Labu dan Labi
Encyclopedia
Labu dan Labi is a 1962
Malaysian & Singapore
an comedy
film directed by and starring P. Ramlee
. The movie revolves around the antics of Labu and Labi, two servants with wild imaginations who work in the house of a wealthy but miserly man, Haji Bakhil bin Haji Kedekut. The movie is filmed in the style of a stage pantomime
, with over-the-top comedy and featuring the characters occasionally talking directly to the audience. The film's sequel is Nasib Si Labu Labi
(The Fate of Labu and Labi or What Happened to Labu and Labi).
) are servants in the household of Haji Bakhil, a miserly old man with a loyal wife and a beautiful daughter (Mariani). Both Labu and Labi are constantly being scolded, insulted and forced to do the traditional school punishment ketok-ketampi by the grouchy Haji Bakhil but they continue to work for him because they are both secretly in love with his daughter, Manisah.
One night as the pair are attempting to sleep on the verandah of Haji Bakhil's house, they exchange stories of make-believe to amuse each other.
providing back-up vocals. Following this, there is a fashion show where Sarimah
is one of the models. After the show, Labu goes back-stage to meet Sarimah
in her dressing room, but Labi arrives for exactly the same purpose. The film returns to the "real world", where Labu and Labi are loudly fighting over Sarimah
, waking up their boss, Haji Bakhil, who shouts at them to go to sleep.
, complete with keris. In this sequence, Haji Bakhil is Chita, Labu's primate sidekick. As Labu is preparing his sambal belacan
for his meal, Labi arrives in the dream sequence dressed as a tiger, saying that he wants to eat Labu. The pair start to fight, and their fight eventually becomes loud enough that it wakes up their real boss again, who comes out to scold them and order them to go to sleep.
. He imagines that he's a Sheriff (claiming to be the younger brother of Nat King Cole
), while Labi imagines that he's Jesse Labu, cousin of Jesse James
. Labu and Labi eventually start a gunfight in the imaginary bar, and their gun sounds effects wake their boss up for the third time. Haji Bakhil tells them to go to sleep, and punishes them by ordering them to go to work first thing the next morning.
At the Haji Bakhil home, they are given a surprise when Haji Bakhil's assistant arrives at the house, announcing that Labu has recently inherited a fortune and seeks Manisah's hand in marriage. Haji Bakhil refuses, and as retaliation Labu visits a bomoh (magician man) who casts a spell on Manisah, causing her to fall asleep and unable to wake up. Labu sends a message to Haji Bakhil that he will remove the spell if he allows Labu to wed his daughter.
Witnessing this turn of events, Labi visits a magician man of his own, who gives him a magical stone that, when dropped into any water, causes the water to have healing properties. Labi uses the stone to cure Manisah. Haji Bakhil is overjoyed and Manisah is touched by Labi's kindness, so Labi is allowed to marry Manisah.
On the day of the wedding, Labu arrives at the house and casts a spell, causing everyone to fall asleep except for Labi. Labi uses his magic stone to wake up Manisah. Labu enters the house and tries to convince Manisah to marry him instead, but Labi stops him and a fight ensues. During the struggle, Labu grabs an axe and brings it down on Labi's head.
Then it is revealed that the entire sequence was also a dream, and Labu is actually pounding Labi on the head with a pillow. Labu, however, is so caught up in the dream that he doesn't realise that he's woken up, and continues to fight with a confused Labi. Haji Bakhil wakes up yet again and is doubly enraged when Labu continues to think that he's wealthy and powerful. When Manisah appears at a window to see what the commotion is about, Labu begs her to leave Labi and marry him instead. Manisah is confused and tells Labu he must have been dreaming. This finally makes Labu realise his error.
Haji Bakhil, who is still very angry at having his sleep continually disrupted, punishes both Labu and Labi by making them do the ketok-ketampi.
1962 in film
The year 1962 in film involved some significant events.-Events:*May - The Golden Horse Film Festival and Awards are officially founded by the Taiwanese government....
Malaysian & Singapore
Singapore
Singapore , officially the Republic of Singapore, is a Southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the...
an comedy
Comedy
Comedy , as a popular meaning, is any humorous discourse or work generally intended to amuse by creating laughter, especially in television, film, and stand-up comedy. This must be carefully distinguished from its academic definition, namely the comic theatre, whose Western origins are found in...
film directed by and starring P. Ramlee
P. Ramlee
Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr. P. Ramlee, was a Malaysian film actor, director, singer, songwriter, composer, and producer. Due to his contributions to the movie and music industry and his literary work, he is often considered the icon of Malay entertainment in Malaysia, Singapore, and Sumatra .-Biography:P...
. The movie revolves around the antics of Labu and Labi, two servants with wild imaginations who work in the house of a wealthy but miserly man, Haji Bakhil bin Haji Kedekut. The movie is filmed in the style of a stage pantomime
Pantomime
Pantomime — not to be confused with a mime artist, a theatrical performer of mime—is a musical-comedy theatrical production traditionally found in the United Kingdom, Australia, New Zealand, Canada, Jamaica, South Africa, India, Ireland, Gibraltar and Malta, and is mostly performed during the...
