Gold, Silver, Bad Luck

Depicting the lives of the elite during the time around World War II, Oro, Plata, Mata is clear reflection of a society faced with hard times. Directed by Peque Gallaga, the movie stars many well-known actors and actresses of our time who were just starting out during this film such as Cherie Gil, Sandy Andolong, Joel Torre and Ronnie Lazaro.

The movie started showing the flashy and extravagant lifestyle of the upper class as they joyously celebrated the debut of Maggie, the eldest daughter of the Ojeda family, until news of Corregidor struck and brought chaos through the party. The Ojedas were invited to stay with the Lorenzos to avoid the Japanese attack in Manila. When the war reached Negros, they escaped into the mountains where they encountered abuse and slaughter in the hands of the Filipino thieves. The movie ended with a celebration of the end of the war and the engagement of the couple Maggie and Miguel, the second son of the Lorenzos.

Source: pinoymovies.blogspot

At first, the movie gave off a Downton Abbey feel because of the sophisticated OBB and the glittering sights of the rich in a social gathering and of course set in the same era. With the OBB, I was very much impressed because of how it was presented in such a way that despite the meager editing tools during the time it was made, it was shown flawlessly and elegantly without too much effects in it. It was all in the cinematography which was consistently picturesque all throughout. It's also very interesting to know that Filipinos were already able to come up with it before much of the period dramas of that era came out. 

The film is an good example of Social Realism because a depicts a reality which occurred during that time of hardship and struggle. It was a big culture shock for those elites to be living in the condition, coming from a comfortable and well-provided living which of course led them to chaos. The characters were all very realistic with their characteristics such as the speaking little bits of Spanish, playing Mahjong and the nightly prayers. They had their own flaws and their development through the progression of  film was very evident, especially that of Miguel who progressed from being a sheltered boy to a man. 

As the film pulled to a close, it gave its audience a lighter tone after all the heavily packed action scenes and brutally visual shots. It gave a sense of hope yet pulled down with the words of Trining played by Cherie Gil as she noted that the war changed everyone into animals and that no matter what, it will leave a mark on all of them. 

Oro, Plata, Mata is probably as well suited title for the film since it does deal with the extravagant lifestyle of the rich and the difficulty they faced in parting with it. The bad luck that came was the war and how it took a toll on each of the characters was very evident, especially for the older women. Peque Gallaga was able to create a masterpiece and of course was able to make a name for himself in the film industry in the country by giving a relevant work to the current conditions of society during his time.