Puteri Gunong Ledang
Encyclopedia
Puteri Gunong Ledang is a 1961
Malaysian period film directed by S. Roomai Noor and based on the Legend of Puteri Gunung Ledang. The film introduces actress Elaine Edley in her first film role.
Sultan Mahmud’s officers and Dinda, the princess he had been engaged to, are confused with the Sultan’s sudden change of attitude. Dinda’s brother, Laksamana Zainol, is especially angry on his sister’s behalf. Zainol, propelled by his sister’s betrayal, begins talking to the Malaccan people of Sultan Mahmud’s foolishness, planting the seeds of rebellion.
Sultan Mahmud commands the Bendahara to seek the Puteri of Gunung Ledang out, but he claims the task to be impossible. The elderly Hang Tuah
, greatest of all Malaccan warriors, offers to find the princess for the Sultan. He forms a party of warriors and they set out to Mount Ledang to find her and present the Sultan’s proposal of marriage. They travel a great distance and have to overcome many obstacles. Hang Tuah
himself becomes injured and is too weak to reach the peak, so he sends the younger members of the group onward without him. A single young warrior named Tun Mamat survives to reach the peak, where he is tempted by a flower fairy who tries to seduce him off his path. Tun Mamat repeatedly spurns the flower fairy and, upon beating her test, meets an elderly hag or Nenek Kebayan who agrees to help lead him to the peak of Mount Ledang.
Once at the peak, the Nenek Kebayan leaves Tun Mamat, and he is greeted by four more flower fairies. They give him one final warning and then leave, making way for the Puteri herself to appear. The Puteri tells Tun Mamat that she has no desire to be queen, but she will marry Sultan Mahmud if he can give her seven presents as her dowry. Tun Mamat descends the mountain with the message, along the way reuniting with various members of the group who were lost or left behind on the way, including the recovering Hang Tuah
. When Tun Mamat repeats the Puteri's message to him, Hang Tuah
realises that the conditions are a rejection and he has failed in his task to the Sultan. He decides to leave Malacca
forever in self-imposed exile.
Tun Mamat and the rest of the warriors return to Malacca
where the seven conditions are presented to Sultan Mahmud and the royal court, which are:
At hearing the conditions the royal court is in shock and dismay, but Sultan Mahmud is so focused on the beauty of the Puteri that he proudly claims that the seven conditions are easy and commands his people to fulfill them. All the gold and silver of the kingdom is taken from the Malaccan people to build the bridges; mosquitoes and germs are allowed to thrive, causing sickness throughout the land; all virgin women are forced to cry into bowls to collect their tears.
At this time Zainol holds more secret meetings with the discontented people of Malacca to discuss Sultan Mahmud's inhumane commands. The people, now confident and angry, decide to strike at Sultan Mahmud for his injustice. During a second collection of gold and silver, a discontented man stands up to the royal collection officer and a fight ensues between the soldiers and the Malaccan commoners. This triggers more fights and skirmishes, sending the entire kingdom into turmoil.
At long last six of the seven conditions are fulfilled. Sultan Mahmud is overjoyed but is cut short when the Bendahara reminds him that the seventh condition has not been done. Sultan Mahmud visits the sleeping chambers of his son, Tengku Ahmad, to strike him down with a keris but two nights in a row he is unable to go through with it. On the third night, Sultan Mahmud is ready to kill his son for good, but at the last minute throws his keris aside. Then the Puteri herself appears and says that she will never marry him because he is a cruel man. Sultan Mahmud realises the error of his ways and begs his son for forgiveness.
The next morning Zainol and a large group of Malaccan people attack the palace. Sultan Mahmud decides to face them openly where he confesses his crimes and puts his life in their hands. All the people, including Zainol, accept his apology and pledge allegiance to him once again.
spelling of the word "Gunong" used "o" in the second syllable. In the 1970s Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka
standardised the Malay language
, and the accepted spelling from then until current day is "Gunung".
1961 in film
The year 1961 in film involved some significant events, with West Side Story winning 10 Academy Awards.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :Academy Awards:* Atlantis, the Lost ContinentB...
