The biggest casualty here of course is Beth Bautista who may have given her best and barest essentials but loses her grip on character. Given a better script and direction, she could have portrayed one of the most powerful female roles in the history of Philippine cinema. The intertexts of her character are clearly myriad and poignant as she crisscrosses the rural-urban nexus. Finally, Manuel Cinco's direction greatly suffers from a kind of verbal storytelling that is bridged with maudlin music. It is disappointing to note that the best sequence in the film is the one involving Helen recounting what became of her marriage to daughter Jing-jing (Crystal) which has really nothing to do with the child 's psychological investments as the scene was merely perfunctory. On the balance, Huwag is a well-made melodrama which packs no dramatic power, only feeble sentimentality wrung dry from weeping wives, husbands and lovers. The film does not push the limits of the theme to new frontiers as the director is severely remiss in creating cinematic devices which would have scanned the erratic emotional climate weathered by wives fighting for their husband's affection. Although Huwag's lucid shifts of focus from rural to urban, from slum to subdivision speak of a mastery of the textural aspects of manners, morals and milieu.
Directed By: Manuel Cinco
Screenplay: Ed Palmos
Cinematography: Fortunato Bernardo
Music: George Canseco
Film Editor: Edgardo Vinarao
Production Design: Orly Tolentino
Produced By: Seven Stars Productions
Release Date: August 1, 1979
7:38 AM
Hi Jojo,
Does this movie belongs to the "bold" genre? Who is Beth Baustista? I haven't heard of her. Is she related to Perla B.?
Regards,
RSE
3:10 PM
Hello Ron!
Huwag is of the bold genre. This was Beth Bautista's launching movie. I cannot believe you don't know who she is. Beth won the URIAN Award for Best Actress in 1978 for Hindi Sa Iyo Ang Mundo Baby Porcuna. She appeared in several Danny Zialcita directed movies like Ang Kabiyak, Ikaw At Ang Gabi, Palabra De Honor at Si Mister At Si Misis to name a few. She was also in Miguelito, Tinik Sa Dibdib, Mga Tinik Ng Babae, Captain Barbell, Mga Batang Yagit, Covergirl and Paano Ba Ang Magmahal? She's not related to Perla Bautista...
8:07 PM
Sounds like a TF film and the title of Ynes Veneracion's HUWAG PO! (Grin)
2:30 AM
This much I can say... Huwag was much better than any TF movie...
10:04 AM
Hi. i really love your blog as I am also a big follower of classic Filipino films. I haven't seen much of Beth Bautista's works but the few ones that I did see left me with an impression that she was a fine actress. I only saw Palabra De Honor & Ikaw At Ang Gabi. And though I didn't see "Hindi Iyo Ang Mundo..." as I was only 3 yrs old at the time, by winning the Urian at such an early stage of a film career, over fine actors Nora & Vilma says a lot about her potential. I've always wondered though why Beth didn't blossom into a big mainstream star like Vilma or Nora? Was it the lack of offers? Lastly, I still would love to see "Hindi Iyo Ang Mundo Baby Porcuna" and "Brutal" (not the censored version of Cinema One); if you have those copies, would you be interested in trading? I live in Chicago and have done trading with some other pinoy film enthusiasts all across the US. Only problem is, they don't have those aforementioned titles. I am really desperate. I have some titles too that you might be interested in. I have VHS (bought from LVN & Sampaguita's online store) tapes of "Kung Mangarap Ka't Magising", "Kakabakaba Ka Ba?", "Basag Na Kristal" (Hilda Koronel, Suzanne Gonzales-one of her very few lead role) & some original VHS from (Trigon) like Sinner or Saint (Claudia Zobel's last film), Bona (with French subtitles but otherwise a great copy). Thanks. Carl