Jose Rizal in the Big Screen

Rizal in the Big Screen:
A Summary Paper on Jose Rizal the Movie

It was finished. Jose Rizal’s life, works, and writings finally culminated in the vast expanse of land facing the Manila Bay where he stood in front of the firing squad and the teeming crowd of Filipinos and Spaniards all under the morning sun of December 30, 1896. This is just one of the memorable scenes in the film based on his life, not only for its historical significance, but for its cinematography and focus on production details that transported me back to 19th century Philippines. Vividly recreating the important events of his life beginning in his childhood, the movie, “Jose Rizal,” directed by Marilou Diaz-Abaya was the most expensive local film produced in 1998, costing Php 80 million, and was critically acclaimed here in the country and abroad. With Cesar Montano in the lead role, the star-studded cast and the large number of extras, both foreign and Spanish, brought to life the story of the national hero and the times wherein he lived. The desire of the film to faithfully recreate the past can be seen in its diverse settings, from the Mercado household in rural Calamba, Laguna, to the lively parlor rooms of Madrid, Spain. Striving to stick to the usage of Spanish and German languages for the characters, the seriousness of the film’s producers and their need for authenticity are very evident.
It offers not a straightforward narrative, but alternates back and forth between scenes from El Filibusterismo and Noli Me Tangere into the real life of Rizal. This technique only reinforces the similarities and differences in the ideas and experiences between its author and the two novels’ protagonist, Crisostomo Ibarra or Simoun. The two personalities, one is real while the other is fictional, play a big role in the plot’s development.
The film does not begin conventionally with Pepe’s childhood, but introduces the audience to Jose Rizal in Ghent, Belgium as he is at work on El Filibusterismo to finish what he had started in Noli Me Tangere. What he began with his first novel was the expose of the abuses by the friars, their corruption, and the faults of his fellow Filipinos through the travails of Ibarra and others. His second and last novel revealed the solutions for the problem through the use of violence and force in the voice of Simon, a far cry from the idealistic Ibarra who once said that he would never support a mob against the Government. It had also shed light on his thoughts on armed revolution.
However, before he became known as a genius, the privileged family life of Rizal as an ilustrado shaped his whole being. As the young Pepe, the film portrayed him as a small, average-looking boy particularly close to his mother, Teodora Alonzo, and always around his older and only brother, Paciano. His mother was devoted into teaching him how to read and she introduced him to the love for literature by igniting it with the story of the moth attracted to the flame. This tale is almost a foretelling of what his adult life would be, with Rizal exposing himself to danger for the love of his country. Paciano also played a big part in his life, requiring him to study in Europe, because he knew that Rizal will be more useful abroad in order to serve his country and uncover the Spanish corruption in the Philippines. Rizal was indeed very much Filipino when it comes to his love for his family. The imprisonment of his mother brought Pepe to tears and, in the later years, the expulsion of the Mercados from their land due to the agrarian revolt caused Rizal to lose it while he was in Madrid.
The admonishments on him to do his best in his studies only added to the fuel for his academic prowess. Rizal received excellent remarks during his schooling in Ateneo Municipal where he received his Bachelor of Arts and maintaining his good scholastic record as a student in University of Sto. Tomas. Even in Universidad Central de Madrid, he made a good impression. In the midst of all these achievements, he didn’t turn out as a bore, but had good social relations with his peers. Rizal could be even considered a romantic as he flirted with Leonor Rivera, his cousin, first love, and the real Maria Clara.
In spite of his privileged upbringing and education, Rizal was not immune from the racial discrimination, abuse, and exploitation by the Spaniards, especially by the friars. He did not forget his resolve to help his country even when he was residing in the more liberal European cities, unlike his happy-go-lucky companions. After writing his two novels and helping to establish the La Solidaridad, Rizal realized that he should go where his real enemies were and decided to return home at the cost of his personal liberty and life.
When he returned, he wasted no time and founded the La Liga Filipina, but was deported to Dapitan due to incriminating evidence planted in his luggage. Even in exile, Rizal used this as an opportunity to serve his countrymen. However, as it turned out, he was then captured while en route to Cuba that was in the middle of a war to volunteer his medical services and he was detained in Fort Santiago, never to be released again as a free man.
The deception and power-play involved in his court trial and eventual execution is a prime example of how the Spanish friars in the person of Archbishop Bernardo Nozaleda controlled the government and governor-generals. Gov. Gen. Blanco, who was sympathetic to Rizal’s cause, was convinced that he was not guilty of instigating the Revolution and that his exile in Dapitan is enough punishment. However, the Archbishop wanted Rizal dead and easily disposed of Blanco by replacing him with Polavieja. He even tortured Paciano so that he would incriminate his brother. There were no solid evidence against Rizal, but still, the will of the Archbishop made a way for him to die.
What was terrible is that Rizal was executed for his alleged involvement in the Revolution by the Katipuneros when he was the most critical of the armed uprising. His emphasis on education, the desire for equal treatment of Filipinos by the Spaniards, and freedom for speech were consistent in his actions and speech and he believed that these would be the forerunners for Philippine autonomy and then independence from Spain. As what he said to Pio Valenzuela when the latter visited him in Dapitan, the country is not yet ready and when blood will be shed for the revolution, it will be better if there is certainty in the Filipinos’ victory.
In his final moments in Fort Santiago, Rizal found friendship in Luis Taviel de Andrade, his attorney, and his servant. To the uneducated latter, Rizal revealed that he finally realized that education is not the most important thing in the world. It depends on what is being learned and from his experience, he saw how education can blind someone from the truth.
In Taviel, he had a comrade who supported him, but, at one time, told him that he failed just like Simon, charging him that he only thought about himself and his ambition. Another conflict disturbed him greatly, but this time, it was between himself and Simon who appeared to him in his prison cell. Accusing him of being a coward and traitor that he is not, this apparition tested him and his convictions. In the end, he acknowledged that is only through his death and its eternal silence that he could really know himself.
Interweaving between the younger and older Rizal, between reality and fiction, the three-hour movie chronicled his life based on historical records and his inner thoughts and conflicts, as well, from his works and writings. Indeed, his life was made for the silver screen. There is romance, drama, action, and even comedy. However, Rizal is more than a historical figure who deserved the cinematic treatment. He is our national hero still relevant today and not just because he is in our peso coin. He was just like us in so many ways. He also experienced heartbreaks, loved his family, was raised as a Christian, among other similarities. Yet, in response to the oppressive circumstances of 19th century Philippines vividly depicted in the film, Jose Rizal rose to the occasion with his intellect and nationalism so that he became the hero whom we recognize and admire today.