COMRADES - ALMOST A LOVE STORY (1996)

Starring: Leon Lai, Maggie Cheung, Eric Tsang, Kristy Yang, Chris Doyle

The first time I saw this film was when I rented it out from my local Chinese video store. I had never heard of the film before and only knew the stars were Maggie Cheung and Leon Lai. I didn't even know that it was a love story until I watched it, which in fact, took me by surprise as the little gem unfolded before my eyes.

There is nothing almost about this film, it is a love story through and through. Peter Chan, the director of He's a Man, She's a Woman, directs this with grace and style. The story spans a whole decade in which two people are changed by the fate and circumstances that are forced upon them.

The film starts off with Siu Kwun (Leon Lai) arriving in Hong Kong during the late 80s from Mainland China. He is a naïve and innocent young man with the hopes of achieving much in the rich lands of Hong Kong. From his self narrative, you can tell that he is both overwhelmed and awed at the fast pace that Hong Kong moves at, and how the locals conduct themselves. He often remarks that the locals speak "funny".

His only relative in Hong Kong is an aunt of his, and for most of his time in Hong Kong, that is where he lives. He doesn't realise until much later that his home is actually a brothel. He makes friends with one girl, and you can see how sad he is when he discovers later in the film that she has Aids.

His first job in Hong Kong is as a delivery boy - riding a bicycle with cooked chickens hanging by the side, through the busy streets of Hong Kong. He has this same dreamy, wide-eyed innocent look throughout the film, and I think Peter Chan overdid it a bit in trying to force us to believe that this country bumpkin is as naïve as he looks. After all, he came from the city of Tianjin, not exactly a tiny rural village.

After earning some money, he remarks in a letter to his childhood sweetheart that he will go somewhere special to eat…which turns out to be a McDonalds restaurant. It is this single imagery that provokes a sense of realism as most people take McDonalds for granted, yet there are people who have never eaten at McDonalds.

It is here in McDonalds that he meets Lee (Maggie Cheung), another mainlander like him but she was from Guangzhou, therefore she could speak perfect Cantonese, something that still troubles Siu Kwun.

Their friendship flourishes on both accounts: she is his first friend in Hong Kong, and he relies a lot on her to understand more of the local culture, while she takes advantage of his innocence by getting him to help her on her many money-making schemes. Gradually, their friendship develops to the point that they both fall in love with each other, yet they both know that there would be complications.

Before long, Lee's adventures into making money turns against her and she finds herself owing a lot of money. She takes a demeaning job as a masseur and later follows a triad boss (Eric Tsang). When a bit of trouble takes Tsang to America, she goes along with him, hoping to start a new life in the States.

Meanwhile, Siu Kwun applies for his fiancée to come to Hong Kong, and they soon tie the knot. But Siu Kwun still has feelings for Lee, and his marriage breaks down when he reveals to his wife about his troubled emotions. She tells him that she wished he had never come to Hong Kong, so then he would not have strayed, but the damage is done. Siu Kwun moves to the US and gets a job as a chef, and it is down to fate that he and Lee both bump into each other.

This is a very intelligent love story with none of the clichéd aspects that usually plague such love stories. It is simply a tale of two people in love, and how their paths join and diverge, only to be entwined together again when circumstances make them choose the hard decisions.

Sometimes the film runs along at a slow pace, and the relationship between Lee and Siu Kwun takes some time to develop, and when it does it still remains aloof and cool. Like they know it is wrong, but could not help but follow their emotions. All of this is played in front of a homage to Teresa Tang, the popular female Chinese singer, who died in the mid 90s. Her songs are a central theme throughout the film, and it is her death which ultimately brings both Lee and Siu Kwun together at the end of the film.

I thought both Maggie and Leon gave excellent performances. Maggie went on to win the Best Actress award at the 1997 Hong Kong film awards, but sadly, Leon didn't win, as in my opinion, he gave the best performance of his film career.

RATING

9 / 10