The Search for Weng Weng: A Tale of Exploits and Exploitation

Andrew Leavold’s documentary “The Search for Weng Weng” is not only this fascinating documentary about the onscreen exploits and off-screen exploitation of the legendary two-foot-nine-inch Filipino action star, but at the undertone of documentary, is an eye-opener that tells us a lot about Philippine cinema. At the surface of it is this fascinating story of an unusual human being named Ernesto De la Cruz who was born with some sort of size abnormality, his existence coated with influences of superstition and religion, and linking him to the likeness of the Santo Niño. And how his family’s poverty led him to be “adopted” and used by a wealthy couple who were film producers. [hit the jump to continue]

Weng Weng’s superstardom into the novelty “gimmick” action films (primarily because of James Bond Parodies, with titles like “For Yu’r Height Only” which pretty much gives you an idea what it is) at least satisfied his fantasies of indeed being a debonair, womanizing secret agent. But behind the smiles, was the secret that Weng Weng was really an exploited actor. The interviews reveal tales of the small actor not earning the kind of salary a lead actor should have deserved. It was said that he was also maltreated, as if he was some kind of household helper. And when time came that the producer-couple stopped making films (because one ran off to be a playboy in Hongkong, and the other focused her career in politics), Weng Weng was left like a neglected toy and eventually found himself outside gates that did not care for his presence.

Weng Weng’s films created this great irony in Philippine cinema. When the Marcos administration launched the first Manila International Film Festival in 1982 which was targeted to sell the country’s most respected cinematic obra maestras to the international market, the only movie that made a sale were the Weng Weng movies. Weng Weng was actually triumphant over films like “Oro Plata Mata”. And you have all these European distributors taking Weng Weng global. In one country, a Weng Weng movie was released the same time Raiders of the Lost Ark was released; and guess who beat who in the box office? Weng Weng beat Indiana Jones. Back home here in the Philippines, we were oblivious to the fact that Weng Weng was already a superstar outside the country. My own speculation: Perhaps part of it was because the people behind the Manila International Filmfest may have been trying to cover-up the embarrassment that their most golden players were ignored; and the prize went to the “Marcos family court jester”

Oh yes, Weng Weng’s life was also connected with the Marcoses, as Imelda Marcos and Imee Marcos did acknowledge their memories of the small actor. Weng Weng’s producer-handlers had family ties with General Olivares who was one of the Marcos’ top generals. And the interviews with other sources acknowledge the fact that Weng Weng was once considered an actual government agent, what with the fact that as an operative, he has the capacity to get into small places and tight areas. The rumors that Weng Weng was, in fact, really a secret agent had some truth to it after all.

With interviews from various sources ranging from the directors who are now living in very humble lives, to the co-actors, to the likes of Rez Cortez, Dolphy, and Eddie Garcia, to the respected film producers, film scholars and people like Imee Marcos and Imelda Marcos; all telling fascinating stories of Weng Weng’s life this documentary is very rich; “eye-opener” is a term that I could not stop describing it. It tells the tale of how exploits and exploitation comes together. The fantasy and illusion of a superstar, the debt of utang-na-loob, the facade of a family (in the guise of the greedy producers) that abuses its children, the irony of art, and the much greater irony that it took a couple of Australians who cared to snap us out of our daily lives and make us remember this great little guy who needed to be put on the map and the history of Philippine cinema and international cult cinema.
[by Reymundo Salao]

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