Weighed But Found Wanting
Weighed But Found Wanting (Filipino: Tinimbang Ka Ngunit Kulang; also known as Human Imperfections [1]) is a 1974 Filipino drama film directed by Lino Brocka. The films stars Christopher De Leon (in his debut role),[2] Hilda Koronel, Lolita Rodriguez and Eddie Garcia. Considered one of Brocka's most important films,[3][4] it won six awards (including Best Picture) at the 23rd FAMAS Awards in 1975. PlotThe story opens with a vivid flashback revealing the troubled past of a woman named Kuala. She undergoes an abortion performed by an herbolario (traditional folk medicine practitioner) while César observes. The procedure is successful, but upon seeing the aborted fetus, Kuala is deeply disturbed. In a subsequent scene, she wanders through a scorching grassy plain, her mental state deteriorating as the heat intensifies, leading her to madness. In the present day, Kuala, now branded the village idiot, roams her Nueva Ecija town in tattered clothes and unkempt hair. The locals mock and ridicule her, culminating in a cruel act where she is shoved into a watering hole, narrowly escaping drowning. Bertong Ketong, a leper longing for companionship, entices Kuala with a rattle and brings her to his ramshackle home in the cemetery. Junior befriends them, defying his father César Blanco, a lawyer and unsuccessful politician. Junior seeks Berto's counsel about his challenges with his eccentric teacher, Mr. Del Mundo, who harbors a crush on him, and with his girlfriend, Evangeline, who flirted with another during the recent Santacruzan. Consumed by jealousy, Junior leaves the procession and turns to Milagros, who seduces him. The local Asociación de las Damas Cristianas is scandalized to learn that Kuala is pregnant. She is forced into the custody of the devout Lola Jacoba. During a secret visit, Kuala confides in Berto about her unhappiness. Berto shares this with Junior, who vows to help Kuala escape from Lola Jacoba's house and return her to Berto's shack. Realizing the dangers, Berto reluctantly returns her to Lola Jacoba, promising to rescue her after she gives birth. A few nights later, Kuala goes into labor and makes her way to Berto’s shack. Berto rushes to find a doctor, but when the doctor refuses assistance, Berto takes him hostage, insisting he will not kill him. As they flee, the doctor’s wife screams for help, alerting the townspeople, who pursue them. Before reaching the shack, the doctor manages to escape, prompting a frantic chase. Policemen come to the doctor’s aid and shoot Berto. Junior witnesses this horrific act, collapsing in grief as he holds Berto's lifeless body amid the gathering crowd. Junior then enters the shack where Kuala has just given birth to a son, although she is weakened by the ordeal. Gaining lucidity, she recognizes Junior and realizes Berto has died. Spotting César in the crowd, she accuses him of killing their child, unveiling his sinister secret. With her final strength, Kuala hands her baby boy to Junior before succumbing. As Junior leaves the shack, he casts a piercing look at the townspeople, including his parents, Evangeline, and those who have treated him and Berto poorly. He pauses near Berto's corpse, and the onlookers fall into a somber silence. Ultimately, Junior departs the cemetery, carrying Berto and Kuala’s son, determined to forge a new path amidst the shadows of loss and betrayal. Cast
ProductionVilla EpifaniaThe movie was partly filmed in "The Grand Old House of Sta. Rita"[1] (also the film site of Tanging Yaman and many other films).[2]
BackgroundTinimbang, 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. ReleaseBox office
Critical reception
AccoladesThe film won six FAMAS Awards out of eight nominations:
It was also nominated for Best Supporting Actor (Mario O'Hara) and Best Supporting Actress (Laurice Guillen).[5] References
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