Diamond Thief

Dirs: Hu Siao-fung, Su Chengshou
Scr: Qing Mu
Prod Co: Great Wall Pictures
Co-starring: Fu Che, Ping Fan, Jiang Ming, Zhang Bingqian, Qiu Ping
1955 / B&W / D Beta / Cantonese (Dubbed) / 94min

A diamond brooch, the prized possession of Mary (Zhang Binqian), mistress of a rich businessman, is found stolen and a handsome reward is offered for its return. Crime fiction writer Hua Fu'er (Fu Che) fancies himself a detective, only to falsely accuse Mary's maid, Fang (Betty Loh Ti)… The film offers a pointed and unflinching look at the upper class with their crooked ways and corrupted hearts, in a stark contrast to the common people whose moral purity and work ethics ensure that justice prevails. What might have seemed an ideological plot of the realism cinema is tempered by light comic touches and a vivid and ludic cast of characters. Loh rose to the occasion, convincingly creating a multi-dimensional character with integrity and dignity: a seemingly calculating arch-manipulator during interrogation with unyielding fire in her eyes, tightly pursed lips and a razor-sharp tongue who reverts to her true gentle and caring nature once among people of her own. A star-in-the-making without a doubt. (The Cantonese-dubbed version will be screened)