IKAW AT ANG GABI... A Middle Class Marriage-Go-Round

Posted by Jojo Devera , Labels: , , , ,

Ikaw At Ang Gabi
In Ikaw At Ang Gabi (Diosa Productions, Inc.), we listen to the story of Tom (Dindo Fernando) and Emily (Beth Bautista), a couple whose marriage is on the rocks. Its apparent cause is an unexpressed contempt a three year old familiarity has bred. The main conflict of the film is fairly simple. Tom is a rising executive whose understanding of marriage matches that of his grandmother (Mary Walter). Emily, a librarian, feels the surge of new womanhood freed from the bondage of domesticity and is unsatisfied with marital bliss. At the start of the film, she is fascinated with the terribly plastic voice of Midnight Blue / Jake (Ronaldo Valdez), a disc jockey philosophizing over the cheap sentiments of pop music. She experiments with infidelity only to find another realm of emotions just as contemptuous as her husband's. Emily expresses her misgivings and returns to Tom without any indication that she has escaped boredom. Jake on the other hand has a free wheeling liaison with April (Chanda Romero) which is, however, always on the border of possession. The couples switch, humorously revealing the truths and embarrasments of their adventures. Danny Zialcita treats the film as a genre movie. He played around with overused situations in Filipino cinema by twisting its ending. A gun slaying turns into a bourgeois rationalization although a cold blooded murder in the manner of slum revenges is expected. This kidding around adds surreal dimension to the film but is marred by some uninspired acting.

Ikaw At Ang Gabi, however fails to weave the fabric of connection between husbands and wives. Tom is shocked with the ephemeral nature of one night stands and Emily realizes the ease of infidelity. Inasmuch as the film juxtaposes them against their intimate thoughts, they could have played out the complexity of their roles in a more cinematic detail. Here they simply wait. Also, the film neglects to locate Beth Bautista's emotional dilemma, she is lost to the idea of a modern woman. It is admittedly a difficult role which requires intellectual understanding to successfully pull it off. Wearied by a traitorous screenplay, she finds herself furiously gesticulating stock emotion and is never able to mine the resources of a thinking and feeling character. Ronaldo Valdez has this same fault. He has the strained English accent perfect for the part but doesn't progress from being mere physical equipment. It proves that an actor cannot just be typecast, he should possess some intelligence in order to make the necessary comments. Valdez is unable to switch from a carefree philanderer to a man in need of some permanent relationship. Dindo Fernando is very much alive to the nuances of his character. He acts out a mixture of masculine power and industrial impotence. "I am what I am," he confesses to his wife near the film's end, wounded by her infidelity but still sentimentally attached to his marriage vows. Chanda Romero in a brief but effective role as Ronaldo Valdez' lover depends largely on her sensual presence to make an initial impression. Her insight pierces through the layers of socialite fantasies and pampered, struggle-less growth. Finally, Zialcita'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, a confrontation between the two women at the Ayala museum is diffused into a mutual understanding though a flare-up is anticipated. On the balance, the film is a well made chamber drama which packs no dramatic power, only feeble sentimentality wrung dry from middle class marriage-go-round. As a rehash of the motif embroidering Eddie Romero's Sinong Kapiling, Sinong Kasiping (1977) and Ishmael Bernal's Dalawang Pugad, Isang Ibon (1978), Danny Zialcita's Ikaw At Ang Gabi does not push the limits of the theme into new frontiers as the director is severely remiss in creating cinematic devices which would have scanned the erratic emotional climate weathered by married couples in search of a happy ending.

Screenplay And Direction: Danny L. Zialcita
Story By: Ed Palmos
Director Of Photography: Felizardo Bailen
Musical Director: Demet Velasquez
Film Editor: Ike Jarlego, Sr.
Produced By: Diosa Productions, Inc.
Release Date: December 14, 1979

20 Response to "IKAW AT ANG GABI... A Middle Class Marriage-Go-Round"

  1. Dennis says:
    1:44 AM

    Hi Jojo!

    Saw this film via cable during the time when 'old' movies were eaired every 3pm weekdays (Pinoy Retro, I believe).

    There are tons of foreign songs scattered throughout the film as I remembered. Not only because Ronaldo Valdez plays a dj in the film.

    I like the ending, too. The scene with Beth Bautista holding a cake for Dindo. I always love Dindo's acting. I believed he won a major acting award for this movie.

    Great review as always!

  2. Jojo Devera says:
    2:46 AM

    Hello Dennis,

    I'm glad we can talk about a movie na napanood mo. The film was filled with the most popular pop songs of the time dahil DJ ang role ni Ronaldo Valdez. The use of canned music was so distracting at times minimizing the film's dramatic power.

