Film Retrospective: Ang Tatay Kong Nanay (1978)

"Ang Tatay Kong Nanay" is a 1978 film by National Artist Lino Brocka starring Dolphy as Coring, a gay beautician who's left with a baby by his former ward Dennis (Philip Salvador). Coring named the baby Nonoy (Niño Muhlach). Nonoy grew up thinking that Coring is his real father. The story gets more complicated when the kid's real mother (Marissa Delgado) suddenly shows up to claim her son. I get used to Brocka's melodramatic treatment especially when the scene really demands it. Most of his films are heartbreaking and sometimes, you just have to accept the fact that watching a Brocka film is painful. Lino Brocka's films were a reflection of the society, he knew his target audience. "Ang Tatay Kong Nanay" is Brocka's homage to the plight of the gay community and during that time when the film was shown, gays were discriminated and under-represented. The film's central character shows that gays are also a human being and they are capable of doing what men and women can do and that they are capable of loving. Dolphy's portrayal as Coring is very far from his previous films performances, he is well known as the comedy king but Lino Brocka brings out the best in him! Dolphy did not overdo things, he just acts naturally that's why it came out as a very convincing performance. Niño Muhlach did a great job too, as Nonoy. But this film really belongs to Mang Dolphy. There can never be another Coring, Brocka, and Dolphy. P.S. No remake, please! 

Here's the most poignant scene in the movie and below it, is my favorite line of Coring (Dolphy) in the last part of the movie, which reminds me of Charlie Chaplin's speech in "The Great Dictator".

"Ang aking sinasama ng loob, ako, at lahat ng kapatid ko rito, ay tao rin naman. Marunong din naman akong tumawa. Marunong din akong umiyak. Iyon ngang pusa diyan, kapag natatapakan, humihiyaw din. Hanggang ngayon, I'm trying very hard to do something about myself." -Coring (Dolphy)