| Mara Clara: The Movie | |
| |
| Show Information | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Family Drama |
| Director | Jerry Lopez Sineneng |
| Producer(s) | Charo Santos-Concio Malou N. Santos |
| Distributor | Star Cinema |
| Language | English/Tagalog |
| Release Date | September 18, 1996 |
Mara Clara: The Movie is a 1996 Filipino family drama film. It is produced by Star Cinema. The film is an adaptation of the soap opera of the same name.
Plot[]
Almira and Susan give birth at the same time in the same hospital. Gary steals the Almira’s newborn child and switches the infant to one of his newborn twins; in revenge to Almira’s decision of rejecting his love for Amanthe’s Gary concocts the wicked plan with his friend, Kardo , a hospital staff in switching the babies. However, one of the twins dies in the process of switching and the Del Valle’s (Almira and Amanthe) are made to believe that the stillborn child is theirs. Gary then persuades Amanthe to adopt one of his twins to spare Almira from despair and sorrow. Amanthe agrees and for a fee and Gary hands one of his twins to Amanthe. Kardo, feeling remorseful documents every detail of the event on his diary. Susan names her daughter Mara while the Del Valle’s name their child, Clara . Mara grows up to be kind-hearted girl while Clara has undesirable attitude. Susan’s family works for the Del Valle’s. Mara works for Del Valle’s as a housemaid. Clara grows up hating Mara so she constantly makes sure to always give Mara a hard time. Eventually, Almira finds Kardo’s diary under her bed. Due to the unexpected revelation, Almira suffers from heart attack. On the other hand Gary shots Clara during a gun confrontation. As soon as Almira recovers, Mara and Clara are reunited with their real families. Mara also forgives Clara.
Cast[]
Mara Clara The Movie Official Trailer
Official Trailer
Main Cast[]
- Judy Ann Santos asMara Davis/del Valle
- Gladys Reyes as Clara del Valle/Davis
Supporting Cast[]
- Juan Rodrigo as Amanthe del Valle
- Beverly Vergel as Almira del Valle
- William Martinez as Gary Davis
- Susan Africa as Susan Davis
- Dan Fernandez as Kardo
- Leni Santos as Lenita
- Wowie De Guzman asChristian
- Paolo Contis as Jepoy
- Christopher Roxas as Eris
- Minnie Aguilar as Lagring
- Jinky Oda as Kerubin
- Michael 'Eagle' Riggs as CG
- Jochelle Olalia as Karen
Home media[]
Mara Clara was released on VHS a year after the film was released. In 2022, the film was restored into 4K resolution and was released through the iWanTFC app.
Gallery[]
Differences between the series and the film[]
- The film condensed the storyline from Book 1.
- Mara already knew her father was imprisoned instead of being alibied by Susan that her father went to Saudi.
- Gary already knew Mara is not her daughter. As seen in a flashback, he was told by Kardo at the hospital after he switched the babies.
- Gary's attempt to escape from prison is absent in the film.
- The time-jump in the film is 17 years to coincide with the main actresses' age during the filming.
- Minor characters like Enrico Castillo, Debbie, Marina, Jun Llamera, and Lester are omitted in this film.
- How Clara finds out her real identity differs in this film. She was confronted by Amanthe after throwing tantrums at Susan. In the TV series, Clara accidentally hears the phone conversation between Amanthe and Gary, revealing her real identity.
- How Jepoy and Erris are adopted by Amanthe is not explored in this film but briefly mentioned by Amanthe and Clara.
- Although a brief flashback of Amanthe's adolescence was seen, his courtship to Susan is left out in this film.
- Jepoy did not place the diary above the television set inside the master's bedroom but he mentioned he left it there.
- Similar to the series, Clara brought Kardo's diary in the mansion but in this film, Kardo actually handed it to her.
- The Davis never moved to a new house provided by Amanthe unlike in the TV series.
Trivia[]
- Star Cinema's first film adaptation of a teleserye (not counting Maalaala Mo Kaya: The Movie and Home Along Da Riles: The Movie).
- Eruel Tongco is set to shoot on the first day of the film version. Before the day of shoot, Tongco died in a car accident. William Martinez was re-casted for the role of Gary in this film.
- The film was released while the soap opera is still airing which might have foreshadowed the soap opera's conclusion with Clara's reconciliation with Mara. However, in the TV series, Clara was admitted in a mental institution. The reconciliation happened when Mara, together with her parents Amanthe and Almira visited her there.
- For keen eye viewers, it is noticeable Gladys Reyes' hair length changes from long to short and vice versa in between scenes. This suggests there are reshoots in the film.