Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang
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''Weighed But Found Wanting'' (
Filipino Filipino may refer to: * Something from or related to the Philippines ** Filipino language, standardized variety of 'Tagalog', the national language and one of the official languages of the Philippines. ** Filipinos, people who are citizens of th ...
: ''Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang''; also known as ''Human Imperfections'' ) is a 1974 Filipino drama film directed by
Lino Brocka Catalino Ortiz Brocka (April 3, 1939 – May 22, 1991) was a Filipino film director. He is widely regarded as one of the most influential and significant filmmakers in the history of Philippine cinema. He co-founded the organization Concerned Ar ...
. The films stars
Christopher De Leon Christopher Strauss de León (born October 31, 1956) is a Philippine film actor and politician. He is recognized as the “''King of Philippine Drama''” has appeared in over 120 films since the early 1970s. Regarded as an "acting genius" and ...
(in his debut role),
Hilda Koronel Hilda Koronel (born Susan Reid; January 17, 1957) is a MMFF, FAMAS, Luna and Urian award-winning Filipino actress. Born to a Filipino mother and an American father who was a serviceman in Clark Air Base, she has starred in around 45 films, ma ...
,
Lolita Rodriguez Dolores Marquez Clark, better known by her screen name Lolita Rodriguez (January 29, 1935 – November 28, 2016), was a multi-awarded actress in the Philippines. She was paired with Eddie Arenas in ''Gilda'' (1956), in which she won her first F ...
and
Eddie Garcia Eduardo Verchez Garcia (; May 2, 1929 – June 20, 2019), known colloquially as Manoy, was a Filipino actor, television personality, film director and producer. With almost 600 film and television roles and a career spanning seven decades, he ...
. Considered one of Brocka's most important films, it won six awards (including
Best Picture This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress#F ...
) at the 23rd FAMAS Awards in 1975.


Plot

The story begins with a flashback to the past of a woman called Kuala (Lolita Rodríguez). An '' herbolario'' (traditional/folk medicine practitioner) performs an
abortion Abortion is the termination of a pregnancy by removal or expulsion of an embryo or fetus. An abortion that occurs without intervention is known as a miscarriage or "spontaneous abortion"; these occur in approximately 30% to 40% of pre ...
on Kuala, as César (Eddie García) watches her. The abortion was a success, but when Kuala sees the aborted
foetus A fetus or foetus (; plural fetuses, feti, foetuses, or foeti) is the unborn offspring that develops from an animal embryo. Following embryonic development the fetal stage of development takes place. In human prenatal development, fetal develo ...
, she becomes very disturbed. In the next scene, she walks in the middle of a grassy plain, and as the heat becomes more and more unbearable, she becomes insane. In the present, Kuala, now the
village idiot The village idiot in strict terms is a person locally known for ignorance or stupidity but is also a common term for a stereotypically silly or nonsensical person or stock character. Description The term "village idiot" is also used as a ster ...
, wanders about her
Nueva Ecija Nueva Ecija, officially the Province of Nueva Ecija ( tgl, Lalawigan ng Nueva Ecija , also ; ilo, Probinsia ti Nueva Ecija; pag, Luyag/Probinsia na Nueva Ecija; Kapampangan: ''Lalawigan/Probinsia ning Nueva Ecija''), is a landlocked province ...
town in dirty clothes and with mangy hair. The townsfolk mock and deride Kuala, and she is pushed into a
watering hole A watering hole or waterhole is a geological depression in which a body of water forms, usually a pond or a small lake, where animals tend to gather to obtain water. A watering hole is "a sunken area of land that fills with water". Watering hole ...
where she almost drowns. Bertong Ketong (Mario O'Hara), a
leper Leprosy, also known as Hansen's disease (HD), is a long-term infection by the bacteria ''Mycobacterium leprae'' or ''Mycobacterium lepromatosis''. Infection can lead to damage of the nerves, respiratory tract, skin, and eyes. This nerve damag ...
yearning for female companionship, attracts Kuala with a rattle and takes her to his shack in the cemetery. Junior ( Christopher de León) makes friends with them, defying the prohibitions of his father, César Blanco, who is a lawyer and failed politician. Junior asks Berto's advice concerning his problems with his eccentric teacher, Mr. Del Mundo (Orlando Nadres), who has a crush on him, and with his girlfriend, Evangeline (Hilda Koronel), who flirted with her escort during that year's ''
Santacruzan Flores de Mayo ( Spanish for "flowers of May") is a festival held in the Philippines in the month of May. It is one of the May devotions to the Blessed Virgin Mary and lasts for the entire month. The Santacruzan (from the Spanish ''santa cruz' ...
''. The jealous Junior left the
procession A procession is an organized body of people walking in a formal or ceremonial manner. History Processions have in all peoples and at all times been a natural form of public celebration, as forming an orderly and impressive ceremony. Religious ...
and sought the company of Milagros (Laurice Guillen), who seduces him. The local ''Asociación de las Damas Cristianas'' (Association of Christian Ladies) is later scandalised to discover that Kuala has fallen pregnant. She is forced to live in the custody of the pious ''Lola'' Jacoba (Rosa Aguirre). When Berto makes a clandestine visit to Kuala, she tells him of his unhappiness. Berto tells this to Junior, who resolves to help the pregnant Kuala make an escape from ''Lola'' Jacoba's house and lead her back to Berto's shack. However, Berto knows she will be taken away and returns her to ''Lola'' Jacoba, and promises to retrieve her after she has given birth. Some nights later, Kuala experiences labour pains. She finds her way to Berto's shack, at which point Berto rushes out to fetch a doctor. When the doctor refuses to help him, Berto takes him hostage but repeats he will not kill him. As Berto flees with the doctor, the doctor's wife shouts for help, awakening the townspeople who rush to follow the fleeing pair. Before Berto and the doctor reach the shack, however, the doctor escapes and a chase ensues. A group of policemen come to the doctor's rescue and shoot Berto. Junior sees this and is shocked; he holds Berto's dead body and weeps in the midst of the crowd. Junior then enters the shack where Kuala has birthed a boy, but lies weakened by the labour. She becomes lucid, and in her sanity she recognises Junior and realizes that Berto has been killed. She also recognises César amongst the crowd, and asks him why he killed their child, revealing his secret. Kuala then gives her baby boy to Junior, and dies. As Junior leaves the shack, he stares hard at the townspeople, including his parents, Evangeline, and all who were unkind to him, Berto, and Kuala. He walks near Berto's corpse and pauses, as the people look on in silence. Junior then leaves the cemetery, carrying Berto and Kuala's son.


