' Return Of The Phoenix '
Cast: Li Hsiang-chun, Chin Feng
Director: Li Han-hsiang
Synopsis
A retired minister of the Ming Dynasty has arranged his younger daughter to marry a poor but handsome scholar. When he was called upon by a sudden court order, he left the wedding arrangements to his scheming wife who had planned to replace the bride with her ugly daughter at the wedding...
Rating : 3 1/2 stars of 5
5 comments:
Hilarious!!!! Chiang Kwang Chiao and Elisabeth Huang made such a ugly couple but each believe that he deserved a better partner. You should see Chin Feng's reaction when he first saw his "bride to be"! Shocked and disbelief, he ran away the next day!
I would like to further comment on Elisabeth Huang's singing, I heard that Ivy Ling Po sang for her, the voices of the two don't go well, it's like a mouse singing for an elephant! But I think the director intentionally do that to make it funnier!
So folks, if you have some bad days, watch this movie and you'll feel good!
The plot of this huangmei comedy drama was simple and straightforward, accompanied by numerous comical acts of bickering by Chiang Kwong Chao and that ‘ugly’ stepsister. In fact, these 2 roles kept the flame burning till the end.
I was pretty dumbfounded when Chiang Kwong Chao first appeared on the screen. I said to myself, oh my god, what had they done to his teeth! Very unsightly and poor guy, he could hardly even say his lines properly……….Nevertheless, he seemed to have coped better as the movie unraveled.
Actress Kao Pao Shu, on the other hand, was blessed with the role of a wicked step-mother. At least, she wasn’t as harsh and ruthless as the one seen in “The Female Prince”.
Chin Feng and Li Hsiang-Chun, despite offered the main leads, their performances were very ordinary. Still, it would be dishonest to spoil the fun by pointing a thumb down, because it did have its entertaining moments like the parts where Chin Feng was scared out of his wits when he first met the ‘ugly’ step-sister and the moment he met his beautiful bride.
Similarly, Li Hsiang-Chun looked tall, elegant and beautiful, and in fact also quite handsome in the ‘exile’ scene where she dressed up as a scholar. I was also surprised to see Renjieh whose performance was definitely livelier and loosen-up here than that seen in "Dream Of red Chamber".
This comedy-drama however will not be complete without all the refreshing, catchy and contagious Huangmei songs, dubbed by Ling Po and Tsin Ting. I also love the all-so familiar Huangmei music of “Love Eterne” playing at the background. It’s a real shame Ling Po was still an unknown star then.
In conclusion, it’s a light, amusing Huangmei comedy which is worth considering!:)
A good comedy. Delightful! I enjoyed watching.
I watched it again last night for the songs. Good. :)
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