Run Lover Run
Director: Richard Chen Yao-chi
Year: 1975
Rating: 7.5
When you turn on
this video, it feels like you are opening a time capsule from nearly a quarter
century ago - an age that feels innocent and sweet (at least at the movies!).
Thus far in my slow but constant exploration of pre-1980 Brigitte Lin films
(when she only went under the name Lin Ching Hsia), this would have to be
my favorite. Unlike most of the others I have come across, this one would
not be classified as a Taiwanese “weepie”, but is in fact a light and amusing
comedy.
The film looks very westernized and contemporary
(at that time) and yet the story takes on very Chinese themes of family,courtship
and marriage. Brigitte is almost a Chinese Gidget (series of American films
in the 1960’s. ) - a girl just on the cusp of turning into a woman – but
in no rush to do so. Her mother clearly has other ideas though. At the
breakfast table one morning she sees a newspaper article that says that there
are 33% more women of marrying age than men – and goes into an immediate
panic that her 21-year old daughter will never get married! She immediately
starts marshalling all her resources to get Brigitte a good husband.
Brigitte could care less as she is a total
tomboy and loves nothing more than playing sports with her male buddies.
The viewer has the pleasure of watching Brigitte run track, do the high jump,
arm wrestle, play softball, climb mountains, swim a few laps – and most amazingly
– who would have thought the future Asia the Invincible would have such a
great jump shot in basketball! From a Brigittephile perspective – all this
activity was tremendously fun to watch. At the time of this film Brigitte
was in fact about 21 but looks even younger – a slim twig of a girl – but
already with the stunning face that would move a part of the world to tears
and rapture with her performances. In the very last scene though she metamorphasizes
wonderfully from girl to woman – and we see a hint of the Brigitte of the
future in her fierce glare!
It turns out that a friend of her brothers
– Alan Tang – is coming home after getting his degree in nuclear power in
America – and the wheels in the mother’s head starts turning. She announces
to Alan’s parents that the two have been in love for years and an engagement
date should be set. Alan’s parents are surprised that they didn’t know this,
but go along – because it is time for their son to settle down as well! The
two children know nothing of any of this. Brigitte’s father just does his
best to lay low and stay out of the way of the tornado that his wife has sowed.
There is no doubt as to who runs the home front.
One amusing scene is when Brigitte’s mother
is trying to sell Brigitte as a daughter-in-law to the other parents. Oh,
she is so sweet, meek, graceful and gracious – and she is now at the library
studying hard. Brigitte enters a moment later from a mountain climbing expedition
covered in dirt with a dead bird in her hand!
Though they really want little to do with
one another (Brigitte prefers men like Charles Bronson!), Brigitte and Alan
have to keep their families happy and spend time together. Brigitte tries
to pawn him off on the girlfriend of her brother who is away on military service
– but then romantic feelings start setting in - but is it too late
to win him back? What do you think!
The film is a warm little family comedy –
with a number of amusing touches and a few tuneful songs thrown in. Brigitte
is such a character – full of life – saucy – independent and bossy as hell
– but the mother almost steals the film. She is just determined to marry off
her daughter – and nothing will deter her!