, with over-the-top comedy and featuring the characters occasionally talking directly to the audience. The film's sequel is Nasib Si Labu Labi
Nasib Si Labu Labi
Nasib Si Labu Labi is a 1962 Malaysian comedy film directed by and starring P. Ramlee. The film is a sequel to Labu dan Labi and features a number of returning cast members.-Plot:Set sometime after the events of the previous film, Haji Bakhil's wife has died...
(The Fate of Labu and Labi or What Happened to Labu and Labi).
Plot
Labu (Mohd. Zain) and Labi (P. RamleeP. Ramlee
Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr. P. Ramlee, was a Malaysian film actor, director, singer, songwriter, composer, and producer. Due to his contributions to the movie and music industry and his literary work, he is often considered the icon of Malay entertainment in Malaysia, Singapore, and Sumatra .-Biography:P...
) are servants in the household of Haji Bakhil, a miserly old man with a loyal wife and a beautiful daughter (Mariani). Both Labu and Labi are constantly being scolded, insulted and forced to do the traditional school punishment ketok-ketampi by the grouchy Haji Bakhil but they continue to work for him because they are both secretly in love with his daughter, Manisah.
One night as the pair are attempting to sleep on the verandah of Haji Bakhil's house, they exchange stories of make-believe to amuse each other.
Night club
Labu and Labi talk about what they would do if they were as rich as their boss. Labi imagines that he is a magistrate and Labi pretends to be doctor. In an imaginary sequence, the pair visit a night-club, where "Haji Bakhil" appears as a waiter who attempts to get their order. Labu and Labi watch a performance by Saloma who sings the song Bila Larut Malam with her husband P. RamleeP. Ramlee
Tan Sri Datuk Amar Dr. P. Ramlee, was a Malaysian film actor, director, singer, songwriter, composer, and producer. Due to his contributions to the movie and music industry and his literary work, he is often considered the icon of Malay entertainment in Malaysia, Singapore, and Sumatra .-Biography:P...
providing back-up vocals. Following this, there is a fashion show where Sarimah
Sarimah
Sarimah Ahmad , better known as Sarimah is a Malaysian actress most famously known for her work in various black-and-white Malay films of the 1960s and 1970s including Ibu Mertuaku and Madu Tiga.-Filmography:...
is one of the models. After the show, Labu goes back-stage to meet Sarimah
Sarimah
Sarimah Ahmad , better known as Sarimah is a Malaysian actress most famously known for her work in various black-and-white Malay films of the 1960s and 1970s including Ibu Mertuaku and Madu Tiga.-Filmography:...
in her dressing room, but Labi arrives for exactly the same purpose. The film returns to the "real world", where Labu and Labi are loudly fighting over Sarimah
Sarimah
Sarimah Ahmad , better known as Sarimah is a Malaysian actress most famously known for her work in various black-and-white Malay films of the 1960s and 1970s including Ibu Mertuaku and Madu Tiga.-Filmography:...
, waking up their boss, Haji Bakhil, who shouts at them to go to sleep.
The Malay Tarzan
After a while, Labu says that he wouldn't want to live in the city, but out in the free wilderness. He imagines that he is a Malay TarzanTarzan
Tarzan is a fictional character, an archetypal feral child raised in the African jungles by the Mangani "great apes"; he later experiences civilization only to largely reject it and return to the wild as a heroic adventurer...
, complete with keris. In this sequence, Haji Bakhil is Chita, Labu's primate sidekick. As Labu is preparing his sambal belacan
Sambal
Sambal is a chili based sauce which is normally used as a condiment. Sambals are popular in Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, the southern Philippines and Sri Lanka, as well as in the Netherlands and in Suriname through Javanese influence. It is typically made from a variety of chili peppers and is...
for his meal, Labi arrives in the dream sequence dressed as a tiger, saying that he wants to eat Labu. The pair start to fight, and their fight eventually becomes loud enough that it wakes up their real boss again, who comes out to scold them and order them to go to sleep.
In the Wild West
After having settled down again, Labu asks Labi whether he would like to live in the wilderness like Tarzan. Labi says that he would much prefer to be a cowboyCowboy
A cowboy is an animal herder who tends cattle on ranches in North America, traditionally on horseback, and often performs a multitude of other ranch-related tasks. The historic American cowboy of the late 19th century arose from the vaquero traditions of northern Mexico and became a figure of...
. He imagines that he's a Sheriff (claiming to be the younger brother of Nat King Cole
Nat King Cole
Nathaniel Adams Coles , known professionally as Nat King Cole, was an American musician who first came to prominence as a leading jazz pianist. Although an accomplished pianist, he owes most of his popular musical fame to his soft baritone voice, which he used to perform in big band and jazz genres...
), while Labi imagines that he's Jesse Labu, cousin of Jesse James
Jesse James
Jesse Woodson James was an American outlaw, gang leader, bank robber, train robber, and murderer from the state of Missouri and the most famous member of the James-Younger Gang. He also faked his own death and was known as J.M James. Already a celebrity when he was alive, he became a legendary...
