MADE IN THE PHILIPPINES

AMERICAN GUERILLA IN THE PHILIPPINES

I still consider this the best movie about the Philippines during the war. Unfortunately it is not yet still released by 20th Century Fox . I am still waiting for it having seen it several times back home ( at the Dagupan theatre ) and a number of times on television here in Toronto, when we just arrived. It stars Tyrone Power, the matinee idol in the '50s. The movie had a lavish budget and it featured cameo roles of well known Filipino stars of that time: Cris de Vera as a Japanese officer, Ben Perez, Rosa del Rosario, etc.

Two box sets of his movies and several single DVDs of some of his numerous works are already out there in the shelves, but unfortunately, no AMERICAN GUERILLA yet. One set includes his costume-adventure movies like CAPTAIN OF CASTILLE, BLACK ROSE, BLACK SWAN, etc.

The movie follows the basic formula common in Hollywood war movies. When the war broke out, one American GI opted to stay behind in the country, staying in a remote barrio in Leyte. In here he waited for the return of General MacArthur to the Islands. A short clip of the real General was featured at the end of the movie. The plot and action scenes were very realistic and some scenes they said, were done in Lingayen .

Tyrone's co stars were: Tom Ewell and Michellene Prelle. Several Filipino music themes were adopted including a tinikling dance, which was interrupted by the arrival of a Japanese patrol looking for the American Guerilla in hiding. The movie was also shot in Technicolor, a very rare previlege for movies during that time since color technology was still expensive then.


Other movies of this genre include: BACK DOOR TO HELL, starring Jimmie Rodgers ( the singer ) and a very young Jack Nicholson. A Filipina female co-star is Annabelle Huggins. If one remembers, she was involved in a rape case that made the headlines in Manila during the '50s.

CAVALRY COMMAND ( aka DAY OF THE TRUMPET ) This stars John Agar ( the ex-husband of Shirley Temple ) and Pancho Magalona. John starred in several minor action movies, including RIO GRANDE with John Wayne. Pancho Magalona is the father of the late rap star Francis Magalona. Pancho and his beautiful wife Tita Duran were much known as movie idols by the Filipino teen agers during the '50s. Pancho was featured in another movie filmed in the Philippines called MERILL'S MARAUDERS. Some scenes were shot in Clark Air base and in the hilly part of Tarlac. The movie's main star is the late Jeff Chandler. However, the story is not about the Philippines but about the Burma Road during the war..

CAVALRY COMMAND, by the way, was shot in Laoag, Ilocos Norte. ---#