The Swallow's Message

Dir: Chu Kea
Orig Story: Tong Tik-sang
Prod Co: Shun Yee
Cast: Tang Bik-wan, Fung Wong Nui, Law Kim-long, Chan Kam-tong, Tam Sin-hung
1959 / B&W / D Beta / Cantonese / 110min

Yui-hing (Tang Bik-wan) loses all interest in life after being married into the rich family of her sickly husband Hung-kui. Ching-wo (Law Kim-long) sympathises with her and writes her a poem, but it is accidentally carried away by a swallow and ends up being used as an evidence of Hung-kui and Yui-hing's secret affair and their plot to kill the sick husband. Yui-hing's younger sister Yi-mang (also played by Tang) becomes determined to save Hung-kui after seeing a swallow carry her own writing paper away one day. The screenplay is adapted from one of Tong's mid-career libretti and is notable for its intriguing plot twists. This production also stands out for its multitude of characters, each with a distinct personality. Tang shines in her dual-role performance, while Law proves his mettle in the scene where he finds himself implicated in the murder while presiding over the trial.