Heaven’s Stories

Bits of behind-the-scenes trivia about the 30-year old film “Hindi Nahahati Ang Langit”

For many years now, the 1985 film “Hindi Nahahati Ang Langit” has held a special appeal to me. A friend of mine who is a diehard Lorna Tolentino (LT) fan says it is his favorite LT movie; his delight towards it piqued my interest.

That it is a drama directed by Mike de Leon also fueled my attraction. De Leon, after all, is considered a master by young and even older filmmakers. Since he began his career in the 1970s, the famed director has made only eight features and “Hindi Nahahati…” is one of them. Since he rarely makes films (de Leon’s last was “Bayaning Third World” which was shown 14 years ago) and has purposely shied away from the limelight, his completed works are regarded as treasures by his ardent admirers. 

But admittedly, the biggest reason I’m drawn to “Hindi Nahahati…” is a story behind it. When I was a production assistant at Star Cinema, I remember one of my bosses (someone who worked on the film) saying that de Leon’s name is absent from the film's credits. The movie is perhaps one of the few, if not the only one, in which the opening credits end with the name of the assistant director (A.D.) instead of the director. 

Being in an industry wherein people are so conscious about billing and credit, here was a fellow—the director, the captain of the ship at that—who was not acknowledged as maker.

Another story that reached me was that the director, although he completed the film, decided not to put his name on it. Why? Is he not proud of it? Is he not happy with his work? To put it frankly, “Is ‘Hindi Nahahati Ang Langit’ so bad that Mike de Leon did not want to be associated with it?”

However, my friends who had seen it attest that it’s a good film, so good that ABS-CBN decided to remake it into a teleserye entitled “Walang Kapalit” in 2007. The TV series starred Claudine Barretto and Piolo Pascual as the warring stepsiblings Melody and Noel.

When I was working for StarStudio Magazine in 2007, I suggested to my editor-in-chief Cherry Pineda that a nostalgia piece about “Hindi Nahahati…” be written since there was going to be a TV remake. Our E-I-C approved the pitch, and so I set off to interview those who were involved in the film.

And the stories I culled from my search were, in showbiz parlance, “juicy" to me.

But first, a background about the plot: “Hindi Nahahati Ang Langit” is based on a komiks serial written by Nerissa Cabral, considered one of the most notable writers of the genre. She is the writer behind komiks-turned-iconic films like “Bituing Walang Ningning,” “Bukas Luluhod Ang Mga Tala,” “Palimos ng Pag-Ibig,” and others.

“Hindi Nahahati…” tells the story of stepsiblings Noel and Melody (played by Christopher de Leon and Lorna Tolentino, respectively) who’ve been fighting ever since they were young. The respective parents Ariston (the late Nestor de Villa) and Agnes (Gloria Romero) tried to intervene and encourage the stepsiblings to accept each other like real brother and sister. But the gap between Melody and Noel widened especially when their parents passed away. The conflict worsened when Melody married Ronald (Edu Manzano) whom Noel hated. Noel then married Cynthia (Dina Bonnevie) who, in spite of Noel’s assurance, was still jealous of Melody.

For my StarStudio assignment, I got to talk to a few of the stars and production team of “Hindi Nahahati Ang Langit”— screenwriter Mia A. Concio, actress Dina Bonnevie, and the producer, Ms. Charo Santos-Concio.

Mia Concio was the continuity supervisor of the film. But, as she recounted to StarStudio, she ended up with screen adaptation credit because “There was already a working script but while we were working on the film, Mike kept revising and revising it. He kept telling me to write and rewrite scenes!”  The film “Hindi Nahahati Ang Langit” became the first of many screenplays Mia would write.

Dina, meanwhile, related to her character Cynthia whose marriage to Noel was rocky because her own union with then husband Vic Sotto was also problematic.

Back then, Edu Manzano was reportedly also having problems with then wife Vilma Santos. Someone connected to the film shared that the Mercedes Benz picture vehicle that Edu’s character Ronald was driving was actually Edu’s and Vi’s. Edu was supposed to have said to the film’s staff, “Paano ‘yan kung maghihiwalay na kami ni Vilma? Hindi na natin magagamit ang kotse (sa shooting).”

As to the “mystery” why Mike de Leon’s name is absent from the credits, Ma’am Charo (who starred in de Leon’s films “Kakabakaba Ka Ba?” “Kisapmata” and “Itim”) offers this explanation:

“I guess Mike was pressured and we didn’t have enough funding at that time. It’s very frustrating for a creative person when resources are limited. Meron pang gustong gawin si Mike na wala na kaming ma-offer na pera. Medyo nagkakaroon na ng misunderstanding and the pressure was building up na.

“One day, he sent word to remove na lang daw his name in the credits. I talked to Simon (Ongpin), my (executive) producer about it… Sabi niya, ‘It’s really up to you Charo, you make the call.’

“It was difficult for me to make the call… I said, ‘Well if Mike wants his name struck out from the credits, alisin natin. If that was going to make him happy, Mike and I don’t have to fight over this.”

I had never watched “Hindi Nahahati…” in its entirety except at the premiere of its digitally restored version held last November 11, 2014. 

I was struck by the awesome performances of the cast. I agonized over Melody and Noel keeping their true feelings from each other because a relationship between stepsiblings was deemed incestuous. I was touched by the message of the story and awed by the depth of the characters’ struggles.

Perhaps as a komiks melodrama, “Hindi Nahahati Ang Langit” does not possess the gloss and the opulence of say a Viva Films production. And maybe director Mike de Leon had to contend with modest means and limited resources. In the process, he might not have fully achieved his vision for the film. But that does not diminish the beauty of the film. Actually, I feel it is more touching because of its simplicity. 

So when Manet Dayrit of Central Digital Lab told me that their company had done restoration on “Hindi Nahahati Ang Langit,” and that Mike de Leon had agreed to put back his name in the credits, I felt like a kid on Christmas Day.

To me who had sort of followed this story since my PA days at Star Cinema, the news was very significant.

First, because another Filipino classic was restored and that meant that many more viewers could enjoy and learn from the movie for several years to come.

Second—and call me overthinking if you want—I just felt that the director’s return proved that, yes, there is heaven on earth, and good things that are meant to be (like the love of Melody and Noel) do come to fruition. 

* * * * * * * * *