Manay Po!: The Tanging Yaman of gay films

Manay Po! isn’t the result of a Brokeback Mountain hangover because even in the ’50s, Sampaguita Pictures already had Jack & Jill with Dolphy and Lolita Rodriguez.

In the ’60s and ’70s, the King of Comedy went full blast with his Facifica Falayfay and Kangkarot series, while in the ’80s we had Roderick Paulate doing gay comedies (Kumander Gringa, Binibining Superman and those riotous Chaning Carlos films he did with Maricel Soriano). In between were those Danny Zialcita Mahinhin movies.

The late ’90s saw the production of what must be the finest and most gender-sensitive Filipino gay comedy: Pusong Mamon, which has a simple, yet effective story and given life by the superb performances of Albert Martinez, Lorna Tolentino and Eric Quizon, who co-directed the movie with Joel Lamangan.

In the case of Manay Po! (also directed by Lamangan), we can say that it is the most comprehensive Pinoy gay comedy film ever made. Everything about being gay is there – including gay stereotypes, unfortunately.

Scriptwriter Dinno Erece actually provides a promising script that sometimes works, but sometimes doesn’t – depending on the execution and the delivery of the performers.

Too bad, among the male leads, it is John Prats – as the most flaming of the three gay sons – who is given the most exposure and he doesn’t deliver. I’ve seen this kid do better work in the past. But here in Manay Po!, he just isn’t impressive playing a faggot role.

Oh, Philippine cinema has a whole gallery of actors who do screaming Mimi roles convincingly: Dolphy, Eddie Garcia (yes, si Manoy po), the late Dindo Fernando, Ronaldo Valdez, Michael de Mesa, Roderick Paulate, Herbert Bautista, Joey de Leon (his Barbie movie is my favorite), Eric and Jeffrey Quizon, Raymond Bagatsing, Dennis Trillo and Nathan Lopez of Ang Pagdadalaga ni Maximo Oliveros fame. (On TV, we have Keempee de Leon in Bahay Mo Ba ’to?) Unfortunately for John Prats, he doesn’t join the list.

Lucky for this production, it is still saved by the performances of the other cast members: Polo Ravales (very effective in the scene where he confesses his real sexuality to his girlfriend), Glaiza de Castro as Ravales’ girlfriend and Luis Alandy as Ravales’ boyfriend.

Christian Vasquez, who has proven his worth as an actor in the Liberated series and in Bridal Shower, is very much at ease here in Manay Po! because he is allowed to speak in his native Ilonggo dialect.

Jiro Manio (Magnifico) maybe could have done a lot more in the film, except that his role as a budding gay person isn’t fully developed.

But IC Mendoza (delightful as a scene-stealer and the way he throws one-liners), Giselle Sanchez, Mike Tan, LJ Reyes and Charles Christianson do very well as part of the ensemble cast. Although they play supporting roles, their contributions to the film are important because Manay Po! requires ensemble acting. It’s the Tanging Yaman of gay films – with apologies to Laurice Guillen.

If Tanging Yaman has Gloria Romero holding the film together, Manay Po! can very well boast of the talent of Cherry Pie Picache, who is brilliant as always.

I once described Vilma Santos as the Meryl Streep of Philippine movies, but this time I’m borrowing the title from the Star for all Seasons to give it to Cherry Pie if only for the fact that the latter does accents effectively. In Ako Legal Wife, she is Chinese-Visayan. Here in Manay Po!, she lisps her way throughout the film – and is consistent. Of course, at times it gets tiring, but overall, she pulls the act very well. I love her best in the holdup scene where she offers her body in lieu of the pieces of jewelry the small-time thief originally wanted.

Among our established actresses, I think it’s only Cherry Pie (and to some extent, Dina Bonnevie in Bridal Shower) who can make fun of herself and get away with it – comically. Just like the great Meryl Streep. Manay Po! would never have worked without Cherry Pie Picache lending her exceptional talent to this film.