UNFAITHFUL WIFE... Of Friendship And Infidelity

Posted by Jojo Devera , Labels: , , , , ,

Unfaithful Wife

One would get the impression that Peque Gallaga's Unfaithful Wife (Regal Films) was based on John Steinbeck's classic novel Of Mice And Men. But it is not, save for the ending where Michael de Mesa shoots Joel Torre to spare the latter from the wrath of a mob of pursuers. At most, it is merely inspired by the novel which dramatizes a great friendship binding two men. But like Steinbeck's Of Mice And Men, Unfaithful Wife also has a lot of charm going for it. For one, it has texture not often found in Filipino movies, thanks largely to Eduardo Jacinto's fine photography. The production design also contributed a lot to the overall visual quality of the film. It is just unfortunate that there were a few sporadic moments when the film's time frame tends to be confusing because of the period styles of the dresses worn by some of the female characters in the picture. Unfaithful Wife's setting is contemporary. It stars Michael de Mesa and Anna Marie Gutierrez as Crispin and Irene, a husband and wife running a seedy watering hole in their hometown of San Mateo. Their peaceful existence is suddenly disrupted with the arrival of Crispin's best friend Fidel (Joel Torre), recently released from prison. As dictated by the title, Irene becomes unfaithful, but only for one night. The brief rendezvous , unfortunately, coincides with the murder of Choleng (Lala Montelibano) in a shack nearby. Poor Fidel naturally fails to present an alibi before the investigators and he is pinned down as the prime suspect in the murder. And this is where the strong bond between Crispin and Miguel is put to test.

In the acting division, all three main players are worthy of praise. Michael de Mesa is his usual competent self. The same with Joel Torre whose screen performances retrogressed after Oro, Plata, Mata (1982) and Karnal (1983). This movie also marked the transformation of Anna Marie Gutierrez who displayed a lot of promise in William Pascual's Di Maghilom Ang Sugat (1986). Unfaithful Wife is certainly not Peque Gallaga's best film, it is to be fair, several notches below Oro, Plata, Mata, Virgin Forest and even Scorpio Nights (1985). The picture suffers mainly due to its inferior material. But to Gallaga's credit, he was still able to weave well-staged scenes that somehow sustain the viewer's interest in the film. The movie goes a little downhill towards the middle part but manages to redeem itself in the end. While there is no question about this film being good, there is definitely a lot of room for argument with regards to the quality of its thematic content. Unfaithful Wife could have been a masterpiece, what with its well-orchestrated technical elements and Peque Gallaga's direction. The novelistic narrative may fumble in its attempt to explore character and weave milieu into dramaturgy, but the film emerges from the thickets with some engaging moments and stirring energies.

Directed By: Peque Gallaga
Story: T.E. Pagaspas And Rosauro Q. de la Cruz
Screenplay: Rosauro Q. de la Cruz
Cinematographer: Eduardo Jacinto
Music: Nonong Buencamino
Editor: Jesus M. Navarro
Production Design: Don Escudero
Produced By: Regal Films
Release Date: January 11, 1986

18 Response to "UNFAITHFUL WIFE... Of Friendship And Infidelity"

  1. ronald says:
    8:30 AM

    Hi Jojo,

    Excellent review, exactly what I think about the movie as well. Anna Marie kept her clothes here but Lala provided enough gratuitous (and out of place) sex and nudity.

    Regards,
    RSE

  2. Dennis says:
    9:10 AM

    Hello Jojo!

    I actually enjoyed watching Unfaithful Wife despite, yes it's not at par with Peque's more celebrated Oro and Scorpio Nights.

    If I wasn't mistaken the film's original title was Magkaibigan which is very apt for the theme of the movie. Was it Mother Lily's decision to make it more viable in the market and called it Unfaithful Wife?

    Lala Montelibano's part in the film served its uncalled for purpose although hers is unnecessary in my book. I believed it is marketed for the provicial audiences.

  3. Jojo Devera says:
    1:50 PM

    Thanks Ron!

    Even if Anna Marie didn't surpass the boldness she exhibited in Scorpio Nights, her performance was this film's emotional core. It was actually refreshing to see her in something entirely different. I particularly liked the scene in the shower where she realized that she's not pregnant...

    Lala on the other hand was fine here but she fared much better in Celso Ad Castillo's Kailan Tama Ang Mali?

  4. Jojo Devera says:
    1:57 PM

    Hi Dennis!

    The film's original title was Kaibigan because the story revolved around the binding friendship between Michael de Mesa and Joel Torre. Mother Lily wanted a sexier, more catchier title since she was hoping that it would duplicate the success of Scorpio Nights. Her plan backfired when Unfaithful Wife failed at the box office

    I wouldn't say Lala's character was unnecessary after all, her murder made the plot more convoluted.

  5. Dennis says:
    1:22 PM

    Thanks for the clarification Jojo! I guess the title Kaibigan wasn't marketable. I thought Unfaithful made at least a decent box-office take during that time.

    The sex scene is off-putting in the whole film, at least to some viewers hehe...

  6. Jojo Devera says:
    7:13 PM

    Anytime Dennis... Kaibigan didn't really have any commercial appeal although it was the perfect title for the film's story which is really about the friendship between Michael de Mesa and Joel Torre's characters.

    It wouldn't have made much of a difference even without the sex scenes but since Lala Montelibano was part of the cast, it seemed necessary to have the aforementioned scenes to stir pubic interest although it didn't help boost the film's box office take.

  7. Dennis says:
    1:08 AM

    I would have opted the title Kaibigan if I were Mother hehe... Is Kaibigan title came directly by Gallaga himself?

  8. Jojo Devera says:
    5:49 AM

    Kaibigan was the script's original title. There was a scene in the movie where a folk singer was singing a song entitled O Kaibigan, Ko...

  9. Dennis says:
    1:40 AM

    Nice, I totally forgot what the singer's singing all about. Thanks.

  10. Jojo Devera says:
    6:57 AM

    You're welcome Dennis!

  11. pause says:
    11:41 AM

    Sino ang pumatay Kay choleng?

  12. Jojo Devera says:
    9:51 PM

    Hindi ba obvious sa ending kung sino ang pumatay? Yung lalaking may hawak ng radyo ni Choleng...

  13. Dennis says:
    10:47 PM

    Hi Jojo!

    It's nice to revisit this totally uncut!

  14. Jojo Devera says:
    7:02 AM

    At least you got to see the movie in it's complete, uncut version. Now you don't have to watch it on cable anymore...

  15. Dennis says:
    6:37 AM

    I think the only good thing about cable version is how clear the quality of the movies being shown. I steer clear from watching it na sa cable, mabibitin lang ako hehe...

  16. Jojo Devera says:
    9:18 AM

    The ABS-CBN Film Archive houses prints of most movies they show on Cinema One. It's what they use to make a broadcast copy of each movie they show on cable, hence the good quality although they also have some titles derived from analogue sources such as betamax and VHS tapes.

  17. Dennis says:
    11:07 AM

    Thanks again Jojo!

  18. Jojo Devera says:
    5:24 PM

    You're most welcome Dennis!

Post a Comment

Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom)
Karapatang Magpalathala 2006-2013. SARI-SARING SINENG PINOY Lahat Ng Karapatan Ay Nakalaan. Disenyo Jojo Devera