Aka - Papa's Pet

This Malaysian film begins with the Shaw Brothers logo blazoned across the screen. It is directed by and stars the most famous film person of the 1950s and 60's - P. Ramlee. The last film I saw him in was from 1953 in Hujan Panas where he was a string bean but fifteen years later he has filled out and settled into middle age. This is a very genial film with gentle comedy and melodic musical numbers breaking out on a regular basis. It is like a late afternoon nap on a warm day. Nothing much happens but you feel better two hours later. Made on a much smaller budget than what Shaw was spending on their Hong Kong films but they had no market outside of Malaysia and even in Malaysia were likely directed more to the Malays than those of Indian and Chinese heritage. Nearly the entire film occurs in one home with a few side trips to a nightclub and through the plantation.


Harun (Ramlee) manages a plantation for his father with a staff that works downstairs in his home and though business is good, his personal finances are not. His salary from his father isn't enough to cover his expenses. Mainly because he has an eye for the ladies and money doesn't last long in his pockets. He is also generous to everyone. But he has a few debtors on his doorstep wagging bad checks - in particular Norma, the nightclub singer (Ruminah Sidek). So Harun calls dad who lives in another part of Malaysia and tells him he needs money to get married. His father is thrilled. Of course there is no wife. And dad decides to come visit. Low key comedy follows in which Harun has to borrow the wife of his driver to pretend to be his wife. This gets a bit complicated when she has to spend the night with Harun and dad is prowling around the house and looking through the keyhole. Meanwhile, the old man is falling for Norma. And Harun falls in love with dad's nurse Halimah (the beautiful and famous actress Roseyatmah).


Thrown in are a number of musical numbers - a few in the nightclub, a couple in a party and a few others just sort of appear. Ramlee also writes the music and the songs are mellow 60s pop with some twanging guitars and a little slow twisting. Ruminah sings a couple great songs - though not sure if that is really her. Like Bollywood they often had playback singers. But not for Ramlee who was a huge singing star as well as everything else. He was born in Penang. Kind of fun to watch and old film like this from Malaysia. Innocent and sweet.