Jack and Jill

Jack and Jill became a popular serialized komiks story, written by Mars Ravelo, and was immediately optioned for production by Sampaguita Pictures.

Dr. Jose Perez of Sampaguita began the search for the actors to play Jack and Jill. Rising newcomer Lolita Rodriguez was cast as Benita, the tomboyish daughter who works as a jeepney driver. Doc Perez took a chance and cast a new comedian, Dolphy, to play the cross-dressing “Jill” to Benita’s “Jack.” Rogelio de la Rosa, an established star since the prewar days, was cast as Gardo, the debonair son of a rich couple. Jack and Jill was a success and introduced Dolphy as a promising comedian.

Benita is bent on making “a man” out of her gay brother and agrees to marry any of his suitors who can do it. But Gorio, the thin-as-a-reed brother (played by Dolphy), is also bent on being a flaming queen. Benita is forced to disguise herself as a male driver when her father gets sick and needs someone to take his place as the chauffeur for a rich family. She meets Gardo, the debonair son, and is swept off her feet by the gigolo.

The story becomes more complicated when Gorio, alias Glory, appearing as a woman in distress, is immediately adopted into the rich family. In the meantime, one of Gardo’s many girlfriends (Bella Flores) plots to extort money from the unwitting boyfriend.
The convoluted plot gets disentangled when the disguises are dropped. The romantic coupling between Gardo and Benita is sealed at the end. Gorio appears to have become “manly” and prefers to be called “Gregory.” But not for long.

The film runs a bit long but the riotous scenes with Dolphy as the gay brother keep the excitement going. Dolphy would reprise the cross-dressing role in future films such as Facifica Falayfay. The influence of this character is hard to overstate in Philippine movies and television, to the extent that cross-dressing seems to have become a rite of passage for Pinoys who pursue a career in comedy.