48 HERO OF SILVER SCREEN : Ivy Ling Po

(01) Ivy Ling Po in ...

... ' The Mighty One '

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... ' Finger Of Doom '

47 TAIWAN ROMANCE : ' A Love Seed '

' A Love Seed '







Cast: Brigitte Lin, Chin Han, Ma Yong Lin
Director: Liu Li-li

Synopsis

Chin Han played an introvert who was secretly in love with Brigitte. However, he had to suppress his feelings when he discovered Brigitte's relationship with his younger brother....

Another Qiong Yao's adapted novel. Brigitte Lin's outstanding performance especially in the finale where she confessed to Chin Han who was in a coma. Chin Han as a devoted lover is equally impressive. Bonus score for Fong Fei Fei's four memorable songs.

Rating : 4 stars of 5

46 TAIWAN ROMANCE : ' Love Under The Rosy Sky '

' Love Under The Rosy Sky '








Cast : Brigitte Lin, Chin Han
Director : Liu Li-li

Synopsis

Based on a true romance of a couple, Qiong Yao had written this touching story about 'True Love' ...

Ying Cai-qing, a damsel-in-distress, was devoted to her childhood friend Qiao Shu-pei since she was six years old. When her dad was in prison, she was forced to marry a lawyer as her family thought he could be her dad's saviour. Thus, her dream to marry Qiao shattered...

A year later, YIng left the lawyer after she had discovered that he was actually a married man and a liar. She returned to Qiao who was then an undergrad.

Qiao was glad to see his first love again and prepared to put her past behind. After their cohabitation, Ying started to feel insecure and belittle as their disparity became wide.....

Rating : 4 stars of 5

45 TAIWAN ROMANCE: ' Cloud Of Romance'

' Cloud of Romance '








Cast: Brigitte Lin, Charlie Chin, Chin Han
Director: Chen Hong-lieh

Synopsis

Brigitte and Charlie, a loving couple whose relationship was strongly objected by Charlie's mother. This had caused Brigitte to marry Chin Han, her childhood boyfriend with whom she was never in love. Tragedy began when Charlie decided to reconcile with Brigitte..........









A very romantic movie ! Outstanding performances by Brigitte and Charlie. The 4 evergreen songs sung by Fong Fei Fei are memorable. The only flaw is Charlie and Chin Han have never appeared together in a scene throughout the movie.........










Rating: 4 stars of 5

44 STAR : Shih Sze

(15) Shih Sze

Shih Sze, the second ' Queen Of Sword ' after Cheng Pei-pei leaving Shaw Bros Studio.

Her first wu xia film ' The Lady Hermit ' shot her to stardom in the '70s ..

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43 STAR : Yueh Hua

(14) Yueh Hua

Yueh Hua starred in over 90 films in a career that spanned over 30 years.

During the '60s and '70s , he averaged 5 films per year with all the Shaw Brothers' main leading actresses.

Yueh Hua's character in ' Come Drink With Me ' is still considered his best role.

42 LOST CLASSICS : ' Ripples '

' Ripples '

Cast : Ching Li, Tsung Hua
Director : Lo Chen

Synopsis

Ching Li played a pretty village girl who was brought up by her uncle. She had a childhood sweetheart ( played by Tsung Hua ) who had left the village for better prospects. Years later, Tsung Hua returned to propose marriage to Ching Li.

On the day of arrival at the village, Tsung Hua clashed with an elderly man over a game of chess, not knowing that he was actually Ching Li's uncle. When they were formally introduced, Ching's uncle immediately opposed their marriage; instead he arranged to wed Ching to a wealthy man's son.

No sooner did they find out that the son was a real hooligan in the village. After many hindrances, Ching Li and Tsung Hua were free to marry, of course under the uncle's blessings

41 LOST CLASSICS : ' The Purple Shell '

' The Purple Shell '

Cast : Ling Yun , Chiang Feng
Director : Pan Lei

Synopsis

Ling Yun played as a successful businessman and was married with a kid. However, he felt "emptiness" in life as he could hardly find anyone to share his feelings. His wife was too addicted to gambling and his kid was too young to understand his inner world.

His 'emptiness' was preoccupied with Chiang Feng, a married woman whom he met at a party. When he learned how Chiang was being ill-treated by her brutal husband, his sympathy towards her had developed into love.

Soon the husband came to know of their relationship. He further tortured Chiang physically and mentally to the extent that she had ended in an asylum. The husband finally agreed to file a divorce upon seeing her aggravated mental conditions.

