MORE ON PRE-WAR TAGALOG MOVIES: GREGORIO FERNANDEZ, MARY WALTER IN "ANG ILAW NANG KAPIT-BAHAY" (1932)

"The story that made Huseng Batute (Jose Corazon de Jesus, the immortal poet in real life) more famous, because it was based upon the truth," says the ad in this 1932 movie, "Ang Ilaw Nang Kapit-Bahay." It starred Gregorio Fernandez and Mary Walter and was shown October 5 at Imperial theater.

"Ang Ilaw Nang Kapit-Bahay" (1932)

Banahaw Pictures

Release Date October 5- 11, 1932/ Imperial

Story Jose Corazon de Jesus (Huseng Batute)

Cameraman Augusto Silos

Direction Carlos Vander Tolosa

Cast Gregorio Fernandez, Mary Walter

MORE ON PRE-WAR TAGALOG MOVIES: "ORIENTAL BLOOD" (1930)

"Oriental Blood (Dugong Silangan)" (1930)

A Carmen Concha Presentation
Release Date: December 12-20, 1930/ Savoy Theater

Director Carlos Vander Tolosa

Cast Jose Corazon de Jesus (Huseng Batute), Annie Harris, Atang de la Rama, Purita Carino and others

(Image above: URIAN Anthology Book 1990- 1999)

José Corazón de Jesús (November 22, 1896 – May 26, 1932), also known by his pen name Huseng Batute, was a Filipino poet who used Tagalog poetry to express the Filipinos' desire for independence during the American occupation of the Philippines, a period that lasted from 1901 to 1946. He is best known for being the lyricist of the Filipino song Bayan Ko.

De Jesús, who was already famous around the Philippines as Huseng Batute, was asked in 1930 to act in the movie Oriental Blood, which also starred Atang dela Rama, the most famous actresses of the day. De Jesús contracted an ulcer during the filming of Oriental Blood and died of complications on May 26, 1932. (Source: Wikipedia)