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Maid in Malacaang
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Wikipedia article
'Maid in Malacaang' is a 2022 Filipino fictional historical drama film about the fictionalized retelling of the Marcos family's last three days in Malacaang Palace before they were forced to flee to Hawaii during the People Power Revolution in 1986. Written and directed by Darryl Yap and produced by Viva Films, the film stars Cesar Montano, Cristine Reyes, Diego Loyzaga, Ella Cruz and Ruffa Gutierrez, alongside Karla Estrada, Elizabeth Oropesa and Beverly Salviejo as the titular maids of Malacaang Palace.
Marketed by Viva Films as "the most controversial film of the year", 'Maid in Malacaang' has been met with controversy by historians and the public since its announcement for the film's potential to distort the history of the Marcos regime and the People Power Revolution. The filmmakers, however, asserted their defense that the film is only intended to highlight the Marcos' perspective without negating the facts. The film held its premiere at SM North EDSA on July 29, 2022, and was released nationwide on August 3, 2022. Yap intends for the film to be the first installment of a trilogy about the Marcos family. Despite negative reviews from critics and mixed reactions from audience, the film was a box office success grossing over 650 million (US$11.42 million) worldwide.
Plot
Imee Marcos flew back to the Philippines from Singapore at the request of her father, President Ferdinand Marcos. When Imee arrives at the Malacaang Palace, she learned that her brother Bongbong foiled a plot to assassinate the first family. The family struggles at the betrayal of several high-ranking officials, including several Palace staffs, while the revolution at EDSA is growing.
A snap election was held last February 7 in which Marcos won to allay fears that he is losing control of the government, but the results were widely regarded as fraudulent by NAMFREL. The inauguration of Corazon Aquino and Ferdinand Marcos were held concurrently, but TV and radio media halted the broadcasts for Marcos inauguration. Food supplies to the Palace were cutoff by the rebels while the Marcos siblings are trying to convince their parents, Ferdinand and Imelda to leave. Both of their parents are hesitant to leave, however, Irene pleads with her father through Imee, while Bongbong assures his mother that someday they will come back.
The Marcoses gathered together with all of the Palace staff, and Ferdinand bids a final farewell. Imee ordered the staffs to put on a yellow bands made from the cutouts of her mothers gowns in order to save them from an angry mob. As the Marcoses leaves, people stormed the Palace, looting and destroying its premises.
The Marcos family wants to head to Ilocos but revolutionary-figure and incoming President Aquino demands that the family leaves the Philippines, starting their exile in Hawaii. The final scene shows the real-life Palace staffs, including the Presidential Security Command, as well as the three maids, as an honor to those people who served during the Marcos family.
Cast
*Cesar Montano as Ferdinand Marcos: The 10th president of the Philippines.
*Cristine Reyes as Imee Marcos: The eldest daughter of Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos.
*Diego Loyzaga as Bongbong Marcos: The second child and only son of Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos.
*Ella Cruz as Irene Marcos: The third child of Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos.
*Ruffa Gutierrez as Imelda Marcos: The wife of Ferdinand Marcos and the former First Lady of the Philippines.
Additionally, Lana Puda portrays Aimee Marcos, The adopted daughter of Ferdinand and Imelda Marcos. Karla Estrada, Elizabeth Oropesa, and Beverly Salviejo portrays the titular maids of Malacaang Palace portraying Santa, Lucy, and Biday respectively. Giselle Sanchez portrays Corazon Aquino, The figurehead of the People Power Revolution and widow of assassinated politician Benigno Aquino Jr. Kiko Estrada portrays Tommy Manotoc; Kyle Velino portrays Greggy Araneta; and Robin Padilla portrays Gen. Fabian Ver
Release
'Maid in Malacaang' held its premiere at SM North EDSA in Quezon City on July 29, 2022. The film was released under Viva Films in cinemas nationwide on August 3, 2022. To combat the film's release, Vince Taada intentionally set a re-release of 'Katips', a movie about the Marcos' martial law era, on the same day.
