Film Name: 望夫成龙 / Love Is Love / 望夫成龍
Stephen Chow’s early films. Though his signature style was still developing back then, the simple storylines and unassuming characters remain deeply moving. It bears a striking resemblance to Stephen Chow’s autobiographical film “King of Comedy,” made after he became a cinematic icon—stripped of artifice, returning to simplicity. The daughter of a rural restaurant owner and an orphan who grew up doing odd jobs at the same establishment fall in love with the innocence typical of youth. At her sister’s suggestion, Sandra Ng decides to make their relationship irreversible, reasoning that once the rice is cooked, the father can’t oppose them being together. So on a stone bench, Sandra tries to hint to Stephen that some things can happen before marriage. Stephen adorably guesses wedding banquets and invitations. Back then, Stephen was still just Stephen, so innocent it felt like he was playing himself. But when they kiss, they’re caught by her father and a matchmaker, exposing their relationship. Sandra’s father strongly opposes it, so they decide to elope and make their fortune in the city.
The city’s glittering world held no allure for these penniless newcomers. They rented a shabby room for 800 yuan a month, holding hands even when crossing the street. After sprawling on a luxurious Simmons mattress for a moment, they bought only a simple foam pad to lay on their wooden bed. With a “Xi” character decoration, red candles, and a simple altar, they cooked a few decent dishes. Without a wedding dress or family blessings, they solemnly pledged their lives to each other. Yet their smiles were pure and clear. Sandra Ng bought a pair of ivory chopsticks for Stephen, using wooden ones herself. “You’re the head of the household,” she said, “the good things are for you!” Then Xing gave her an ivory one. They smiled at each other and happily ate their meal—one with ivory chopsticks, the other with wooden ones. This scene echoes The King of Comedy: two souls living at the bottom of society, where love is mutual devotion and physical affection, yet also the only flame offering encouragement and warmth in their lonely, bitter lives.
Sandra Ng portrays a deeply traditional woman here, living in a dilapidated shack yet telling her father she resides in a luxurious mansion nestled between mountains and sea, surrounded by serene beauty. She reserves her only pair of precious ivory chopsticks for her husband, sweeps toilets, cleans up guests’ vomit, washes dishes—performing the dirtiest, most grueling tasks without complaint. To scrape together 20,000 yuan for her husband’s bail, she even takes to the streets as a street performer, refusing to sell her body. Once, while dining with Sing at a restaurant, she spots nightclub patrons and falsely claims to be Sing’s sister. Upon learning the truth, Sing confronts the matchmaker. After venting his anger, he resolves to work tirelessly. Simultaneously, he fortuitously meets Princess, eventually rising from a lowly errand boy to department head. The couple moves from a dilapidated attic to a spacious, bright high-rise with an elevator. Yet their differences grow increasingly pronounced. At a company dinner, Jun insisted on cooking caviar and topping it with a fried egg—utterly Temple Street style. Xing watched the elegant boss’s daughter and compared her to his own wife, feeling utterly humiliated. Jun gave Xing’s memo-function calculator to their sister to use as a game console. Xing flew into a rage, complaining that he studied law on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and business administration on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays. Already exhausted from his demanding schedule, his wife was adding to his troubles. Jun cried, “I don’t understand anything, but all I want is for my husband to come home to a comfortable, welcoming house. Now that we live in this big apartment, I’m not as happy as I was in that old, run-down attic.” Such ordinary reasons for quarrels in life. The man believes he works himself to the bone outside just to provide his wife with a good life, while the woman feels this isn’t the life she wants, wishing her husband would spend more time with her instead. Yet when the man does spend more time with his wife, she complains, “Why aren’t you ambitious? How long must I suffer alongside you?” The eternal source of conflict between husband and wife.
To support her husband’s career, Jun left. Xing followed his boss’s daughter to Singapore, yet never truly let go of his wife, persistently sending people to search for her. This is portrayed subtly: earlier, the beautiful princess mentioned wanting someone to care for her while managing the company in Singapore, but later she had another boyfriend, treating Xing like an old friend. The story between these events leaves much to the imagination, rich with meaning. Xing remained a kind-hearted man, still honoring his promise to make Jun happy. Compared to the scene in The King of Comedy where Karen Mok learns Sing has a girlfriend and immediately removes him from the lead role, this moment is far more tender and beautiful.
Finally, the two revisit their old haunts and unexpectedly meet in the dilapidated attic where they once lived during hard times. Their reunion is free of tearful lamentations, no tears soaking their sleeves, no awkward silence where words fail. It lacks sentimentality, gaining instead a quiet sincerity. A thousand words dissolved into a few casual pleasantries. The Jun of today was no longer the devoted young wife of yesteryear. She sported stylish curls, smoked elegantly, and carried herself with calm composure. Then, at the film’s conclusion, Xing chased after his wife. They embraced and kissed. Tragedy often elevates a film’s overall tone, and many wished the movie had frozen on the image of Xing running up the stairs to catch up with Jun—much like Scarlett, after losing Rhett, repeatedly declaring that tomorrow would be a new day.
The ending was beautiful, yet reality was cruel. Falling in love is easy; staying together is hard.
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