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Starring
:
Kenny
Bee
Sylvia
Chang
Sally
Yeh
Tin
Chung
Wu
Fung
Shing
Fui On
Director
:
Tsui
Hark
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SHANGHAI
BLUES (1984)
Reviewed
by Andrew Saroch
A
Tsui Hark film often manages to elicit one or more emotions in
the avid viewer. The real joy of the director's work though is
that so many feelings have been encompassed in his various
productions. Whether it be art-house excitement in 'Once
Upon A Time In China' or 'The Blade', the tragedy of 'The
Lovers' or the humour of 'The
Chinese Feast', Hark is adept at surprising his audience
and shifting his focus from film to film. For this reason he
remains a director who is, at the very least, offering
something better than the average Hong Kong effort. For a
portion of its running time, 'Shanghai Blues' fits these
qualities perfectly as it succeeds in conjuring up the
exuberance and energy that the very best MGM musicals could
offer. This unfortunately doesn't remain throughout the 90
minute duration - that is something that will be highlighted
later.
On
the eve of China's war against Japan, hapless clown Do-Re-Me
(Bee) vows to join the army and defend his country from
invasion. As the bombs rain down on Shanghai, he saves the
life of a young woman by bundling her under the safety of a
bridge. Although the two only spend a few moments together,
neither forgets the kindness shown by the other and they agree
to meet under the same bridge after the war. At the end of the
war Do-Re-Me returns to Shanghai as a musician with his uncle
by his side while the mystery woman continues to haunt him. As
the moment was fleeting and the surroundings were dark, the
pair were unable to see each other properly, therefore making
any reunion a perilous affair. Unknown to Do-Re-Me, the woman
he continues to dream about is Shu-Shu (Chang) - the feisty
dancer in a local nightclub. In one of the film's many
coincidences Do-Re-Me rents the room above Shu-Shu oblivious
to her importance. Meanwhile she befriends a cheerful, yet
destitute newcomer Stool (Yeh) who lodges at the house as she
gets her life sorted out. A series of chance meetings mean
that both women fall in love with Do-Re-Me without knowing
about the others interest. The stakes are raised when Shu-Shu
realises who Do-Re-Me really is and the two agree to stay
together no matter what. Loyalty to Stool instead of her
personal happiness means that this vow is soon broken and the
inevitable chain of events are triggered.
The
first half-hour of 'Shanghai Blues' has the kind of hypnotic
allure that simply envelops the viewer and drags them into
this carefully created world. The combination of the colourful
visuals and vibrant soundtrack promise the kind of cinematic
experience rarely achieved today. From such a punchy opening,
it's sad to report that it doesn't sustain this magic for much
longer and instead gets too bogged down in extreme farce.
While some of these farce elements are well-executed and show
Tsui Hark's mettle as a director, the sheer amount of
misunderstandings and crossed-wires becomes too wearing to
enjoy. 'Shanghai Blues' seems like a testing ground for
sequences that would later appear in Hark's more accomplished
works; the real skill of combining comedy, action and romance
is better displayed in the seminal 'Peking
Opera Blues' made two years later. These ideas still seem
raw, lacking the touch of style that the director would
display in the following years. For all the criticisms this is
nonetheless an example of Hong Kong cinema looking classy
despite a moderate budget. All three leads make sure that the
film is endearing even in its slower segments and never
becomes a chore to sit through. Importantly, there are a few
truly enchanting moments that deserve recognition alone. One
particular scene featuring a serenade by Kenny Bee is the kind
of breath-taking touch that makes this a recommendation alone.
'Shanghai
Blues' is, overall, superior entertainment, but by the time
the end credits roll its hard not to think of what might have
been.
Rating:
 
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