Reception
Box office
Viva Films announced that the film earned 21 million on its opening day and 63 million three days after its release. As of September 5, 2022, the film already hit the 650 million mark. Millions of pesos worth of free tickets were given out with Francis Zamora giving tickets to all government employees in San Juan, and claims that Imee Marcos was giving tickets to schools.Critical response
The film currently holds an average rating of 1.4 on Letterboxd. On the website ClickTheCity.com, the film currently holds 3.20 stars out of 5. On the website IMDb, the film has an average rating of 3.9 stars out of 10.Controversies
Gossip remark
Actress Ella Cruz was criticized by many historians and educators on her remark during a press conference: "history is like 'tsismis' ."Public historian Ambeth Ocampo became the target of online attacks following his response to the actress' remarks: Dont confuse history and 'chismis'. History may have bias but it is based on fact, not opinion. Real history is about truth, not lies, not fiction. In separate statements, Tanggol Kasaysayan and the Network in Defense of Historical Truth and Academic Freedom said they stood with Ocampo. Tanggol Kasaysayan said: [We] stand by his critique of recent efforts to trivialize and discredit History as a discipline, and to disauthorize professional historians in their socially important work of producing veridical knowledges about our past. The Network in Defense of Historical Truth and Academic Freedom questioned: Is this how we treat and repay our teachers? Our historians? Subject them to vile and discriminatory, unprincipled and unjust attacks?, Historians like Ambeth Ocampo deserve this respect, and if a writer and scholar of Ocampo's stature is vilified like this, then what can others expect, when they stand up for truth and history?, We condemn these ad hominem attacks on the character of a well-regarded and highly professional historian of the Philippines, adding that they would remain vigilant in the defense for historical truth and integrity. The Ateneo de Manila University also condemned attacks against Ocampo, who is one of its faculty members: We condemn these attacks, not just because it maligns Dr. Ocampo, but because it severely undermines our battle against historical distortion and disinformation.
Portrayal of Corazon Aquino
Fans of actress Kris Aquino debunked a scene from the trailer of the film involving her mother, the late Corazon Aquino. In the trailer, a woman in a yellow dress, whose face is not seen but can be presumed to be Cory Aquino, says on a telephone: "Get them out of the Philippines". The fan site posted an excerpt from the book 'People Power: An Eyewitness History', which showed that Cory was willing to give the Marcoses two more days in the country to spend in their hometown Paoay. On page 240 of the book, former Supreme Court Associate Justice Cecilia Muoz-Palma recalled what happened during Cory Aquino's phone call with US Ambassador Stephen W. Bosworth:"On Tuesday evening, I was with Cory in the home of her sister, Josephine Reyes. There, Cory received a phone call from US Ambassador Bosworth, telling her that Marcos was ready to leave but was asking to stay for at least two days in Paoay, his home in the North. Cory's initial reaction was: 'Poor man, let us give him two days.' But we did not agree with that idea. We thought that given the chance, Marcos may regroup his forces or extend his stay indefinitely. Cory then called Ambassador Bosworth to say that she could not grant the request. Marcos should just leave the country. When Ambassador Bosworth called her back, it was to say that Marcos had left. Cool as always, Cory turned to us after she put the phone down. She said simply: 'Marcos has left.' She said it as if it was the most ordinary thing. We all shouted jubilantly. Cory did not".
On August 1, 2022, an official of the Order of the Carmelites based in Mabolo, Cebu, who were featured in the film, reacted to the film's trailer and said '"God forgive them. That's totally fake news,".' Gerardo Alminaza, the bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bacolod, called for a boycott of the film due to its depiction of the Carmelites.
Distribution of tickets to schools
A Facebook post claimed that 300 pieces of free movie passes complete with a letter detailing the contents of the envelope was sent by the Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chambers of Commerce and Industry, a Chinese Filipino organization, to Xavier School, a private Catholic Chinese school, but was allegedly rejected. Yap, the director of the film, responded with the controversy by saying that the leaked tickets were for block screening organized by several groups. A Facebook page, Amor Powers, argued that the tickets, being all the same, was sourced from an unnamed single person it calls "Manggalina".18th Cinemalaya Film Festival
Yap was booed at the 18th Cinemalaya Philippine Independent Film Festival after his name appeared on the screen, stating that he was unable to promote his new film due to his work on 'Maid in Malacaang'.
Future
Director Darryl Yap intends for 'Maid in Malacaang' to be the first installment of a trilogy if it succeeds at the box office, with the second film being titled 'Martyr or Murderer' while the third film is titled 'Mabuhay Aloha Mabuhay'. He expressed, however, that he will step back from his directing role for the sequels and focus on writing their screenplays.
See also
*Historical distortion regarding Ferdinand Marcos
*'A Dangerous Life', a 1988 Australian miniseries about the People Power Revolution
References
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