JULY RHAPSODY

Hong Kong, 2001, 103 minutes, Colour.
Jackie Chung, Anita Mui, Karena Lam.
Directed by Ann Hui.

July Rhapsody is a human drama. It focuses on a middle-aged teacher, his dedication to his job, the attraction towards a student who pushes herself towards him, the alienation from his wife of twenty years, his relationship with his sons. The film is presented in a gentle manner, reflecting the rowdiness of schoolchildren and high school students at the beginning of the 21st century while also showing the quieter side of family life. Jackie Chung is excellent as the teacher, gradually allowing himself to be attracted by the student, with difficulties with his wife. These are explained only towards the end of the film and make a great deal of sense, the wife having had an abortion because she was pregnant to a married teacher in the past. She is now looking after him because he is dying. The film parallels the wife with the young girl and her flirtation with the teacher.

The film also has a great love for Chinese poetry, many quotations, references to the beauties of the Yangtze River.

While the film is quiet in tone, its emotions run deeper than the surface and there is a satisfying reconciliation with the husband and wife being more open and truthful to each other, honest with their children, the young girl making a decision to make her own life and break off with the teacher, realising what she had put him through.

Anita Mui was a famous Hong Kong star. This was her last film. Ann Hui is a veteran of the Hong Kong film industry with such diverse projects as Summer Snow, about Alzheimer's, and Ordinary Heroes which is a historical drama.

1. The impact of the film? Its appeal? Its humanity? Conventional plot line but treated with sensitivity?

2. The title, the reference to summer, the lyrical aspects of the relationship? The admission that there would be changes of seasons?

3. The Hong Kong locations, homes, schools, the beaches? The Yangtze River? The journey to the mainland with the nightclub? The musical score?

4. The portrait of Lam: seeing him on the beach with his son, their having a discussion? The love of literature? His boring class, the girl and her attitude? His love of teaching, his relationship with the staff, with the principal? At home, the strain between himself and his wife? The meals, in their small room, their discussions? His relationship with his younger son, pushing him to do better? The older son and his maturity? His going out with the girl, at the shop, at the cinema? Walking around with her, talking, allowing himself to be attracted towards her? Her girlish behaviour? His taking her to the opening of the nightclub of his friend, staying overnight - with her or not? The scenes of the school staff, the dinner and his wanting to pay his share? The prize-giving and the girl not turning up, her throwing the trophy down and thinking it worthless? His return home, not speaking well with his wife, the revelation of the truth about the story of her pregnancy? His correcting the school work, writing the story for his son? The satisfaction of being with his son? Visiting the sick man, reciting the poetry for him, acknowledging the truth? Return home, his wife and her thinking that he wanted to leave her, his promising to take her to the Yangtze River that they should both see it? The fact that the dying professor was his ideal in academic days and persuaded him to love literature and teach? The future?

5. The wife, at home, the tension, meals, talking, her husband telling her that she hadn't changed in twenty years? Her typing? Going to look after the professor? The flashbacks to her story, the pregnancy, his going back to Taiwan, his being married, the abortion, Lam being with her, marrying her, the birth of her sons and her devotion to them? Her looking after the professor? Her thinking that he husband would leave her, her embracing him? Their future?

6. The young girl, in class, drawing the teacher? Flirting with him, throwing herself at him? His response, their going out together, talking, her switching the drinks? In the shop, throwing down the trophy? Her abilities, not wanting to go to university, wanting to open the shop? The cinema? Going to the nightclub? Staying the night, telling him that he was finding excuses for his wife? Her finally turning up at the graduation, her plan to go to India, her future?

7. The two sons, the serious older son and his maturity, talking with his father, the bets with his brother and finding out about the parents' quarrelling? His listening to his mother's story, the story from his father? The younger son and his being urged to do better?

8. Life at the school, the teachers, the principal, his anger at the girl not turning up for the award and her later abusing him? The friendly teacher?

9. The schoolboy friendship with Yue, his moving, buying the nightclub, Lam going to its opening and supporting him?

10. The human themes of family, relationships, memories of the past, mistakes, coming to terms with the past, love?