The main story: an ill-fated romance turns deadly in 1934 over a promise between a tragically faithful courtesan and her cowardly, drug-addled scion. The framing device: the dead woman returns, in 1987, and asks a journalist and his girlfriend to help look for her vanished lover. The historical setting: Hong Kong in the mid-1980s, a city haunted by an agreement that spawned alienation and anxiety about an uncertain future. The actors: pop icons Leslie Cheung and Anita Mui at their prime, defying their showbiz personas with career-defining performances. Of course, there is Stanley Kwan marshalling all that, his thoughtful mise-en-scène evoking a nostalgia about more romantic and melodramatic times – for his characters 40 years ago, and for us, now. Clarence Tsui
FRI 27 > 7:15 PM
