Superstar
Nora Aunor Fan Site
REVIEW: T-Bird at Ako
Isagani R. Cruz, Parade, September 22, 1982

That Danny Zialcita's T-Bird at Ako (1982) is entertaining cannot be
doubted. The plot situations are funny. The lines are witty. The pacing is
fast. The lesbian love of Nora Aunor for Vilma Santos, moreover, is
extremely clever, since the two superstars in real life would not be caught
dead in such a relationship.

Zialcita has made a career of doing the impossible things. He made he-man
Dindo Fernando a homosexual in the Mahinhin series. He now makes
Aunor a lesbian. When he tries to make Santos a low-class beerhouse
dancer, however, he fails. That makes his record two out of three
impossible things, not bad for normally sedate cinema.

This film shows Zialcita at his best - irreverent, tougue-in-check,
unconcerned with larger themes, focused on obsessive sexual
relationships. Let's the dialogue first, which cleverly juxtaposes the fiction
of the film with the reality of the careers of the two superstars. Thus,
references are made to Santos' being a "burlesque queen." One character
is even named "Rubia," after Rubia Servios (1978), Santos competition film
against Aunor's Atsay (1978). More than these allusions, however, the film
features sparkling exchanges between Santos and Aunor. Most
impressive of all the lines perhaps are those in the court room sequence,
since the opposing arguments are easy to follow, yet logical in structure.

The direction is tight and masterful. Although one always gets reminded in
a Zialcita film of sequences from foreign films, there is a minimum of
unmotivated blocking in this film. Each sequence contributes to the whole
film  (if there is copying, in other words, and I do think there is in this film,
the copying is not done simply to be cute or clever, but in accordance with
the logical requirements of the plot).

The performances, as expected of a Zialcita film, are excellent. Aunor is
more effective as the confused lesbian, primarily because Santos is not
able to get the rough and ready quality of low-class hospitality girls.
Tommy Abuel is terrific in his role as the patient suitor. Fernando is given
too little space to develop his character, but what he has, he makes good
use of. Captivating is Suzanne Gonzales, though she has to learn to use
her face a bit more to express varying emotions. In their brief roles, Anita
Linda and Odette Khan are delightful.