Malaysian period film directed by S. Roomai Noor and based on the Legend of Puteri Gunung Ledang. The film introduces actress Elaine Edley in her first film role.
Plot
Sultan Mahmud Shah, ruler of Malacca, dreams of a woman with unnatural beauty. Plagued by the dream, he asks the court magician their meaning. The court magician tells him that his dream is that of an extraordinary princess who lives on the peak of Mount Ledang. Sultan Mahmud becomes obsessed with the Puteri, and orders his Bendahara to cancel his scheduled wedding to a local princess.Sultan Mahmud’s officers and Dinda, the princess he had been engaged to, are confused with the Sultan’s sudden change of attitude. Dinda’s brother, Laksamana Zainol, is especially angry on his sister’s behalf. Zainol, propelled by his sister’s betrayal, begins talking to the Malaccan people of Sultan Mahmud’s foolishness, planting the seeds of rebellion.
Sultan Mahmud commands the Bendahara to seek the Puteri of Gunung Ledang out, but he claims the task to be impossible. The elderly Hang Tuah
Hang Tuah
Hang Tuah is a legendary warrior/hero who lived during the reign of Sultan Mansur Shah of the Sultanate of Malacca in the 15th century. He was the greatest of all the laksamana, or sultan's admirals, and was known to be a ferocious fighter...
, greatest of all Malaccan warriors, offers to find the princess for the Sultan. He forms a party of warriors and they set out to Mount Ledang to find her and present the Sultan’s proposal of marriage. They travel a great distance and have to overcome many obstacles. Hang Tuah
Hang Tuah
Hang Tuah is a legendary warrior/hero who lived during the reign of Sultan Mansur Shah of the Sultanate of Malacca in the 15th century. He was the greatest of all the laksamana, or sultan's admirals, and was known to be a ferocious fighter...
himself becomes injured and is too weak to reach the peak, so he sends the younger members of the group onward without him. A single young warrior named Tun Mamat survives to reach the peak, where he is tempted by a flower fairy who tries to seduce him off his path. Tun Mamat repeatedly spurns the flower fairy and, upon beating her test, meets an elderly hag or Nenek Kebayan who agrees to help lead him to the peak of Mount Ledang.
Once at the peak, the Nenek Kebayan leaves Tun Mamat, and he is greeted by four more flower fairies. They give him one final warning and then leave, making way for the Puteri herself to appear. The Puteri tells Tun Mamat that she has no desire to be queen, but she will marry Sultan Mahmud if he can give her seven presents as her dowry. Tun Mamat descends the mountain with the message, along the way reuniting with various members of the group who were lost or left behind on the way, including the recovering Hang Tuah
Hang Tuah
Hang Tuah is a legendary warrior/hero who lived during the reign of Sultan Mansur Shah of the Sultanate of Malacca in the 15th century. He was the greatest of all the laksamana, or sultan's admirals, and was known to be a ferocious fighter...
. When Tun Mamat repeats the Puteri's message to him, Hang Tuah
Hang Tuah
Hang Tuah is a legendary warrior/hero who lived during the reign of Sultan Mansur Shah of the Sultanate of Malacca in the 15th century. He was the greatest of all the laksamana, or sultan's admirals, and was known to be a ferocious fighter...
realises that the conditions are a rejection and he has failed in his task to the Sultan. He decides to leave Malacca
Malacca
Malacca , dubbed The Historic State or Negeri Bersejarah among locals) is the third smallest Malaysian state, after Perlis and Penang. It is located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, on the Straits of Malacca. It borders Negeri Sembilan to the north and the state of Johor to the south...
forever in self-imposed exile.
Tun Mamat and the rest of the warriors return to Malacca
Malacca
Malacca , dubbed The Historic State or Negeri Bersejarah among locals) is the third smallest Malaysian state, after Perlis and Penang. It is located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, on the Straits of Malacca. It borders Negeri Sembilan to the north and the state of Johor to the south...
where the seven conditions are presented to Sultan Mahmud and the royal court, which are:
- A golden bridge from the peak of Mount Ledang to the Malaccan palace,
- A silver bridge from the Malaccan palace to the peak of Mount Ledang,
- Seven trays of mosquitoes' hearts,
- Seven trays of germs,
- Seven jars of betel nut juice,
- Seven jars of virgin's tears,
- A bowl of Sultan Mahmud's son's blood.
