'Ca-Bau-Kan', a promising director's debut
'Ca-Bau-Kan', a promising director's debut
Tantri Yuliandini, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
When a book is adapted into a movie, one naturally raises the
question: Will the film stay true to the book?
And the movie Ca-Bau-Kan, which is based on Remy Sylado's
novel of the same title, stays true to the original version, only
that it should have been titled "The Life of Tan Peng Liang".
The title Ca-Bau-Kan suggests the story will be about the
travails of an Indonesian woman kept by a Chinese man as a
concubine. Instead, both the book and the movie mainly tells of a
Chinese-Javanese trader (Tan Peng Liang) who eventually helps
Indonesia achieve independence.
Ca-bau-kan, itself, literally means "woman" in Hakka Chinese
-- who make up the majority of Chinese in Indonesia -- but in
Batavia (the name given to Jakarta during Dutch colonial rule) at
the time it could also mean "prostitute", or the concubine of a
Chinese man.
The story about ca-bau-kan in both the book and the movie only
comprise about one-third of the storyline, and if it is aimed to
correct the age-old misinterpretation of its meaning, then it
misses it completely.
Instead, the ca-bau-kan is portrayed as weak and submissive;
someone with no control whatsoever of her fate and has no
intention of changing it.
Back to the movie, despite the more obvious weaknesses,
Kalyana Shira's first film presentation promises good things for
Indonesian film fans, although its scheduled release of Feb. 21
is only two weeks apart from teen flick Ada Apa Dengan Cinta
(What's Up with Love).
Set in Batavia between the 1930s and 1950s, Ca-Bau-Kan opens
with the traditional Betawi (indigenous Jakartan) style wedding
of Tinung (Lola Amaria) to the first of many men in her life.
A narrator, supposedly the voice of Giok Lan (Niniek L.
Karim), tells viewers of her mother's early life and plight until
she is forced to offer her body for money at Kali Jodo river,
which literally means "mating river". The movie then flashes
between the past and present. The present being Giok Lan's search
for her roots, starting with her arrival in Jakarta from the
Netherlands where she now lives, to her encounter with her
father's enemy in a sanatorium.
Giok Lan's role in the movie, however, lacks the strength of
her purpose in the book, and Niniek L. Karim's performance fails
to deliver the deep tragedy that lies in Giok Lan's past (she was
sold to a Dutch couple).
In Tinung's case, after a stint at Kali Jodo, where she gains
a reputation as si chixiang or the famous and most sought-after,
she is taken to the house of Tan Peng Liang (Moelyono) -- the
first man called Tan Peng Liang in her life -- in Tamim alley,
Bandung, to be his ca-bau-kan.
Tan is a loan shark who doesn't think twice about killing his
debtors when they don't pay up, a trait that makes Tinung fear
him and run away.
The second and main Tan Peng Liang (Ferry Salim) enters the
scene at the Cio-Ko festival to celebrate the birth of the
Chinese God, Tiong Gwan Tee Kwan, when he encounters Tinung and
her aunt, Saodah (Lulu Dewayanti).
A Chinese-Javanese from Semarang, Central Java, Tan's
flamboyant manner irritates the pride of the local Kong Koang or
Chinese business elite, especially Thio Boen Hiap (Robby Tumewu).
Animosity between Tan Peng Liang and members of the Kong Koang
represent a major conflict in the movie and shapes the destiny of
Tan's life.
A second encounter between Tan and Tinung happens at the Lunar
New Year celebration Peh Cun on the shores of Kali Pasar Baru
river, where she performs a traditional song and dance cokek.
Without taking too much time, Tinung is taken to Tan Peng
Liang's home and kept as his ca-bau-kan, where she lives a happy
life for a while.
Then the movie focuses on Tan Peng Liang, and follows him
through his escape from jail after being accused of dealing in
counterfeit money, his journey to Thailand, where he begins his
business of shipping arms for the Indonesian rebel movements
against the Dutch, and his return to Batavia to find Tinung.
Director Nia diNata, who makes her debut with this film, said
she had tried to balance the roles of Tan Peng Liang and Tinung,
and for that reason, many of Tan's roles in the book have been
eliminated.
However, as Tan has a significant part in the story and his
character is strong and domineering, it leaves little room for
Tinung's character. And that it is why the film should be titled
"Tan Peng Liang's Adventures".
The filmmakers however deserve credit for their efforts to
bring the right atmosphere that the film deserves, making the
quality of its cinematography one of the best yet seen in
Indonesian movies, offering a rare view of Betawi-Chinese
culture, which is hard to find today.
But, as always in Indonesian productions, a sense of detail is
lacking. The costumes worn by the leading characters might have a
realistically-worn look, but a group of refugees traveling
thousands of miles through forests and rice fields with Bayclean-
white shirts? Come on!
Brilliant acting comes from Ferry Salim and Lulu Dewayanti,
the latter successfully portrays Tinung's materialistic, self-
centered and coquette aunt.
Ferry's Tan Peng Liang displays a conflict of personalities;
ruthless yet loving, arrogant but humble. He is even convincing
in his adoption of a local Chinese-Semarang dialect for the role.
While Ferry has more room to develop his character, Lola has
little to work on. With her submissive character, little or even
nothing to say, Tinung has no personality other than someone who
is always being ping-ponged from one man to another.
If viewers are willing to overlook the shortcomings and revel
on the pluses, Ca-Bau-Kan will give them an entertaining
presentation.
Inbox:
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Ca-Bau-Kan, **1/2 out of four stars
Drama/Romance, 120 minutes;
Starring Ferry Salim, Lola Amaria,
Niniek L. Karim, Robby Tumewu,
Alex Komang, Lulu Dewayanti;
Script written by Nia diNata
and Puguh P.S. Admaja;
Directed by Nia diNata;
A Kalyana Shira Film presentation.
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