'Shanghai Blues (1984)' is a screwball rom-com from Tsui Hark. As Japanese bombs rain down on Shanghai in 1937, a man and woman meet under a bridge. Shrouded in darkness, the pair promise to reunite in the same place once the war is over. Ten years later, the duo meet once again in unexpected circumstances, tangled in a love triangle and unaware of their true identities. Although it starts out a little shaky, with its humour either not quite landing or feeling altogether too backgrounded, it soon settles into its own rhythm and becomes an eminently entertaining experience. It's essentially all about farce, a series of mishaps and misunderstandings that play out just one step away from a series of sitcom-esque vignettes. Occasionally, it will throw in a poignant - or, at least, wistful - observation about the process of rebuilding after a war, or stun with an absolutely scrumptious scene showcasing the distinct flow of Hark's almost dreamy direction and the operatic indulgence of the deliciously colourful cinematography. For the most part, though, it's less interested in affecting than it is amusing and, despite never being hilarious, it manages to provoke quite a few chuckles while also impressing with the staging of its controlled chaos. Its three leads are all really compelling, especially the elegant Sylvia Chang and the uber-expressive Sally Yeh. It isn't always the most engaging experience, mainly due to its segmented structure and relatively loose plotting, and it also makes a couple of bizarre choices, including opting to derive comedy out of an attempted (or, I suppose, succeeded yet backfired) sexual assault. Despite its issues, though, it's a really charming effort overall. Its ending is also as close to perfect as it could have possibly been, finishing things on such a high note that I'm tempted to say I liked the overall affair more than I probably did. It's a fun, good-natured, well-shot and nicely acted romantic comedy that manages to put a smile on your face and keep it there.
