I would rather be a star without shine if it meant your everlasting gaze...
Bituing Walang Ningning (A Star Without Shine in English) was a 1985 Filipino drama musical film, adapted from a comic book serial of the same name and released by VIVA Films. It starred Sharon Cuneta, Christopher De Leon and Cherie Gil. Co-starring Tommy Abuel, Jay Ilagan, Chandra Romero and Joel Torre.
Dorina Pineda (Sharon) was an ordinary teen girl who longed to be a famous singer like her idol Lavinia Arguelles (Cherie Gil). Fate steps in when she is discovered and groomed to become the next singing sensation by Nico Escobar (Christopher De Leon) who is Lavinia's ex-boyfriend.
A television drama of this story was adapted in 2006. It was turned into a stage musical in 2015.
Bituing Walang Ningning provides examples of:
- '80s Hair: Dorina and Lavinia. Dorina even sports the Farrah Fawcett hairdo, in 1985.
- Ascended Fangirl: Dorina goes from Lavinia's fan to her biggest rival.Lavinia: You were just my fan, or have you forgotten? Back then you practically kissed my feet, and you always hanged your trashy flower garlands around my neck. You even slept outside my gate. You were then but an ordinary fan. Now you strut around as if you're a queen. You are garbage!Dorina: It is you who is garbage. I used to admire you because I thought you were kind. I thought that you were human. I followed you. I guarded you. I loved you Lavinia! I looked up to you. I will never forget how you mocked me. How you embarrassed me in front of the public. From then on, I swore that I would not only be your equal, Lavinia. I would surpass you. Hypocrite!
- Broken Pedestal: Dorina is heartbroken to see how hostile and mean Lavinia really is. Lavinia's treatment of Dorina also caused Nico to fall out of love with her.
- Country Mouse: It was indicated that Dorina is from Iligan.
- Dark Reprise: Lavinia sings "I Just Called To Say I Love You" by Stevie Wonder early in the film. Dorina sings the same thing later as a tribute to Lavinia but it ends with Lavinia throwing a drink in her face.
- Drowning My Sorrows: Discussed but not shown when Nico tells Zosimo that he is leaving the record label because he is in love with Dorina and he does not want things get awkward between them.Zosimo: We're getting too dramatic. We're drinking the wrong stuff. Get something hard.
- Food Slap: The most famous scene of the whole film is when Lavinia lambasts Dorina's singing and then throws wine in her face. Dorina gets her back for this later.
- Gratuitous English: It is a Filipino melodrama after all.
- I Want My Beloved to Be Happy: Nico does this when he thought that Dorina was in love with their composer Gary. Gary flips this over and tells Nico to come back for Dorina's sake.
- Jerkass Has a Point: Lavinia comes off as a Bitch in Sheep's Clothing but she has a point about Dorina being irritating.Nico: I thought you loved all your fans?Lavinia: When I'm tired, I don't.
- Pet the Dog: Nico visited Dorina in the hospital after she was hit by a car. He wrote a "get well soon" card and told her that Lavinia wrote it even though Lavinia could not care less about her.
- Signature Line: "You're nothing but a second-rate, trying-hard, copycat!"
- Triumphant Reprise: More like a Bittersweet Reprise. Dorina sings the titular "Bituing Walang Ningning" when she is first unveiled as a major singer. She sings it again in the end after announcing her withdrawal from public life. She then lets Lavinia finish while she embraces Nico.
- Verbal Tic: Lavinia tends to start her sentences with "Look".