At hearing the conditions the royal court is in shock and dismay, but Sultan Mahmud is so focused on the beauty of the Puteri that he proudly claims that the seven conditions are easy and commands his people to fulfill them. All the gold and silver of the kingdom is taken from the Malaccan people to build the bridges; mosquitoes and germs are allowed to thrive, causing sickness throughout the land; all virgin women are forced to cry into bowls to collect their tears.
At this time Zainol holds more secret meetings with the discontented people of Malacca to discuss Sultan Mahmud's inhumane commands. The people, now confident and angry, decide to strike at Sultan Mahmud for his injustice. During a second collection of gold and silver, a discontented man stands up to the royal collection officer and a fight ensues between the soldiers and the Malaccan commoners. This triggers more fights and skirmishes, sending the entire kingdom into turmoil.
At long last six of the seven conditions are fulfilled. Sultan Mahmud is overjoyed but is cut short when the Bendahara reminds him that the seventh condition has not been done. Sultan Mahmud visits the sleeping chambers of his son, Tengku Ahmad, to strike him down with a keris but two nights in a row he is unable to go through with it. On the third night, Sultan Mahmud is ready to kill his son for good, but at the last minute throws his keris aside. Then the Puteri herself appears and says that she will never marry him because he is a cruel man. Sultan Mahmud realises the error of his ways and begs his son for forgiveness.
The next morning Zainol and a large group of Malaccan people attack the palace. Sultan Mahmud decides to face them openly where he confesses his crimes and puts his life in their hands. All the people, including Zainol, accept his apology and pledge allegiance to him once again.
Cast
- Elaine Edley as Puteri Gunung Ledang
- Mazlan Ahmad
- Fatimah Ahmad
- Wahid Satay
- Puteh Lawak
- Mahmud June
- Haji Ashad
- Shariff Medan
- Yem
- Abdullah Sani
- Kalam Hamidi
- Ahmad Nisfu
- Mak Dara as Nenek Kebayan
Songs
- Silakan, Kawan
- Bilangan Tangan
- Gunong Ledang
- Lagu Puteri Dahlia
- Lagu Puteri-Puteri Bunga (Melati, Kemboja, Matahari, Tanjung)
- Sudah Ku Telam
Title spelling
At the time the film was released (1961), the MalayMalay language
Malay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore...
spelling of the word "Gunong" used "o" in the second syllable. In the 1970s Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka
Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka
Dewan Bahasa dan Pustaka is the government body responsible for coordinating the use of the Malay language in Malaysia and Brunei.-History:...
standardised the Malay language
Malay language
Malay is a major language of the Austronesian family. It is the official language of Malaysia , Indonesia , Brunei and Singapore...
, and the accepted spelling from then until current day is "Gunung".
See also
- Puteri Gunung Ledang (film)Puteri Gunung Ledang (film)Puteri Gunung Ledang is a 2004 Malaysian epic fantasy period film directed by Saw Teong Hin and based on the Legend of Puteri Gunung Ledang, a Indonesian legend about a Princess who lived on top of Gunung Ledang and a Malaccan Sultan's effort to court her. The film stars Tiara Jacquelina, M...
- Puteri Gunung Ledang (musical)Puteri Gunung Ledang (musical)Puteri Gunung Ledang is a Malaysian musical directed by Zahim Albakri, co-directed by Adlin Aman Ramlie, book by Saw Teong Hin and music composed by Dick Lee. The musical is based on the 2004 Puteri Gunung Ledang film. The original production was staged at the Istana Budaya in February 2006, this...
- Legend of Puteri Gunung Ledang
- Gunung Ledang
- Hikayat Hang TuahHikayat Hang TuahHikayat Hang Tuah is a Malay work of literature that tells the tale of the legendary Malay Muslim warrior Hang Tuah and his four warrior friends - Hang Jebat, Hang Kasturi, Hang Lekir and Hang Lekiu - who lived during the height of the Sultanate of Malacca in the 15th century.The most memorable...