A China-Hong Kong production, “Eighteen Springs” signaled the second time Ann Hui would direct a novel by Eileen Chang, following “Love in a Fallen City” and tailing “Love after Love”. The movie won a number of awards, mostly in festivals from the wider Chinese world and mostly for Anita Mui‘s performance.
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The story begins during the 30s, when Manzhen works as a clerical assistant in a factory in Shanghai. Her elder sister, Manlu, works as a nightclub hostess, and is essentially the one providing for the whole family. Manzhen meets two former classmates in the factory, Shuhui and Shijun, and the three become friends. Soon, however, she falls in love with the latter, who is actually the son of a rich merchant from Nanjing, and has decided to leave his family, unwilling to take over the business. As the romance blooms gradually, Shuhui, who also has feelings for Manzhen, decides to hide them, considering himself too lowborn to pursue them. Eventually, though, when his father becomes ill, Shijun has to return to Nanjing, where he is urged by his stepmother to marry his cousin, Shi.
In the meantime, Manlu, unable to marry the man she loves, ends up marrying a former patron, playboy Zhu Hongcai, who is quite rich, but also quite decadent. In a rather shocking turn of events some years later, when it is revealed she cannot have children, Manlu arrange for her sister to be locked in their mansion and raped by Zhu, who was always attracted to her. Manzhen becomes pregnant and is kept prisoner in Zhu’s mansion, unable to contact Shijun.
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The movie begins and actually unfolds like a period novel in the style of “Pride and Prejudice” for example, which essentially provides material for a melodramatic soap opera regarding who will win the hands of the sought-after brides and grooms. In Ann Hui’s hands, however, it turns to something completely different, additionally due to some of the key details in the story. Evidently, the aforementioned rape is the central one, in a rather cruel comment about the place of women in the then society, and also the blights of family as a concept, which in this story, is presented in the bleakest colors possible.
A second element is the fact that the romance between two people obviously in love falls repeatedly through, due to her families, their obligations, and even history as Japanese Occupation and WW2 take place, adding a very appealing sense of drama in the narrative.
Thirdly, there is an element that is also a trademark of Hui’s filmography, of focusing on the struggles of women to maintain their individualism in a rather patriarchal society, and frequently failing in the worst way. This aspect is quite intriguing to watch, as much as pragmatic of the times.
Also quite interesting is the approach Ann Hui takes to the adaptation of the novel, in a tactic that can be described as literary, something that the HK director actually thrives in. The main element of this tactic is the narration, which actually happens parallely from two sides, from both Manjing and Shujun, who narrate the events in succession, occasionally through slightly contradictory perspectives. The visuals, however, concern only the latter, as his perspective is the one depicted, despite the fact that it is Manjing’s story that is the more central one. This choice seems somewhat strange, but actually works in terms of the way the story progresses.
The acting is definitely on a very high level. Leon Lai as Shujun fills the screen with his charisma, in a role, though, that is not that demanding, considering his character is quite timid. Jacklyn Wu as Manzhen is equally captivating in her appearance, while presenting the torments her character undergoes rather convincingly, even if with a note of excessiveness on occasion. The ones who steal the show, though, are the secondary characters here. Anita Mui as Manly shines throughout, both as a kind of femme fatale in the beginning and as a woman desperately trying to survive later on. Ge You as Zhu Hongcai presents his self-centered, diva ways to perfection, while Huang Lei is exceptional as Shuhui, in the way he presents his bitterness and eagerness.
Mark Lee Ping-bing‘s cinematography captures the different setting with his usual prowess, with the framing and the coloring adding to the sense of nostalgia that permeates the movie, while the difference between the eras is also rather well-presented. There are also numerous scenes of eating and drinking, with the visual approach reminding the “Flowers of Shanghai” on occasion. Wong Yee-shun and Poon Hung’s editing results in a mid tempo that suits the style of the story nicely.
Although not particularly advertised, “Eighteen Springs” is actually among the best films Hui has directed, and an overall captivating story that is rather well presented cinematically.
