The film is based on an Eileen Chang novel and tells the story of a young woman's love and fate in Shanghai during the 1930s. An affluent family once supported Manjing (Wu Chien-lien), who works in a Shanghai factory, where she meets Shujun (Leon Lai), the son of wealthy Nanjing merchants, who becomes her lover and partner. However, despite the fact that her sister, Manlu, works as a "hostess" in nightclubs, Shujun and Manjing are able to fall in love. The planned progression from engagement to marriage is disrupted by Manjing's hesitation, Shujun's rejection of her family, and finally the baroquely constructed abuse and captivity of Shujun by that family. Shujun and Manjing meet after a lengthy period of separation, but learn that their happiness is merely a nostalgic re-imagining of opportunities squandered and understandings never achieved.
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The film is based on an Eileen Chang novel and tells the story of a young woman's love and fate in Shanghai during the 1930s. An affluent family once supported Manjing (Wu Chien-lien), who works in a Shanghai factory, where she meets Shujun (Leon Lai), the son of wealthy Nanjing merchants, who becomes her lover and partner. However, despite the fact that her sister, Manlu, works as a "hostess" in nightclubs, Shujun and Manjing are able to fall in love. The planned progression from engagement to marriage is disrupted by Manjing's hesitation, Shujun's rejection of her family, and finally the baroquely constructed abuse and captivity of Shujun by that family. Shujun and Manjing meet after a lengthy period of separation, but learn that their happiness is merely a nostalgic re-imagining of opportunities squandered and understandings never achieved.
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