Ambiguity over the work of Arifin C. Noer

By Marselli Sumarno

JAKARTA (JP): Arifin C. Noer is known as a director of serious films, which is not surprising considering his background.

Before entering the film world in the 1970s, Arifin was active as a playwright. He established a theater company called Teater Ketjil which staged his best works, among which were Kapai-Kapai (Fluttering) and Sumur Tanpa Dasar (Bottomless Well).

Critics praised Arifin's dramas, especially for their originality because they showed Indonesian "color." From the viewpoint of content, Arifin had a tendency to present themes on people whose fate often oscillated wildly. Such a tendency can be found in a number of his films.

His first film was Suci Sang Primadona (Suci the Primadona, 1977). This is the story of a young man (played by Rano Karno) who escapes from his parents' oppression and meets with Suci, the diva of a people's theater troupe (played by Joice Erna). The relationship between the two gives Suci illusions of love, something that is difficult to attain even though Suci is in fact desired by many men.

Arifin's simple direction was in accordance with the simple story. The world indeed is like a theater with its bitter realities and sweet dreams.

Suci Sang primadona is one of the six films being shown in the Arifin C. Noer film week at the Usmar Ismail Film Center in South Jakarta from Dec. 9 through Dec. 13. The shows start at 7 p.m. and there is only one film a day, except on Dec. 12, when Harmonikaku (My Harmonica) will be shown at 4 p.m. as well as in the evening.

Harmonikaku (1979) is about the life of an orphaned boy named Sani who is brought up by his grandmother in a village. Sani then goes to school in Jakarta and experiences hard times in the capital. Most interesting is that he dreams of having a harmonica.

Arifin does not present Sani as a black-and-white character. He brings out the naughtiness, naivete and humor of the boy. Thus, in absence of many children's films in Indonesia, Harmonikaku is one of the best in its genre.

Fate that plays havoc with man is clearly seen in Matahari- Matahari (Suns, 1985). Iyom (played by Marissa Haque) is a dumb woman, who along with her husband and children goes to Jakarta to try their luck.

Unfortunately, Iyom's husband leaves his wife and children because he hears that Iyom has taken a lover. Her dumbness makes it hard for her to deny the rumors. But her husband becomes a hired killer and goes to prison. One scene after another is laden with emotion. The protagonists of the story move here and there like people burned by the sun.

Arifin C. Noer made an experiment with Biarkan Bulan Itu (Leave the Moon Alone, 1986). He tells his story through long dialogs spoken by the characters in verse.

It tells the story of Dewi (played by Marissa Haque), a secretary with several boyfriends and many love problems. She falls in love with her boss, who has family problems of his own. A school friend shows up and wants to marry her.

Does the poetic dialog make the film poetic? Not automatically but the movie certainly has beautiful parts.

One of Arifin's best films is Taksi (Taxi, 1990), which is based on the pop novel of the same title written by Eddy Suhendro. The central character is Giyon (played by Rano Karno), a college graduate with a degree in philosophy who becomes a taxi driver. He meets Desi (played by Meriam Bellina) a young woman who wishes to live independently with her baby.

Giyon and Desi have the same fate: looking for their identity through events they experience. Scenes from everyday life, fluent dialog and good acting by Rano and Meriam make Taksi an attractive film, the bestselling local film in 1991.

Arifin apparently wanted to repeat the success of everyday life and fluent dialog in Bibir Mer (Mer's Lips, 1991), but he was not as successful. The problem was that he got too involved in the details of the story. With his tendencies for certain themes, his ability to direct his players and to write fluent dialog and his experimental spirit, Arifin had a weakness when he wanted to resort to storytelling.

His flaw, however, was nothing compared to his willingness to compose a trilogy on Soeharto. Serangan Fajar (Attack at Dawn, 1981), Pengkhianatan G30S PKI (The September 30th Indonesian Communist Party Betrayal, 1982) and Djakarta 1966 (1982). These three films are not being shown in the film week.

Many people question Arifin's ambiguous attitude as an artist to accept such an order. The controversy reached its peak when the showing of Pengkhianatan G30S PKI was stopped recently after being shown on the day in question on all local terrestrial channels.

We cannot ask Arifin more about this because he died on May 28, 1995 at the age of 60. One thing, however, is clear. It is better for an artist to be honest, always listening to his or her conscience than to have an ambiguous attitude to work.

The writer is a cinematologist and lecturer at the School of Film and Television at the Jakarta Arts Institute.