One year passed and Ling Yun continued to be with Chiang until her recovery. It was a miracle that she recovered, but she had yet to expect being confronted by Ling's family and accused of breaking up their family.

Stress and social pressures had driven Chiang to end her life, leaving Ling Yun all alone in the memory lane......

40 SB MUSICAL : ' Hong Kong Rhapsody '

' Hong Kong Rhapsody '

Cast : Li Ching, Peter Chen Ho
Director Inoue Umetsugu

Synopsis

Peter Chen Ho played a Casanova whose knotty love life was unraveled when Li Ching, the daughter of his late friend, came to seek him out. They both stumbled into a millionaire who led them to more colorful and surprises encounters …………

Songs and dances all the way in this light-hearted romance. Fun and entertaining musical comedy except for the mismatch couple Peter Chen Ho and Li Ching.

Rating : 3 stars of 5

39 SB MUSICAL : ' The Human Goddess '

' The Human Goddess '

Cast : Li Ching, Chin Feng
Director : Ho Meng Hua

Synopsis

Long ago, there were seven heavenly fairies; the youngest was again curious about the mortal world and had descended to see the world below; hence began the contemporary version of “A Maid From Heaven”...

The alluring fairy came to Hong Kong and met her beloved man. She exercised her magical powers to save her mortal lover’s orphanage from a villain who wanted to dominate the orphanage for his selfish gain……..

Despite the dated special effects, this slapstick is rather entertaining with a number of delightful songs and dances… Li Ching is adorable as the alluring fairy but Chin Feng looks old as her mortal lover…

Rating : 3 1/2 stars of 5

38 SB MUSICAL : ' Guess Who Killed My 12 Lovers '

‘ Guess Who Killed My Twelve Lovers ? ‘

Cast : Jenny Hu, Chin Han
Director : Wu Jia-hsiang

Synopsis

A lady in red bikini had arrived by speedboat at an off-shore island to seek shelter from an approaching typhoon. She soon became the prime suspect when the radio announced a serial murderer on a run in a speedboat; thus aroused commotion …

A hilarious musical slapstick with an interesting intro but ridiculous finale …

Rating : 2 ½ stars of 5

37 SB SWORDSPLAY '70s : ' The Magic Blade '

" The Magic Blade "

Cast : Ti Lung , Lo Lieh , Ching Li , Tien Ni
Director : Chu Yuan

Synopsis

A tale of a wandering swordsman who joined his rival, vying with a power-hungry villain for possession of a legendary weapon “Peacock Dart”; henceforth led to a series of bloody battles, mysteries and suspense in due course..

A highly entertaining Ku Lung’s adaptation ! Ti Lung once again exudes his charisma especially when he spun his ‘magic blade’ round its axle while fighting his challengers.

Ratings : 3 ½ stars of 5

36 SB SWORDSPLAY '70s : ' Heaven Sword And Dragon Sabre '

' Heaven Sword & Dragon Sabre '

Cast : Derek Yee, Candice Yu, Ching Li , Lo Lieh
Director : Chu Yuan

Synopsis

Many clans believed that whoever owned two sainted weapons ( Heaven Sword and Dragon Sabre ) would reign supremacy in the martial world. One renowned clan had the Heaven Sword, but the Dragon Sabre was missing. Only one person named Golden Lion knew the whereabout of the missing weapon and thus, stirred commotions in the martial world to locate the Golden Lion…

Director Chu Yuan was ambitious to have condensed a classic novel which has so many characters and subplots into a three hours movie ( Part I and II ) ; thus caused a little confusion in the beginning of the show. However, this is still one of the great swordplay movies that is highly entertaining and worthy watching .

Ratings : 4 stars of 5

35 DIRECTOR : ' Inoue Umetsugu '

(03) Shaw Bros Director - Inoue Umetsugu

Inoue Umetsugu, one of Shaw Brothers Japanese import who is famous for his series of Hong Kong’s Hollywood-styled musical extravaganza. In the ‘60s, he has three musical hits with Shaw Studio: “The Millionaire Chase”, “Hong Kong Nocturne” and “Hong Kong Rhapsody”.

“The Millionaire Chase” depicts the adventures of a trio ( Lily Ho, Chin Ping, Ting Pei) who search for their love and wealth; “Hong Kong Nocturne” revolves three sisters (Cheng Pei Pei, Lily Ho and Chin Ping) who go separate ways in search of their dreams; “Hong Kong Rhapsody” teams Li Ching and Chen Ho to make this light-hearted romp a delight for romantics.

