Review of Peking Opera Blues

First I should mention that I enjoy watching films from Hong Kong. Even so, I didn't find out about Peking Opera Blues for some time. Sure I've seen another popular film by director Tsui Hark; the excellent Once Upon A Time In China. But the reason I didn't get to watch Peking Opera Blues earlier is because it's not easy to find. It's not readily available online or in video stores like other Hong Kong films, and it wasn't available at my local library. After that, having read reviews about how good the film is I decided to find it. It was available at the city library so I headed there and checked out the DVD. The opening of the film is reminiscent of the opening from Once Upon A Time In China. It contains shots of Peking Opera performers along with their accessories, and it's aided by a catchy song in Cantonese. I knew then that I was in for something special. The film is set in 1913 Beijing, during Yuan Shikai's presidency of the Republic of China. It depicts the adventures of three unlikely heroines: Tsao Wan (Brigitte Lin), a patriotic rebel who dresses as a man; Sheung Hung (Cherie Chung), a musician in search of a missing box of jewels; and Pat Neil (Sally Yeh), the daughter of a Peking Opera impresario. What the viewer should expect is that Peking Opera Blues is a slapstick comedy. The plot is simply there for the three women to get into comical and sometimes dangerous situations. However, the film also offers some fast and breathtaking fight scenes, along with several shootouts. These alone don't make an excellent film however. What sets Peking Opera Blues apart from other Hong Kong releases is its style and the three female leads. For once we get to see women generate humor and duke it out with the bad guys. This is the film's charm. Did I mention that the actresses are beautiful? I especially liked Sally Yeh in the role of Pat Neil. She's the most righteous of the three women. She also gets to perform in the opera during one important scene. American film director Quentin Tarantino once referred to Peking Opera Blues as "one of the craziest movies ever made" and "the best and a lot of fun." That statement pretty much sums it up. Those people who like Hong Kong cinema will like this film. Even those who don't usually watch foreign films may like it as well. Peking Opera Blues is a modern classic of Hong Kong cinema.