A Widow's Tears

Director and Scriptwriter: Zhu Shilin
Co-Directors: Long Ling, Chan Ching-po
Original Story: Si Tak
Cast: Hsia Moon, Bow Fong, Liu Su, Betty Loh Ti, Cao Yan
Production: The Great Wall Movie Enterprises Ltd.
1956 | B&W | Cantonese (dubbed) | 106min

A master in portraying familial conflict and exploring the status of women in society, Zhu Shilin, doubling as director and screenwriter, adapts A Widow’s Tears from the newspaper serial novel The New Widow by Si Tak (aka Sam So and Ko Hung). Young wife Fang Mei (Hsia Moon) loses her husband on the day of their second anniversary. Grief-stricken, she also has to deal with a mother-in-law (Liu Su) who bombards her with accusations and the untoward advances of her sister-in-law’s boyfriend, her mental suffering highlighting the ways women are mistreated and oppressed in traditional feudal society.

The title character, trapped between cultures of old and new, transforms from a submissive being to a strong, independent woman who seeks her own path in life, animating the progressive belief of women’s liberation held by Great Wall, Feng Huang, and Sun Luen. Zhu’s fluid, meticulous directorial style depicts the widow’s mourning in subtle, touching ways, perfectly complementing star Hsia’s poignant performance. Moments of the widow weeping while clutching her dead husband’s morning coat or mourning at his grave are heart-wrenching, the delicate expressiveness of Hsia’s gaze especially affecting.

This film depicts the continual evolution of ethics and moral values as China transitioned from the feudal era to the modern age. Provoking thought and reflection on society and culture, it is appropriate for secondary students.

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