1974 Filipino film
Ang Pinakamagandang Hayop sa Balat ng Lupa ("The Most Beautiful Creature on the Face of the Earth") is a 1974 Tagalog-language film from the Philippines. The story was written by Celso Ad. Castillo and screenplay written by Rafael Ma. Guerrero. The film stars Filipino actors Gloria Diaz (Miss Universe 1969 title holder), Vic Vargas, and Elizabeth Oropesa. The film was produced by Gemini Films International and was shot in Sicogon Island of Carles, Iloilo in the Western Visayas region of the Philippines.[1]
Plot
One stormy night in a seaside village, a childless couple finds a mysterious but beautiful woman on the beach lying unconscious. Upon waking up, the woman introduces herself as Isabel. She narrated that she is an orphan and the night before, she escaped from her uncle who tried to molest her. The couple was compassionate enough to let her stay with them in the quiet seaside town. The moment people noticed her in their town, the men especially, they were immediately taken by her beauty. They began to perceive that the women in their hometown possess nothing in comparison to Isabel. Friends became bitter rivals as they vied for her affection. Isabel soon realized that she could use her beauty to her own advantage so she manipulated the men to kill the culprit who sexually molested her, even if it meant that the man was a close friend. Because of the eager way the men curried favor for her, she earned the ire of the womenfolk.
Simon is the only man who sees through all her true intentions. But ironically, Simon is also under her spell. Isabel loves Simon in return although he is betrothed to a local girl named Saling. Saling, spurned by Simon, plans an attack against Isabel by involving some of the women in the town. Although their viciousness left her almost dead, the men in their town stood up for Isabel. Such was Isabel's beauty and beguilement as the once peaceful town was left morally ruined.
With Simon totally besotted with Isabel, Saling committed suicide by drowning herself in the sea and, as such, her mother lost her sanity. Even the town simpleton murdered both his adoptive parent just because they forbade him to go anywhere near Isabel, fearing her wicked influence over him. The wife of the couple that took her in soon killed her husband as she found him totally obsessed with her. Former close friends sued each other because of jealousy over Isabel. The church was losing congregants because they were drawn to her as a moth is to a flame. Despite all these, favors continually poured for Isabel and she further showed no remorse nor ruefullness.
Simon now fully realizes the error of his ways and equates Isabel to Eve who tempted and deceived; to Pandora who opened a chest full of death and despair. He left town and led a new life far from the poison that is Isabel. Without Simon, Isabel now deems everything worthless. She once more hoped to lure him back and sought him out at his house. She mistook the sound in Simon's house as his, but instead it was the town simpleton who has gone completely insane. He planted a bag of dynamite used by the village for illegal fishing. The explosion killed him along with Isabel. It seems that heaven itself intervened to rid the earth of Isabel.
1996 version
The 1996 remake of Ang Pinakamagandang Hayop sa Balat ng Lupa was also written by Celso Ad. Castillo and was produced by Royal Era and Viva Films. The 1996 film version starred Ruffa Gutierrez, Dindi Gallardo, and Dick Israel.[2]