. Labu and Labi eventually start a gunfight in the imaginary bar, and their gun sounds effects wake their boss up for the third time. Haji Bakhil tells them to go to sleep, and punishes them by ordering them to go to work first thing the next morning.
Labu and Labi Find Their Fortune
The next morning, Labu goes into the forest to collect the firewood as ordered by Haji Bakhil. As he does, he sees a suspicious man exiting a secret passageway on the top of a small hill. After the man is gone Labu enters the secret passageway and discovers a room filled with money, presumably stolen. Labu steals the money and disappears.At the Haji Bakhil home, they are given a surprise when Haji Bakhil's assistant arrives at the house, announcing that Labu has recently inherited a fortune and seeks Manisah's hand in marriage. Haji Bakhil refuses, and as retaliation Labu visits a bomoh (magician man) who casts a spell on Manisah, causing her to fall asleep and unable to wake up. Labu sends a message to Haji Bakhil that he will remove the spell if he allows Labu to wed his daughter.
Witnessing this turn of events, Labi visits a magician man of his own, who gives him a magical stone that, when dropped into any water, causes the water to have healing properties. Labi uses the stone to cure Manisah. Haji Bakhil is overjoyed and Manisah is touched by Labi's kindness, so Labi is allowed to marry Manisah.
On the day of the wedding, Labu arrives at the house and casts a spell, causing everyone to fall asleep except for Labi. Labi uses his magic stone to wake up Manisah. Labu enters the house and tries to convince Manisah to marry him instead, but Labi stops him and a fight ensues. During the struggle, Labu grabs an axe and brings it down on Labi's head.
Then it is revealed that the entire sequence was also a dream, and Labu is actually pounding Labi on the head with a pillow. Labu, however, is so caught up in the dream that he doesn't realise that he's woken up, and continues to fight with a confused Labi. Haji Bakhil wakes up yet again and is doubly enraged when Labu continues to think that he's wealthy and powerful. When Manisah appears at a window to see what the commotion is about, Labu begs her to leave Labi and marry him instead. Manisah is confused and tells Labu he must have been dreaming. This finally makes Labu realise his error.
Haji Bakhil, who is still very angry at having his sleep continually disrupted, punishes both Labu and Labi by making them do the ketok-ketampi.
Cast
- P. RamleeP. RamleeTan Sri Datuk Amar Dr. P. Ramlee, was a Malaysian film actor, director, singer, songwriter, composer, and producer. Due to his contributions to the movie and music industry and his literary work, he is often considered the icon of Malay entertainment in Malaysia, Singapore, and Sumatra .-Biography:P...
as Labi/Himself - M. Zain as Labu
- Udo Omar as Haji Bakhil bin Haji Kedekut
- Mariani as Manisah Haji Bakhil
- Rahimah Alias as Haji Bakhil's wife
- Shariff Dol as Labu's assistant
- Nyong Ismail as The Bomoh
- M. Babjan as the Wise Man
- Saloma as herself
- Aziz SattarAziz SattarDatuk Aziz Sattar is a Malaysian actor, comedian, singer and director who is mostly known for his roles in the black and white Malayan films of the 1950s and 1960s.- Early life :...
as himself - SarimahSarimahSarimah Ahmad , better known as Sarimah is a Malaysian actress most famously known for her work in various black-and-white Malay films of the 1960s and 1970s including Ibu Mertuaku and Madu Tiga.-Filmography:...
as herself
Trivia
- During the dinner scene, Labu pretends that his eyes had been poked with the forks and he'd been blinded. During his over-the-top moaning, he says "Sampai hati tuan cucuk mata saya, macam Kassim Selamat." ("How cruel of you, sir, to poke in me in the eyes, just like Kassim Selamat.") This is a reference to the character of Kassim Selamat in Ibu MertuakuIbu MertuakuIbu Mertuaku is a 1962 Malaysian film directed by and starring Malaysian silver-screen legend P. Ramlee. The film's story revolves around the tragic love affair between Kassim Selamat, a poor musician, and Sabariah, the only daughter of a wealthy woman...
who poked his own eyes with forks to blind himself. Incidentally, Kassim Selamat was played by P. RamleeP. RamleeTan Sri Datuk Amar Dr. P. Ramlee, was a Malaysian film actor, director, singer, songwriter, composer, and producer. Due to his contributions to the movie and music industry and his literary work, he is often considered the icon of Malay entertainment in Malaysia, Singapore, and Sumatra .-Biography:P...
. - P. RamleeP. RamleeTan Sri Datuk Amar Dr. P. Ramlee, was a Malaysian film actor, director, singer, songwriter, composer, and producer. Due to his contributions to the movie and music industry and his literary work, he is often considered the icon of Malay entertainment in Malaysia, Singapore, and Sumatra .-Biography:P...
also plays himself in the daydream night-club sequence. - The character name Haji Bakhil bin Lebai Kedekut is a pun, as "bakhil" and "kedekut" both mean stingy/miserly in MalayMalay languageMalay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore...
.