Tinimbang ka ngunit kulang (1974)

Directed by Lino Brocka

Characters:
Lolita Rodriguez – Kuala
Lila Dizon – Mrs. Carolina Blanco
Eddie Garcia – Mr. Cesar Blanco
Hilda Coronel – Evangeline Ortega
Christopher De Leon – Junior
Lorli Villanueva – Mrs. Sy
Jonee Gamboa – Eddie’s father
Ernie Zarate – Dr. Ambrosio Ortega
Joseph Sytangco – Nitoy
Laurice Guillen – Milagros
Bey Vito – Eddie
Jerry O’Hara – Joel
Mario O’Hara – Bertong Ketong
Chito Ponce Enrile - Domeng

Summary
This landmark film is considered by many to be one of the most important in Philippine cinema. The son of a
wealthy man, Junior has everything he could possibly want. But the emptiness of his extravagant lifestyle and
the hypocrisy of the town’s so-called leading citizens weigh heavily on him, pushing him to reach out to the
village outcasts.

Plot
The story begins with a flashback to the past of a woman called Kuala (Lolita Rodriguez). An herbolario
(traditional/folk medicine practitioner) performs an abortion on Kuala, as Cesar (Eddie Garcia) watches her.
The abortion was a success, but when Kuala sees the aborted fetus, she becomes disturbed. In the next scene,
she walks in the middle of a grassy plain, and as the heat becomes more and more unbearable, she becomes
insane.
In the present, Kuala, now the village idiot, wanders about her Nueva Ecija town in dirty clothes and with
mangy hair. The townsfolk mock and deride Kuala, and she is pushed into a watering hole where she almost
drowns.
Bertong Ketong (Mario O'Hara), a leper yearning for female companionship, attracts Kuala with a rattle and
takes her to his shack in the cemetery. Junior (Christopher de León) makes friends with them, defying the
prohibitions of his father, Cesar Blanco, who is a lawyer and failed politician.
Junior asks Berto's advice concerning his problems with his eccentric teacher, Mr. Del Mundo (Orlando
Nadres), who has a crush on him, and with his girlfriend, Evangeline (Hilda Koronel), who flirted with her
escort during that year's Santacruzan. The jealous Junior left the procession and sought the company of
Milagros (Laurice Guillen), who seduces him.
The local Asociación de las Damas Cristianas (Association of Christian Ladies) is later scandalized to discover
that Kuala has fallen pregnant. She is forced to live in the custody of the pious Lola Jacoba (Rosa Aguirre).
When Berto makes a clandestine visit to Kuala, she tells him of his unhappiness. Berto tells this to Junior, who
resolves to help the pregnant Kuala make an escape from Lola Jacoba's house and lead her back to Berto's
shack. However, Berto knows she will be taken away and returns her to Lola Jacoba, and promises to retrieve
her after she has given birth.
Some nights later, Kuala experiences labour pains. She finds her way to Berto's shack, at which point Berto
rushes out to fetch a doctor. When the doctor refuses to help him, Berto takes him hostage but repeats he will
not kill him. As Berto flees with the doctor, the doctor's wife shouts for help, awakening the townspeople who
rush to follow the fleeing pair. Before Berto and the doctor reach the shack, however, the doctor escapes and a
chase ensue. A group of policemen come to the doctor's rescue and shoot Berto. Junior sees this and is shocked;
he holds Berto's dead body and weeps in the midst of the crowd.
Junior then enters the shack where Kuala has successfully birthed a boy, but lies weakened by the labour. She
becomes lucid, and in her sanity, she recognizes Junior and realizes that Berto has been killed. She also
recognizes Cesar amongst the crowd, and asks him why he killed their child, revealing his secret. Kuala then
gives her baby to Junior, and dies. As Junior leaves the shack, he stares hard at the townspeople, including his
parents, Evangeline, and all who were unkind to him, Berto and Kuala. He walks near Berto's corpse and stops
by, as the people look on in silence. Junior leaves the cemetery with Berto and Kuala's son.

Production
The movie was partly filmed in "The Grand Old House of Sta. Rita” (also the film site of "Tanging Yaman" and
many other films).

Background
Tinimbang, 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.

Accolades
The film won six FAMAS Awards out of eight nominations:

 Best Picture
 Best Actor (Christopher de Leon)
 Best Actress (Lolita Rodriguez)
 Best Director (Lino Brocka)
 Best Musical Score (Lutgardo Labad)
 Best Theme Song (Emmanuel Lacaba for Awit ni Kuala)
It was also nominated for Best Supporting Actor (Mario O'Hara) and Best Supporting Actress (Laurice
Guillen).