"The story of a woman who sacrificed her all to give the man she loved complete happiness..." says the ad in this 1938 movie, "Ang Magmamani." It starred Maria Clara Ruiz, Rosita Rivera, Rogelio de la Rosa, Armando Cris, Gregorio Ticman and Ben Rubio, under Carlos Padilla direction.
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The film “Ang Magmamani” begins at dusk, as the sun sets and shadows cover the streets. Faces blur in the dim light. A woman, her face partly hidden by a kerchief, hurriedly hands a small bundle to a startled old man. “Take good care of her, for God’s sake!” she cries, before disappearing into the darkness.
The old man, Inkong Pinong, raises the child, Ninay, as his own. He earns a living by selling peanuts and growing a little rice on a small plot beside his nipa hut. From an early age, Ninay helps him sell peanuts, charming the townsfolk and earning the fond nickname “the pretty peanut vendor” of the barrio.
Meanwhile, the woman who left the child, Tentay, wanders in search of work. She becomes a servant and a dressmaker, struggling to survive. Eventually, she moves to Manila, taking any job she can find. Misfortune follows her--- employers dismiss her or businesses close down. Desperate, she turns to working in a dance hall, where she meets Luis, a man who takes her into his home. Luis grows increasingly fond of Tentay for her sweetness and affection. Tentay, deeply grateful for his kindness, loves him in return and never asks for more than what he freely gives.
(The Tribune, May 25, 1938)
"Ang Magmamani" (1938)
Parlatone Hispano-Filipino, Inc.
Release Date May 25, 1938/ Grand Theater
Story Teofilo Sauco
Direction Carlos Padilla
Cast Maria Clara Ruiz, Rosita Rivera, Rogelio de la Rosa, with Armando Cris, Gregorio Ticman, Ben Rubio
