Thanks for the wonderful cinematic memories

FLYNN. Dashing, swashbuckling star of “Robin Hood.”

Eagle theater was a premiere moviehouse in Iloilo City right after the war.  It was owned by Don Teodoro Benedicto, who later became known as the Tango King of the Philippines.

Don Teodoro gave our family a pass to see movies in his theater.  At that time, movies lasted only three days—except for blockbusters, which ran for a whole week. Whenever my father announced that we were seeing a movie, we were thrilled!

Large family

Domingo Juan y Poveda, who was courting my sister Lydia, would accompany us. Usually, our large family filled up the entire Lodge section of the theater! The maids and yayas saw the movies with us.

Eagle was beside Palace Theater.  Eagle showed MGM musicals, while the Palace showed more dramatic films. The Palace showed RKO films while (“our”) Eagle Theater showed Errol Flynn starrers like “Robin Hood,”  plus musicals starring the likes of Mickey Rooney and Judy Garland, as well as the “Tarzan” series and Esther Williams’ aquatic spectacles. I loved them all!

I was shocked when the family moved to Manila, where no “family pass” existed.  I missed Eagle Theater!

Sentimental visit

Recently, six of us siblings went to Iloilo for a sentimental visit.  Except for Tony, the youngest in the group, the rest of us had wonderful memories of Eagle Theater.

I remember enjoying the “Andy Hardy” series as well as “Three Musketeers.”  I hated Lana Turner because she was responsible for the death of cute June Allyson!  I remember “Tarzan’s New York Adventure,” where Weismuller was supposed to have dived from the Brooklyn Bridge!

Thank you, Don Teodoro, for the beautiful memories!