Tinitingnan ng Nagbabagang Luha (Regal Films, 1988) ang sabayang pagnanasa sa istabilidad at seguridad ng tradisyonal na pamilyang nukleyar at ang pagpapalit ng pamahayan sa kompigurasyong di-matatag ngunit may potensyal na magbigay-kapangyarihan. Ipinagkaloob ng hukuman kay Maita (Lorna Tolentino) ang pangangalaga sa nag-iisang anak na si Yeye (Honey Mae Ledesma) ngunit maari rin itong dalawin ng amang si Alex (Gabby Concepcion). Minsang dalawin ang anak, hindi na nito ibinalik ang bata sa kanyang ina. Dala ng labis na pag-aalala, pinuntahan ni Maita ang biyenang si Mrs. Montaire (Gloria Romero) upang kunin si Yeye at ipinagtapat nitong isinama ni Alex ang bata sa ibang bansa hanggang sa matunton niya ang kinaroroonan ng anak. Pinakiusapan ni Maita ang kapatid na si Cielo (Alice Dixson) upang kunin si Yeye at sinamahan pa ito ni Bien (Richard Gomez), masugid nitong manliligaw. Ipinagtapat ni Alex kay Cielo ang kanyang damdamin at ginamit niya ito upang tuluyang mapalayo ang anak sa ina. Di naglaon, nadiskubre ni Maita ang katotohanan tungkol sa dalawa. Habang patuloy ang pakikipaglaban nito upang mabawi ang anak kina Alex at Cielo. Pinilit niyang bumangon sa kinasasadlakang pagdurusa. Samantala, di maikakaila ang pagmamahalan ng dating mag-asawa at sa pagtatapos ng pelikula, muling nabuo ang nawasak na pamilya.
Isang natatanging melodrama ang Nagbabagang Luha, na idinerehe ni Ishmael Bernal dahil sa pagsasalarawan ng domestikong suliranin na mabusising tumalakay sa diskurso ng tunay na pag-ibig. Magiting na ipinagtanggol nito ang pakay at di sumuko sa de-kahong pangangatuwiran ng kinamihasnang feminismo. Binigyan ng bagong imahe ang melodrama na may sensitibong pagbatid sa magkabilang panig na nagpapatampok sa halip na kumakalimot sa mahapding mga dimensiyon ng mga karanasang babae sa di-matatag at laging nagbabagong lupain ng domestisidad. Daramatiko ring isinalarawan ito ng mahusay na pagganap ni Lorna Tolentino. Bilang tradisyonal na maybahay na nakatuklas sa pagtataksil ng sariling asawa at kapatid, pinapanood natin siya habang nagdaraan sa proseso ng pagkabigo, pagtanggap at pagpapatawad. Hinatak niya tayong damhin ang kanyang mga suliranin habang binubuo ang nadurog na piraso ng kanyang sarili at dignidad upang maprotektahan ang nalalabi sa pinagdurusahang teritoryo. Sa prosesong ito, napilitan siyang lumikha ng mga bagong paraan ng pagharap hindi lamang sa kanyang sariling mga satanas at pagdurusa kundi kasama rin ang kanyang pamilya. Humahantong man sa pantasya ang resolusyon ng pelikula nang mapilitang magkasundo ang mga magkakatunggali, naging karapat-dapat tumanggap ng patawad at pang-unawa ang dati'y kinamumuhiang kabiyak na naging mapag-arugang ama. Nagmula ito sa matagumpay na babae at nagpasimula sa pagbalik at pagtatagumpay ng mga tradisyonal na pagpapahalagang pampamilya. Gayunpaman, ang konsesyong ito sa melodrama ay nagpapatampok sa kapangyarihan ng kababaihan lalo na sa pagtunghay sa posibilidad ng isang di-patriarkal na pamahayan at kung gayo'y nagbibigay ng isang alternatibong kaayusan.