Inoue continues to impart a Japanese sensibility in his subsequent musicals. “We Love Millionaires” and “The Venus’ Tear Diamond” ( both starring Lily Ho, Ling Yun) are familiar musical slapsticks with Hong Kong, Japan and Korea pop-cultures; then his “The Yellow Muffler”, “Whose Baby Is In The Classroom ? “, ……. However, the results are silly and ridiculous plots which ruined the talents.

Inoue has demonstrated his directing versatility. In the early ‘70s, he has made an interesting crime thriller “The Brain Stealers” ( starring Lily Ho, Chen Ho) . Same era, he makes a romance movie “Sunset” ( starring Ching Li, Chin Pei) where the weak plot is a disappointment. His most successful masterpiece is the “5 Billion Dollar Legacy” ( starring Hsing Hui, Wang Ping ) .

34 VOICE : ' It's All About Huangmei '

' It's All About Huangmei '

In the 60s, Huangmei opera played a significant role of Shaw Brothers studio. It is not only the theatrical success , but also of the artistic achievements.

The first SB Huangmei film was "Diau Charn"; followed by "The Kingdom and the Beauty" and "Love Eterne". The latter broke the box office records at the time of release and that classic "Huangmei opera"craze swept Asia for years. Soon, Ivy Ling Po became the most favorite leading figure of the Huangmei opera genre.

Followings are the memorable SB Huangmei films:

!) Diau Charn (cast: Lin Dai)
2)The Kingdom and the Beauty (cast: Lin Dai)
3) Dream of the red chamber (cast: Loh Ti)
4) Madam White Snake (cast: Lin Dai)
5) Love Eterne (cast: Loh Ti, Ling Po)










6) Three sinners (cast: Li Li Hua)
7) The story of Sue San (cast: Loh Ti)
8) The return of the phoenix (cast: Chin Feng)
9) Beyond the great wall (cast: Lin Dai)
10) A maid from the heaven (cast: Ling Po, Fang Yin)










11) Lady general Hua Mu Lan (cast: Ling Po, Chin Han)
12) The comedy of mismatches (cast: Chin Feng, Ting Hung)
13) The lotus lamp (cast: Lin Dai, Cheng Pei Pei, Li Ching)
14) The crimson palm (cast: Ling Po, Chin Ping)
15) The butterfly chalice (cast: Chin Feng, Ting Hung)










16) The female prince (cast: Ling Po, Fang Yin)
17) The songfest (cast: Tu Chuan)
18) Inside the forbidden city (cast: Ling Po)
19) The grand substitution (cast: Li Li Hua, Ling Po)
20) The Amorous Lotus Pan (cast: Chang Chung Wen)











21) The mermaid (cast: Li Ching, Ling Po)
22) The west chamber (cast: Ling Po, Li Ching, Fang Yin)
23) Dawn will come (cast: Ling Po)
24) The perfumed arrow (cast: Ling Po, Chin Feng)
25) The pearl phoenix (cast: Li Ching)










26) The mirror and the lichee (cast: Ling Po, Fang Yin)
27) Forever and ever (cast: Ling Po)
28) The three smiles (cast: Ling Po, Li Ching)
29) Dream of the red chamber (cast: Lin Chin Hsiang)

33 STAR : Betty Ting Pei

(13) Betty Ting Pei

In her early years with Shaw Studio, Betty Ting Pei starred in musicals like ‘ The Yellow Muffler ‘ and ‘ The Millionaire Chase’ .

Due to her perceived persona, she was often cast as a mistress or a woman of less-than-perfect morals as in her later movies ‘ Adultery, Chinese Style’ , ‘ Bruce Lee and I ‘ ….

She had achieved fame beyond her own expectation when she was implicated in the mysterious death of International Superstar Bruce Lee
…

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32 STAR : Chen Kuan-tai

(12) Chen Kuan-tai

Chen Kuan-tai was born in Canton. He was one of SB's first real and solidly trained martial arts stars.

In 1972, his movie "The Boxer From Shantung" rocketed him to the top..
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31 STAR : Ching Li

( 11 ) Ching Li

Ching Li is one of Shaw's popular actress with outstanding acting skills to star in a string of successful movies.

Some of her notable films shot at Shaw Brothers Studio in the '60s~'70s are “ My Dream Boat “, “ When The Clouds Roll By”, "Lovers Destiny", "The House of 72 Tenants", "Clan of amazons", " The Magic Blade"....