Tales of Love and Romance

Diary of Monita

Dir: Evan Yang
Orig Story: Yee Tat (aka John Yip)
Scr: Yang Qing
Prod Co: Cathay
Cast: Wang Ling, Jin Chuan, Wang Lai, Tu Wei, Chang Yang
1968 | Colour | DCP | Mandarin | Chinese Subtitles | 95min

Based on John Yip’s (better known by his pen name Yee Tat) wildly popular novel, first serialised in a magazine for two years and later published in three volumes, Diary of Monita follows the turbulent journey of a once-privileged high school girl confronting the harsh realities of a changing world. Monita (Wang Ling), a spoiled, rich teenager, has a crush on a poor student, but her actions unintentionally lead to his expulsion from school. Soon after, her father’s business collapses, and his sudden death in the US plunges her from wealth into poverty. Monita moves in with her aunt, only to face harassment from the aunt’s friend. Seeking refuge, she works at a professor’s painting studio, but his jealous wife forces her out. Through Monita’s misadventures, the film offers a glimpse into the lives of Hong Kong’s affluent class in the 1960s, reflecting society’s fascination with Western bourgeois lifestyles then.

Directed by Evan Yang, a multi-talented filmmaker with a strong literary background, the film distils Yee Tat’s expansive novel into a concise, gripping narrative. Like other MP & GI/Cathay productions, Diary of Monita embodies a sophisticated urban sensibility, but its rebellious and frustrated undertones make it stand out within the studio’s repertoire.

Courtesy of Cathay-Keris Films Pte Ltd

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