First “Honest-to-Goodness” Kissing Scene in Tagalog Movies

As I’ve posted in my previous blog, I’d publish details of Director Gerardo de Leon films whose brochures I still have with me. Nasunog kasi bahay namin e!! Buti na lang nasa U.P. Anyway,  I will find time to do all that– one by one — before his Centennial Year ends on September 12.  As they say… it’s better late than never. The diversity/variety of the films he made are represented in my small collection.

So I’ll start with HUWAG MO AKONG LIMUTIN [1960], a dramatic film on illicit affairs starred in by Arsenia Francisco, Oscar Keesee, Cesar Ramirez, Cynthia Zamora, etc. Robert Arevalo was first introduced in this movie.

“Huwag Mo Ako Limutin”, the most talked-about film of the year; FAMAS Best Picture in 1960.

It must have been very controversial and a much-awaited movie at that time having bragged before it was released as “the first local picture wherein kissing scenes will be consummated” and “the first Tagalog movie with real honest-to-goodness kissing scenes”. [Take note: Real na honest to goodness pa!] The stress was such because in earlier Philippine movies kissing scenes used “tricks.” Lips were not actually touching during the shoot. The actor and the actress were positioned in front of the camera in such a way that they would appear as if they were actually kissing. Pero sa totoo daya lang. Though the first kissing scene in Philippine movies was reportedly done by Elizabeth Cooper and Luis Tuason in  Ang Tatlong Hambog (1926), the description used by Premiere Productions was clearly more to describe the intensity of the act and possibly the realistic performances of the actors. The word “torrid” was used to describe the scene.

Huwag Mo Ako Limutin’s 8-page brochure published by Premiere Productions, Inc.

Furthermore, the brochure above states that: “For the first time in Filipino movies, down-to-earth kissing scenes will be seen by moviegoers who have been waiting for realistic motion pictures.” The marketing of the film obviously relied heavily on the kissing scenes. Touching on a delicate subject and having handled by an excellent director, I could only but imagine a truly realistic and dramatic movie then that have rocked the industry in the 60’s, more than, if not equally as the Beatles did in the music industry!!!

[L] Oscar Keese and Arsenia Francisco; [R] Cesar Ramirez and Cynthia Zamora

SYNOPSIS

CREDITS

Aside from being awarded as FAMAS Best Picture, Gerardo de Leon was adjudged as the Best Director; Best Supporting Actress for Arsenia Francisco; Best Supporting Actor for Oscar Keese; Best Cinematography for Ricardo Marcelino Best Editing for Gerardo de Leon; Best Musical Score for  Tito Arevalo and Best Sound for Demetrio de Santos.

For more on “Huwag Mo Akong Limutin,” please click the link to Video 48 File.

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GERRY DE LEON’S MOVIES_Premiere Productions & People’s Pictures

Last July 26, I watched a beautiful play based on Apolinario Mabini’s life at the Cultural Center of the Philippines entitled “La Revolucion Filipina”. While waiting for the play to start, I walked around and saw a tarp hanging announcing National Artist in Film Gerardo de Leon’s Centennial Year. I felf rather bad missing the film series activities prepared then for him.

Four days later, I was at the Microfilm Section of the National Library researching for materials on Mabini, the current project that I am working on. I chatted with the only other person researching there at the same time, Mr. Joven Catibog. When he told me that he was researching on Philippine Movies, it sparked my interest. I used to be a researcher on Philippine Movies at the UP Film Center. I was all the more excited to know from him that Director Gerardo de Leon is his subject, and that he is helping former actress Liberty Ilagan, daughter of the famed director to gather materials and correct data for a book that she is preparing for her Dad. I was very happy to know that there is an initiative towards that end. Coming from De Leon’s daughter herself it is something one should really look forward to. Before I left, I have asked Mr. Joven to reserve a copy of the book that they will publish, whenever that comes out.

At home, before sleeping that same night, I thought again of Gerry de Leon. I remembered that I have a collection of brochures that I got from Premiere Productions. At that time, I was a student of Philippine Cinematics Arts under Prof Virginia R. Moreno who soon recruited me to work at the Film Center. Sumunod na araw, nagkalkal ako sa library namin, and lo! Of nearly 150 brochures that I collected, a dozen were megged by De Leon including FAMAS Best Picture in 1960, “Huwag Mo Ako Limutin”!

Of the 12, four are omnibus films with up to 45 stars in it. De Leon directed the “HongKong Story” in Obra Maestra,” “Bawi’t Bunot” in Viuda de Oro, and “Sa Lahat ng Dako” in Presinto 13. In Apat na Bandila De Leon’s name was credited on the first page of the brochure but on the inside pages, Artemio Tecson replaced his name.  I haven’t seen  any of the said films, but the versatility of the director can easily be gleaned from the types of movies he directed: Dramatic, Action, Comedy, Horror, Fantasy, Musical, Historical… They  are all represented in my collection. [See below]

Some are pioneering and would surely excite the most conservative in the society: “Huwag Mo Ako Limutin” was described as “the first local picture wherein kissing scenes will be consumated.” An article in the brochure in form of a press release states: “For the first time in Filipino movies, down-to-earth kissing scenes will be seen by moviegoers who have been waiting for realistic motion pictures.” On the other hand, “Kulay Dugo ang Gabi” was described as “The First Color Horror Picture Produced in the Philippines.” “Sweethearts” was tagged as “the first Philippine motion picture to be filmed in Hollywood at its actual locale.”

I will probably be writing more in detail what they are about as the brochures are complete with synopses and all. Well, once in a while, this is what I do when I divert from my sped subjects — going to photography and Philippine movies, my other interests.