Red Roses for a Call Girl

In Manila, Peter, the terminally ill son of wealthy architect Klaus Timberg, falls for Diana, a woman his father secretly hires to try to brighten Peter's remaining months. The two develop a sincere connection, and Diana truly cares for him. When Peter finds a receipt for Diana's paid services at his father's house, he feels betrayed and rejects her, convinced their relationship was arranged. That discovery fractures trust and puts Diana in a painful spot. Klaus believes his plan will bring Peter joy, but the arrangement triggers unintended consequences for everyone involved.

Created and directed by Bobby A. Suarez, Red Roses for a Call Girl was released in 1988 and filmed in a Manila setting. The cast includes Maria Isabel Lopez as Diana, Robert Marius as Peter Timberg, with Manfred Seipold and Werner Pochath in supporting roles.

No major awards or widely noted festival honors are recorded for this film. It didn’t earn Oscar, Golden Globe or major festival nominations, and there’s little evidence of significant awards attention in contemporary sources. It remains largely absent from major retrospectives and academic discussion of the era.

As an obscure late 1980s drama, the film hasn’t left a large cultural mark beyond occasional mentions in discussions of regional Philippine cinema and the actors' filmographies. Its title and premise surface sometimes in niche catalogues and retrospectives of forgotten or offbeat productions.

Critical and audience response appears limited and generally negative, reflected in a very low online rating, 1.0/10 from a small number of votes. The movie treats themes of love, deception, class privilege, paternal control and the ethics of care when mortality is involved. Modern viewers note dated production.