Little Sister-in-Law a.k.a. Love Affairs

Director: Yang Su
Year: 1975
Rating: 5.5
Most HK film fans from the West first glimpsed Brigitte Lin in one of her mesmerizing fantasy roles of the 1990s. That first look was like a bolt of electricity directly fed into your nerve synapses. Who was this woman? What was this woman? Seemingly more a force of nature than a flesh and blood actress. Whether she was a man transmuting into a woman (Swordsman II) or a woman coyly disguised as a man (Handsome Siblings) or a woman warrior deeply in love with her comrade (Dragon Inn) or a vengeful daughter seeking revenge for her parents (Deadful Melody) or a killer softened by her love for a man (Fire Dragon) or an insane gender switching schizophrenic (Ashes of Time), she held us transfixed with her infamous glare, her enigmatic smile, her swirling grace and her rapturous presence. She exuded power, confidence, beauty, style and charisma unlike any actress – ever.

Even with all the wonderful HK actresses in the 90’s, it is hard to imagine any of them playing the roles that Brigitte took on. Without Brigitte one has to wonder if this fantasy genre would even have existed – she gave it life and respectability and pure cinematic magic. When she retired in 1994, the genre soon followed in her footsteps.


Of course as one delves more into HK films it soon begins to filter through your consciousness that Brigitte didn’t suddenly appear one day – a gift from the Gods – to play Asia the Invincible – but that she had a previous life in film. In fact you begin to realize that she was that mysterious and alluring killer behind the sunglasses and underneath the blonde wig in Chungking Express, the sublime Ice Princess in Zu, the witness in Police Story and the idealistic freedom fighter in the classic Peking Opera Blues. Then you chance upon her in films where she is left emotionally bare – searing dramas like Lady in Black and Dream Lovers – and you begin to understand what an incredibly good actress she really is. Its more than just presence – its more than whirling robes and shooting scarves – its more than painfully beautiful close ups – its more than larger than life characters – this woman is a great actress – pure and simple – and she can act the hell out of any role and reach out and grab the audience by the heart or by the throat.
 

Before all this, there was Lin Ching Hsia. During the 1970’s this actress was a hugely popular star in Taiwan – churning out weepies and light comedies – and becoming basically the sweetheart of Taiwan and the many Chinese communities around the world. As YTSL has informed me, to this day there are many Chinese who don’t even realize that Lin Ching Hsia and Brigitte Lin is one and the same person. They have never connected that fierce presence on the screen of the 90’s with the gentle, sweet characters of their youthful memories.

When you take in the totality of Brigitte’s career it is certainly momentous and awe inspiring. It spans the golden age of Hong Kong film and she was a vital part of it all. From her debut in 1973 (at the tender age of 19) through the Taiwanese weepie days – through the low points of her campy collaborations with director Chu Yin-Ping (Demon Fighter, Amazon Commandos, Fantasy Mission Force) in the early 80’s to her “re-discovery” and “re-invention” under the direction of Tsui Hark in Zu and Peking Opera Blues. Finally to the glorious years of the early 90’s to her all too early retirement in 1994 on the cinematic highs of Ashes of Time and Chungking Express. Her life would make a hell of a movie.


Sorry for blathering on –  I just have to Brigittophize from time to time – and I don’t actually have much to say about this film! Watching these old Brigitte films is always a bit of a gamble in terms of them having sub-titles or not. As the opening credits role, you hope that they will – but as often as not they don’t. Since I am not really watching these for the story lines that tend to be fairly anemic  - but simply to see Brigitte – I go on with or without sub-titles.

In this case the film did not – and I have to say I was a bit confused about what was going on. It was a family comedy  taking place in modern day times. From what I could gather – Brigitte’s older sister and her husband (Ko Chuen-hsiang – Tiger in Jackie Chan’s Mr. Canton and Lady Rose) come to visit Brigitte and mom and dad in Taipei. For some reason, the sister doesn’t like going out – I think because she is trying to get pregnant – and so Brigitte has to pass herself off as Ko’s wife on business/social occasions. So at a business dinner she gets herself all dolled up – looks like a million bucks – and knocks out everyone at the dinner table with her charm and dazzling looks.

She has a bit too much too drink  - dances closely with the brother-in-law – comes home – does a few cha cha cha dance steps (which made the entire film worthwhile) and passes out. For a while I thought this was definitely leading to Brigitte and the brother-in-law having a torrid affair – but no such luck – just wishful thinking. Instead though Ko is invited to spend a weekend with a business contact at a posh hotel – and he has to bring his wife – whom all these people think is Brigitte. The real wife comes along and pretends that Brigitte’s boyfriend is her husband and they play musical rooms.


It’s sort of amusing in a Andy Hardy innocent way – but not one of Brigitte’s early classics like Run Lover Run.