Direksiyon: Ishmael Bernal
Dulang Pampelikula: J. Raquel Villavicencio
Hango Sa Nobela Ni Elena Patron Mula Sa Superstar Komiks
Sinematograpiya: Manolo Abaya, Eduardo Jacinto At Sergio Lobo
Musika: Willy Cruz
Editing: Augusto Salvador
Disenyo: Tatus Aldana At Gerry Pascual
Produksiyon: Regal Films
2:47 PM
Like HINDI NAHAHATI ANG LANGIT, this movie can also at par with some of the best komiks melodrama translated to big screen especially Lorna's performance as Maita. Alice Dixson's voice was greatly dubbed by someone and I didn't notice it. Behind the scenes info, Alice tested the patience of Bernal in this flick during the late 80's when she was one of the hot items at the Regal camp doing 3-4 movies simultaneously that even shooting Gallaga's ISANG ARAW WALaNG DIYOS was greatly affected by her unprofessionalism. Looking back NAGBABAGANG LUHA is much superior than PINULOT KA LANG SA LUPA, also unforgettable here was the villain played by Ms. Gloria Romero.
4:20 PM
I agree with your observations Ronald... i remember reading about how unhappy Bernal was with Alice Dixson during the filming of Nagbabagang Luha. It was an on and off shoot which lasted for 8 months. I would consider Lorna's performance in this movie one of her best with Maging Akin Ka Lamang clinging to the top spot. Gloria Romero was the typical neurotic Bernal character. She's not really a villain, I would categorize Mrs. Montaire more as an emotional wreck. Nagbabagang Luha is notches above Pinulot Ka Lang Sa Lupa in terms of narrative and character development.
5:57 AM
I wonder why Ishma worked with 3 cinematographers in this film also the next year in PAHIRAM NG ISANG UMAGA. His films can stand alone even with just one cinematographer.
Hey Jo, do you think Alice is a great actress? I remember vividly her American accent in the late 80's and of course she was really hot during those times.
6:20 AM
I guess it had something to do with the on and off shooting schedules... In late 1998, I had the chance to work with Bosing Manolo Abaya for a Coke commercial, his reason for not finishing his work in Nagbabagang Luha was due to his busy schedule with TV commercials. He was then replaced by Totoy Jacinto but had to beg out so he can shoot Wakwak with Peque Gallaga so Bernal turned to his longtime cinematographer Sergio Lobo to finish the job.
I don't think Alice Dixson is a great actress and until recently, I'm still not convinced that she can act. Sure she's pretty but there's a lot more to acting than just having a pretty face. Headlining her own drama series in the late 80's didn't help hone her acting skills either.
7:01 AM
Do you know what's missing on the movie? The passionate love scene between Maita & Alex which was included on the komiks version when they reunited. Bernal didn't include it.
Nice observations about Alice, but she's better than Kris Aquino.
7:06 AM
Was it in the komiks novel? Maybe Bernal felt there was no need to include the scene since Alex was just using Cielo to get back at Maita...
Better than Kris Aquino? I don't think so, both are lousy actresses but you have to give Kris credit for being an excellent TV host.
7:13 AM
Yeah it was included on the novel. But sometimes the movie turns into camp.
7:25 AM
I never really got the chance to read the komiks novel but Nagbabagang Luha was still much better than the typical komiks based produced melodramas of the 80's.
8:09 AM
Hi Jojo,
I think I've seen this movie on TV a while back. I didn't even know that it's a Bernal. I didn't really care much for Alice Dixson then, but I think she's tolerable in The Other Woman (Maryo J?'s) and Dyesebel.
Regards,
RSE
4:56 PM
Hello Ron!
This was Bernal's follow-up to Pinulot Ka Lang Sa Lupa. I was never really impressed with Alice Dixson, she seemed awkward during highly dramatic scenes.
3:56 AM
hello jojo! this was a big hit in 1988 di ba? Alice Dixson was hot item then,i think this was probably her second or third movie? nobody regards alice as a great or even good actress,but she won a best actress award one time diba,cant remember for what movie.who can forger Lorna's immortal line to Alice,"Huwag kang mag-alala,ipalilibing kita",this was heavily copied by aiza seguerra in eat bulaga,aside from Sharon Cunesta's "Inay gutay-gutay na ang katawan nyo,pati kaluluwa nyo gutay-gutay na din". i was so smitten with alice then,also with dawn zulueta back in '88.
1:36 AM
Hi Dexter!
Nagbabagang Luha was indeed a huge box office hit during its theatrical run. No doubt about it, she was one of the most beautiful actresses in Phhilippine showbiz back then. In the same scene while she tells her sister, "Ate, mamamatay ako pag inagaw mo sa 'kin si Alex" then Lorna tells her, "Ipalilibing kita."