Cast

*
Christopher de Leon Christopher Strauss de León (born October 31, 1956) is a Philippine film actor and politician. He is recognized as the “''King of Philippine Drama''” has appeared in over 120 films since the early 1970s. Regarded as an "acting genius" and ...
as "Junior" Blanco *
Mario O'Hara Mario Herrero O'Hara (April 20, 1946 – June 26, 2012) was a Filipino film director, film producer and screenwriter known for his sense of realism often with dark but realistic social messages.Lolita Rodriguez Dolores Marquez Clark, better known by her screen name Lolita Rodriguez (January 29, 1935 – November 28, 2016), was a multi-awarded actress in the Philippines. She was paired with Eddie Arenas in ''Gilda'' (1956), in which she won her first F ...
as Kuala *
Eddie Garcia Eduardo Verchez Garcia (; May 2, 1929 – June 20, 2019), known colloquially as Manoy, was a Filipino actor, television personality, film director and producer. With almost 600 film and television roles and a career spanning seven decades, he ...
as Cesar Blanco *
Lilia Dizon Claire Dizon Strauss (1928 – June 15, 2020) professionally known as Lilia Dizon was a Filipina actress active in the 1940s and 1950s. Personal life She was the only daughter of Regina Dizon, a Filipino, and Abraham "Abe" Strauss, an Ameri ...
as Carolina Blanco *
Hilda Koronel Hilda Koronel (born Susan Reid; January 17, 1957) is a MMFF, FAMAS, Luna and Urian award-winning Filipino actress. Born to a Filipino mother and an American father who was a serviceman in Clark Air Base, she has starred in around 45 films, ma ...
as Evangeline Ortega *
Laurice Guillen Laurice Ilagan Guillen-Feleo (born January 31, 1947) is a Filipino actress, film and television director, and college professor. Early life and acting career Guillen studied at St. Theresa's College, Cebu City, earned an AB English degree before ...
as Milagros *
Orlando Nadres Orlando Nadres (November 1938, in Tayabas, Quezon – July 14, 1991) was a stage, film, television writer, director and actor. He is the son of Igmideo Nadres and Tecla Reobaldo. He attended the Lucena and Tayabas Elementary School, then went to ...
as Mr. Del Mundo *Leah Sulongsawa as Lucy


Production


Villa Epifania

The movie was partly filmed in "The Grand Old House of Sta. Rit

(also the film site of ''
Tanging Yaman ''Tanging Yaman'' (International Title: ''A Change of Heart'') is a 2000 Filipino religious-family drama film produced by Star Cinema. Directed by Laurice Guillen, the film garnered several awards, especially at the 2000 Metro Manila Film Fest ...
'' and many other films

File:Villaepipaniajf.JPG, Façade of Villa Epifania File:Villaepipaniajfd.JPG, Villa Epifania: The Grand Old House of Sta. Rita File:Stritahall2jf.JPG, The ancestral lot was owned by the Guanzon patriarch Don Agapito Guanzon (Captain Pitong) the then Captain Municipal (equivalent to today’s municipal mayor) of Sta. Rita.


Background

''Tinimbang'', considered by Lino Brocka as his "first novel" and his first production for his own film outfit, is the story of a young boy growing up in a small town and the unusual friendship he develops with a leper and the village idiot. Their stories draw forth the true nature of hypocrisy in the small town and the boy bears witness and participates in the various emotions that throb under the seemingly quiet village life - prejudice, cruelty, forgiveness, and even love. In Tinimbang, Brocka clearly shows man's limitations as a mortal being, but sends a message of hope for the movie, and in the end, speaks ultimately of rebirth and maturity.


Release


Box office


Critical reception


Accolades

The film won six FAMAS Awards out of eight nominations: *
Best Picture This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress#F ...
* FAMAS Award for Best Actor, Best Actor (Christopher de Leon) *
Best Actress Best Actress is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organisations, festivals, and people's awards to leading actresses in a film, television series, television film or play. The first Best Actress aw ...
(Lolita Rodriguez) *
Best Director Best Director is the name of an award which is presented by various film, television and theatre organizations, festivals, and people's awards. It may refer to: Film awards * AACTA Award for Best Direction * Academy Award for Best Director * BA ...
(Lino Brocka) *Best Musical Score (Lutgardo Labad) *Best Theme Song (Emmanuel Lacaba for ''Awit ni Kuala'') It was also nominated for Best Supporting Actor (Mario O'Hara) and Best Supporting Actress (Laurice Guillen).


References


External links

* * * {{Lino Brocka 1974 films 1974 drama films Philippine drama films Tagalog-language films Films about abortion Films directed by Lino Brocka