when Paula, after eloping with Tony, comes home after realizing her mistakes, destroys the painting, the object of greed that almost engulfs the family. An altercation occurs as soon as Tony finds out that the painting is gone. A first-rate and superb acting!!! Watch the clip below---

Courtesy of Diadem Production/ Manuel de Leon