Dir/ Scr: Chiang Wai-kwong
Librettist: Tong Tik-sang
Prod Co: Chung Kwong
Cast: Yam Kim-fai, Pak Suet-sin, Poon Yat On, So Siu-tong, Leung So-kam
1959 / B&W / D Beta / Cantonese / 112min

 

The charm of tragic heroes, as per H. A. Myers'  Tragedy: Vision and Form , lies in their steadfast refusal to reconcile themselves to their fates. From  Love in the Red Chamber  to  A Poor Girl , it is clear that Tong knows the true essence of the art. While asserting that  hudan  have to endear themselves to audiences by winning their pity, Tong fleshed out Pak Suet-sin's role for this film with an unquenchable desire for truth and justice. In the film, Pak is a dutiful concubine who is framed for murdering her own son by her husband's wife. Undeterred by the physical torture during the trial, she defends her innocence ferociously in front of her unwitting husband (Yam Kim-fai) until justice is served. Pak, known for her portrayals of cloistered maidens and boisterous little girls, inhabits this role of a downtrodden woman with equally great finesse.