    Everyone thought that the movie would have a happy ending since Chanda and Ronaldo made up. I was a bit disappointed with Beth Bautista although Dindo's Urian win was much deserved besting Phillip Salvador for Jaguar. His performance is the one that holds this film together...

  3. Dennis says:
    6:49 AM

    Distracting nga is the term Jojo.

    Like Eddie Garcia, Dindo for me is so good in dramatic, comedy and yes, gay roles! Hopefully, C1 will air the film again so I can relate more.

  4. Jojo Devera says:
    7:13 AM

    The scene that distracted me the most was during Beth Bautista's revelation after Dindo knocks off his collection of ash trays while Don't Cry For Me Argentina was playing in the background.

    Eddie Garcia is an amazing actor the only difference is that Dindo was able to play leading man roles effectively as well...

  5. ronald says:
    10:34 AM

    Hi Jojo,

    Another great review written in English. I must say that I really enjoy them. Keep them coming!

    Regards,
    RSE

  6. Jojo Devera says:
    11:12 AM

    Hello Ron!

    Thanks so much Ron! Don't get so used to my writing in English... my next one is in Filipino.

  7. Dennis says:
    10:22 AM

    I seem to remember nga that Jojo. Parang nasobrahan talaga sa foreign songs ang movie na 'yun hehe...

  8. Jojo Devera says:
    11:00 AM

    As in sobra talaga. Nabawasan tuloy ng bigat 'yung mga dramatic scenes. Nakakarinding masyado yung pauli-ulit na paggamit ng kantang "It Takes A Man And A Woman..."

  9. Dennis says:
    11:53 PM

    Haha...napatawa mo na naman ako sa comment mo. Sana maipalabas uli para bilangin ko ilang beses pinatugtog 'yung kanta hehe...

  10. Jojo Devera says:
    4:18 AM

    Ganon ba? Hindi ko na rin nabilang kung ilang beses ginamit 'yung kanta sa pelikula pero marami talaga pati ang Torn Between Two Lovers kung saan ginaya rin ang istorya ng movie...

  11. Dennis says:
    10:44 AM

    Napanood ko sa RPN-9 dati naman nu'n ang Torn Between Two Lovers. Si Lee Remick si Beth Bautista pagkakaalam ko. I totally forgot na same premise nga pala ang Ikaw sa Torn..

  12. Jojo Devera says:
    6:10 PM

    Feeling ko nga mas maganda pa ang Ikaw At Ang Gabi dahil mas mahusay ang performance ni Dindo Fernando kesa kay Joseph Bologna...

  13. Dennis says:
    2:49 AM

    Kay Dindo na 'ko kung iko-compare kay Joseph 'no Jojo hehe...

  14. Jojo Devera says:
    3:51 AM

    Ang layo naman talaga... Dindo was a more competent actor. I loved him in that scene towards the end nung akala ni Beth Bautista okay na sila then he told her "I am what I am..." Galing!

  15. Dennis says:
    12:21 PM

    Oo nga, nu'ng lumabas na ng tuluyan...

  16. Jojo Devera says:
    1:18 PM

    I saw that the film is going to be shown on Cinema One here in the US not sure if they will follow the same schedule in the Philippines...

  17. Carlo says:
    8:19 AM

    Hi. Thanks for the review. I was lucky to have seen this movie last year. I thought Beth could have done better as the confrontational girlfriend of Ronaldo whilst Chanda could have been Dindo's wife. Thanks.

  18. Jojo Devera says:
    9:09 AM

    Anytime Carlo! I was told that they showed the film at the UPFI last May. I felt the same way about Beth Bautista's performance although Chanda was perfect as Ronaldo's lover. Dindo was the film's overall best performer...

  19. Carlo says:
    12:04 PM

    Oh and one more thing, I wish there'll be some Filipino classic screening this coming December as I will be spending Christmas in Manila this year for the first time since 1991. I'm also interested in trading some "hard to find" pinoy classics. I have also on VHS several scenes of the early 70's bomba (B & W) given to me last year. I'm in the hunt for BONA with "English" subtitles. The one I got was the French subtitled.

  20. Jojo Devera says:
    2:07 PM

    I'll keep you posted if they will have screenings in December. Can you send me an e-mail on the hard to find classics that you're looking for?

    Thanks!

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Karapatang Magpalathala 2006-2013. SARI-SARING SINENG PINOY Lahat Ng Karapatan Ay Nakalaan. Disenyo Jojo Devera