Despite winning Best Art Direction at Taiwan’s Golden Horse Awards for Chan Kingsam’s intricate set design, particularly for the never-before-seen saltern that appears at the beginning and near the end of the film, The Tiger and the Widow is an almost forgotten minor classic by Li Han-hsiang. Adapted from a well-acclaimed halfhistorical- half-fictional novel by renowned writer Kao Yang, the film’s main concern is interestingly not with the convoluted and dramatic plot, but the deep bonding, indeed unrepentant love, between the two titular characters, and the theme of collusions between devious businessmen of the commercial world and corrupt government officials. The cast’s combination is also intriguing. Anthony Lau Wing, who plays the Tiger; Tanny Tien Ni, is from Taiwan and used to be a wenyi pian star; and Kara Hui Ying-hung is a regular action actress for Lau Kar-leung’s kung-fu films. All give credible and delicate performances.

©Licensed by Celestial Pictures Limited. All rights reserved.

30/9

(Sun)

9:15pm

Cinema, Hong Kong Film Archive

17/11

(Sat)

2:00pm

Cinema, Hong Kong Film Archive