I would like to think that over the years, my cinematic tastes have matured from those that I had as a teenager. Whilst I still gravitate towards genre cinema as opposed to the art house, I do like to think more deeply about a film than just it's body count. A case in point being “A Moment of Romance”. When I first saw it, I was not impressed. I was around 19 years old and probably far too influenced by John Woo's bullet ballets to fully engage with what I saw as a rather dull and ridiculous love story interspersed with a bit of triad action. A decade or so later I watched it again. By now I was more widely read and had expanded my viewing pallet to encompass all sorts of styles and genres. I now understood better why characters acted in the way that they did and all, of a sudden, this picture just “clicked” with me. Now I consider it a masterpiece of the time and one of its generations seminal works. So, if you care to read on, then hopefully I might convince you to give it a try too.
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Wah Dee (Andy Lau) is a junior triad member who gets involved in a jewellery store heist that goes wrong. To escape, he takes a young woman Jo Jo (Wu Chien-lien) hostage. Trumpet (Tommy Wong), a senior member of the gang, orders her to be killed but a reluctant Wah Dee rescues her instead. Despite his indifference, Jo Jo finds herself falling for Wah Dee. Although he tries to push her away, he too develops feelings for her. Trumpet meanwhile is creating friction in his efforts to rise in the triad rankings. After killing their leader Brother Seven, he takes charge, which puts the lovers in danger and their star-crossed relationship leads to inevitable tragedy.
The Score. Even when I was very much against this film's charms, it possessed one of the best soundtracks to ever grace a Hong Kong movie, beyond providing songs that really elevate it above the standard Cantopop. So often we get syrupy ballads that are almost cut and paste along with the product they appear in that it's impossible to differentiate which film they came from. These songs add another layer to the emotional depth and just feel so different. Even the love song is one of the most memorable and really gives the final scenes a powerful heart-breaking dimension as it plays alongside the action on-screen.
During this time Andy Lau was barely away from the cinematic screen. Like most of his peers, he was making movie after movie, endlessly replaying the rebellious youth character. Some would emerge as classics, “As Tears go By” for example. Most would be forgettable potboilers that remain deservedly forgotten. As a result, he would often coast through these vehicles and rely on his presence to get him through. Here as Wah Dee he gets a role that he can sink his teeth into. On the surface, it's another loner rebel that is doomed to an early demise and unable to escape the fate he is destined for. So far so typical. Here though we see glimpses of a more rounded person. He pushes those closest away from him as a defence mechanism. There is a recognition in his own fate, no matter how he tries to change it and it adds empathy to an otherwise potentially unlikeable character.
Think of Ng Man Tat today and most will think of his more famous roles as sidekick to Stephen Chow and the comical buffoon he tends to play. Yet prior to these he was a more serious character actor, often appearing as either a heavy or someone with a more dubious connection. He is a revelation in this as the simple minded Rambo. The relationship with Wah Dee is almost “Of Mice and Men” levels, with him taking on the role of George, unable to move on with his life due to a loyalty to Lenny, resulting in the film having two central tragic stories. The central romantic one and the other between friends. His final moments, a combination of elation and pain, provide a powerful scene. The absurdity of making his name in a futile gesture underpins the whole pointlessness of the violence unfolding. It's a performance that deservedly won him best supporting actor accolades.
Tommy Wong was for a time the go-to man if you wanted a psychotic triad member (Roy Cheung was always the cooler screen persona even when on henchman duty). Here is probably his finest role as Trumpet. Arrogant, cocky and fuelled by ambition, he is the loose cannon that torches everything in front of him to get what he wants. Quick to violence, he is the walking embodiment of danger. Wu Chien-lien brings a grace to the naïve Jo Jo. The interaction with Wah Dee initially stems from an innocent excitement but deepens into something more meaningful as the narrative progresses. It's a stereotypical role but she manages to bring it to life and the climax for her character running alone in her wedding dress along an empty road is one of the most heart-breaking conclusions to any movie.
Aside from a “happy relationship montage” that is a bit out of place, the tone of “A Moment of Romance” is consistent. The violence, when it occurs, is for the most part un-glamorized and ugly. This is not the John Woo heroic bloodshed with slow motion gunfire and characters looking cool. This is the triad foot soldier level, with knives and death coming slowly and painfully. That it successfully manages to integrate a solid coming of age love story into this world is testament to the work of the director Benny Chan. Whilst he is not one of the first names you think of when looking at film makers of this era, he did produce a steady body of work until his recent passing. It's the small moments that elevate it to the higher echelons of its era. The reveal that Jo Jo wanted to share her birthday with Wah Dee after he's scared her senseless in a street race, her cleaning of his apartment, the Wedding dress scene. All these moments of fleeting happiness that make you hope that the inevitable can somehow be avoided.
This is so much more than the usual Andy Lau starring vehicle. Does it feature him as a rebellious youth? Check. Is there a motorbike used for added coolness? Check. Inevitable tragedy due to misplaced loyalty? Check. Ingénue love interest from a more respectable background? Check. The clichés are there, but just because it follows a beaten path does not hinder it. It's how it takes them and through excellent writing, direction and performance elevate it to a higher level. During the peak of the New Wave, there were countless movies being made with the majority having no pretence to being high art, just interested in getting the cinema goers money. So, for the uninitiated, it feels like a minefield trying to work out where to start and what to ignore. “A Moment of Romance” is what happens when the commercial instincts of an industry merge with a cast and crew that are on the top of their game and interested in making a quality production. This is one of the finest examples of its genre. It snuck up on me and stayed within me until I recognized its merits, Watch it, feel it and just enjoy a classic!
