Shanghai Blues
By Kit Macdonald
Tsui Hark’s Shanghai Blues (1984) is a tremendously odd blend of screwball comedy, romantic melodrama and wartime nostalgia. Set in Shanghai during the Second World War, it follows a pair of women whose lives become intertwined with the same man while a series of misunderstandings, coincidences and near-misses keep romance just out of reach. The film’s central conceit – that people can repeatedly cross paths without recognising their connection – lends the film the feeling of a wartime fairytale.
Beautifully shot and very funny, Shanghai Blues is also much loved for its exuberant visual style and tonal fluidity. Tsui moves effortlessly between broad physical comedy, elaborate set pieces and genuinely poignant moments of longing. A charming and enduring example of Hong Kong's inventive 1980s cinema.