Pretty Ghost
Director: Teddy Chen
Year: 1991
Rating: 6.0
Aka - Alien Ghost
This fairly cute and harmless comedy serves
up lovely portions of Rosamund Kwan in full pout mode. Rosamund isn’t particularly
noted for her pout – a facial expression that many HK actresses have developed
into a science worthy of a Nobel Prize – the impudent pout, the I’m so adorable
pout, the seductive pout, the play hard to get pout, the let’s act like a
little girl who lost her doll pout, the your dessert looks better than mine
pout. In most of the films that I have seen Rosamund in, she is pretty straightforward
– sophisticated to some degree and generally adult like - and occasionally
"take no prisoners" sexy – but here she springs the pout on us like a guerrilla
ambush – and I must admit it is quite effective. Maybe it’s because she is
a ghost. Maybe I should start at the beginning of this story.
Tony Leung Kar-Fai is an architect who is very smitten with his co-worker
Ellen Chan – and who wouldn’t be? Ellen is picture perfect – like a Renoir
without a frame – and a lovely person to boot. Her only imperfection is her
boyfriend – the beefy and boorish Michael Chow who she regrettably seems attached
to like a bad cold. Tony being a bit shy and awkward around women can only
steal secret glances at Ellen and leave baskets of flowers on her desk when
she isn’t looking.
F
ortunately, Tony dies – well make that almost dies – a wicked ghost is after
his spirit and has Tony nearly crossing into Hell when Rosamund – in a flowing
white gown and lightly floating through the air – rescues him and brings him
back into the land of the living. In their interaction though Tony breathes
into the mouth of Rosamund and then accidentally faxes her to his house –
an easy mistake to make. At one time or another, we have all probably done
the same.
As you no doubt know – breathing into a ghost creates this connection between
the two of you - you feel what the other person (or ghost) feels. So Rosamund
becomes the ghost who stays for dinner – and breakfast – and lunch – she is
in no rush to leave – and though she can’t help with the rent, she comes in
very handy when Tony decides to press full court for Ellen. This all works
out swimmingly except when Tony suddenly breaks into tears because Rosamund
is watching a weepie on TV or into hysterical laughter (as Ellen is telling
him about her dead dog) because Rosamund switched to a comedy.
Rosamund is soon pouting up a storm though because she develops a sweet
tooth for Tony herself - but it’s a bit frustrating because as many
HK films have shown us ghosts and humans don’t really mesh well – if you
think seeing a woman's face in the morning can be scary - wait till you see
her ghost face! - but if Tony were dead then it would be different. Her father,
Woo Fung, who we first meet playing soccer with his own head decides maybe
he can help – by killing Tony and making his little girl happy.
By turns sweet and mildly comical, the film doesn’t have any substance at
all – but it has Tony Leung in a genial fall over his own feet performance,
Rosamund looking very soft and comfy, Ellen being the beautiful straight woman
– and some enjoyable special effects that would have been right at home in
a Disney film of the 60’s. Also appearing is funny lady Miu Siu-wai as a
ping pong revenge seeking secretary and cameos from Alfred Cheung and Lawrence
Cheng – both as priests.
