a movie review

ang Birhen ng Manaoag

( The Virgen of Manaoag )

BIRHEN NG MANAOAG ( The Virgin of Manaoag ) from Regalfilms is one of the low-key, low budget Filipino movies that would get an "A- minus" in achievement from me. No fist fights, no pyrotechnics but somehow its narrative makes it quite unforgettable. The climax is also heart rending. The movie tries to  make a superficial treastise on what ever "miracle" that took  place in this church on top of a hill. Presently it is one of the most visited places in Pangasinan.

Both sides of the "miracle" issue are treated in the character study of a character Paul, an ex-seminarian who works in the Manaoag parochial office. He is a writer-in residence writing about religious subjects and printed for various clientele. But deep inside, he lost faith in God somewhere along the way because his mother died amidst his supplications in front of the church altar. He wanted her to live longer. When she died, his faith was also snuffed like a candle in a strong wind. Then a woman who came from Manila arrived in Manaoag to write a thesis on the miracles that took place in the town. She came with her young girl. In the beginning of the movie, she was sent to see Paul for more information.

The woman (Ana) interviewed a number of people who witnessed miracles that happened in their lives. But she has no time to investigate the truth behind these incidents.

This is one of the 3 main plots intertwined in the movie..The other two others are: a high school student in the Manaoag High school became pregnant. She had to tell her Mom about it. Her Mom threw her out of their house. When she told her boy friend he was to become a daddy, he gave her the phone number of an abortion clinic. Nice guy.

The third plot was about a family man who is about to lose his job as a driver in a local bus line. His wife was a teacher in the local high school, and in the beginning of the movie, she was diagnosed to have cancer and had a few months to live. In the beginning she did not tell her husband about her condition, not wanting to add to his problems.

Some short vignettes of the history of the church were featured using costumed extras. One was the meeting between a farmer and the image of the Virgen Mary in that hill. The first church was built upon the request of the Virgin Mary but shortlyafter, pagan tribes came and murdered the Dominican priests in charge of the primitive church. Oh yes, there was a beheading scene where a priest's head roll..No blood. Just an on-looker's scream. Very effective editing trick. Because the longer the camera focuses on the head, the more the movie viewer would detect it is a dummy's head..

The only big names in the movie are: EDDIE GARCIA and ALBERT MARTINEZ. Eddie is a stalwart in Philippine cinema. I have seen many of his movies in Urdaneta and Dagupan while I was still in Pangasinan.

All the three story plots were resolved in the movie's climax. Quite unpredictable and that what makes a movie good. Your personal feelings might help you bolster your beliefs in the power of God. But I would recommend another movie: THE MIRACLE OF OUR LADY OF FATIMA made by Hollywood in the '50s, for this purpose.

Of course Faith comes from within and not from movies about the subject which you might happen to watch.

Most of the exterior scenes were shot under the shadow of the Manaoag church. A street dance was the backdrop for the opening titles. Which makes you want to freeze the scene just to see the details of this pilgrim site. The sights alone, especially if you have visited the church a couple of times, is already worth the rental or purchase price of this DVD.

It has some English subtitles, so your kids can watch it with you. However, I can not guarantee they would not leave during the first 15 minutes of the movie.--#