Quezon's Game

One of the best Filipino made movie. I really enjoy the story a lot. I recommend this to all Filipinos out there to have more knowledge about our history. I loved the cast, acting, production design, and narrative. Honestly I like this one better than Heneral Luna and Goyo (storywise).

I am never one to leave a review in a movie, but this one is an exception.

The late president Manuel L. Quezon is known for his numerous accomplishments in his lifetime. From being the man who had pioneered in creating a basis for the Filipino Language to the the first Filipino president to take full reins in fixing the country; he is a man of who never took a breather, even by his deathbed.

But, there is this one thing - a lesser known fact about his life - that was never highlighted in any of our school's history lessons. It was when he had stood up against the Germans and gave asylum to the Jews who were continually persecuted at the time of Nazi regime.

After seven decades had passed since, this less known fact has come to our cinemas entitled, "Quezon's Game" directed by Matthew E. Rosen and produced by ABS-CBN star cinema.

Let's be brutally honest: Quezon's Game is and will always be compared to a much older movie "Schindler's List" as they have both the same plots. A successful man helps in smuggling Jews out of the ghettos and death camps, even going so far as to stake their very lives for this humanitarian act.

Despite their similarities, Quezon's Game has its own identity that sets apart from its predecessor. As "Schindler's List" focuses on a man who turned his back from the Nazis and helped the same people they were persecuting, "Quezon's Game" tells the story of a leader who reached out his hand to the oppressed when the other leaders had turned the blind eye, while trying to claim the country's independence from a foreign ruler.

Film-wise, this movie didn't shy away from making a masterpiece. The stunning visuals paired with a desaturated color grading has the 'feel' of an old movie. It's background music also matches the tone of the scenes, albeit feeling like a telenovela rather than a film. Admittingly, it has some parts that felt too cramped or made the movie's world feel small. It may be due to the editing or how it was directed, as the director is highly acclaimed as a tv series director rather than in film.

Also, the choice of actors must be applauded for. As most of the actors chosen are highly acclaimed theatre actors, this film had set its bar high. Each actor had given justice to their character - none were over- or under- acted. Raymon Bagatsing's portrayal as Manuel Quezon was spectacular. He has this air of an prideful man but compassion in his heart when the time calls for. Every line he delivered showcased how Quezon must have felt at that time when all things run amock. Paired with actors such as Rachel Alejandro as the caring wife of Quezon, Audie Gemora as his Vice President Sergio Osmeña, David Bianco as a close friend and military adviser, Dwight Eisenhower, to mention a few, each actor had played its role and didn't outshine the others.

Kudos to the screenwriters (Dean Rosen and Janice Perez) and the master of photography (Matthew Rosen, director) for the way they handled each and every scene in the movie. Each creative shot amplified the emotion to be felt in the scene while the characters had spoken their lines that will forever strike a chord in the viewer's heart.

The showing of Quezon's Game has never been this timely. In the time when bigotry, discrimination, and a question of identity is clearly evident in our country, this film points out that the problems we face now has been present ever since the time of our forefathers. The film's themes ask questions regarding our country's integrity as a collective identity, what one can do in times of need, and how we, as Filipinos, can uphold the legacy our ancestors have been carrying for centuries.

Quezon's legacy shouldn't end in him being the father of the Philippine Language. It must expound to his other acts, such as when he attempted to fix the country and when he reach out a helping hand to the oppressed - when the rest of the world didn't.

And this film, "Quezon's Game" has fully sung Quezon's legacy perfectly, and stands out as one of the Philippine's successful portrayals of our past.

The visuals were really well done. You can really see that the film was visually driven from props to other set pieces but as a biopic compared to other recent historical biopics, it lacks the oomph that sets Heneral Luna or Jose Rizal movies apart.

Greetings again from the darkness. I've stated it many times before, and it's proven true again here ... WWII continues to be a source for stories big and small. Stories of heroes, and stories of victims. Some of these stories are very personal, and some have historical significance - even if we may only know fragments of the full events. The first feature film from Matthew Rosen combines these elements as he brings to the screen the fascinating role of Philippines President Manuel Quezon in providing asylum to Jewish refugees.

The film is bookended with an ailing President Quezon (played by Raymond Bagatsing) watching a Holocaust newsreel with his wife Aurora (Rachel Alejandro) as he convalesces at Saranac Cove Cottage in 1944. He turns to her and asks, "Could I have done more?" We then flashback six years to 1938. The screen explodes with vibrant colors as we land in Manila, the Capital city of The Philippines.

Jewish-American Ambassador Alex Frieder (Billy Ray Gallion) receives a telegram warning from Germany, and what follows is a glimpse at the behind-the-scenes political maneuverings, rather than a direct focus on the atrocities of concentration camps. President Quezon (and his wife) are presented as compassionate and empathetic towards the plight of the Jews in Germany. They are committed to helping even if it's not a prudent political approach and it goes against their advisors. Someone does mention that Germany is "technically not our enemy" ... "no matter how much we hate the S*Bs."

It's especially interesting (and probably unknown to the majority of Americans) that U.S. High Commissioner to the Philippines, Paul McNutt (James Paoeli), played a key role in what basically amounted to going against the orders of the U.S. Government in arranging safe passage for the Jewish refugees. McNutt had seen himself as a successor to FDR as President of the United States - a dream that ended when FDR ran for a third and fourth term. Also playing a key role was Dwight Eisenhower (David Bianco), who was a military adviser, and even offered the position of Philippines Chief of Police by Quezon. Of course, after the war, Eisenhower went on to serve two terms as President of the United States.

Co-writers Janice Y Perez and Dean Rosen, along with director Rosen, have uncovered a terrific piece of history, and with the steady stream of white suits, fat cigars, and clinking cocktail glasses, the film has the right look for a historical drama. It's really the dialogue and execution that come up short. We never quite believe these situations are anything but staged, which results in a negative impact on the drama and tension. The Philippines were under U.S. control from 1898-1946, and Quezon was fighting for his country's independence at the same time he faced other challenges internal to the country, his own health issues (tuberculosis), and possible ramifications for defying the U.S. The obvious comparison here is to SCHINDLER'S LIST, and while not at that level, Quezon's actions provided asylum for 1200 Jews and make for a story that deserves to be told. The closing credits are filled with clips of survivors telling their stories ... the perfect ending.

A remarkable historical drama that will ignite the Filipino humanitarian blood & patriotism! Wish more Filipinos would learn to support & appreciate these types of films, instead of the senseless comedy and usual rom coms.