The Unforgettable Character

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The Unforgettable Character
video cover
Chinese
Literal meaningOn One Side of the Water
Hanyu PinyinZài Shuǐ Yī Fāng
Directed byChang Mei-chun
Written byChiung Yao
Produced byChang Jen-dao
Starring
CinematographyChen Jung-shu
Music byLin Chia-ching
Production
company
United Cine-Production Enterprises
Release date
  • 1975 (1975)
Running time
98 minutes
CountryTaiwan
LanguageMandarin

The Unforgettable Character《在水一方》 is a 1975 Taiwanese romantic drama film directed by Chang Mei-chun and written by Chiung Yao(琼瑶).

Plot[edit]

After the death of her parents, Hsiao-shuang begins to live with the Chu family in Taipei, who treat her like their own child. The Chu's oldest child Shih-yao deeply loves her, but being crippled he's hesitant to confess his love. Hsiao-shuang quickly falls in love with the eloquent and charismatic wannabe writer Yu-wen, but their marriage is far from blissful. Yu-wen, an irresponsible dreamer and impractical perfectionist, fails to write anything and frequently vents his frustration on Hsiao-shuang. Hsiao-shuang tries her hardest to support him and the family even during her pregnancy. Shih-yao helps Hsiao-shuang sell her songs, but that further angers Yu-wen, now addicted to gambling. After Yu-wen forcefully grabs a cherished jade from her to gamble away, Hsiao-shuang has a miscarriage and files for divorce. Hoping to encourage him, she still promises him that she will get back with him if he comes back with a finished work. Years later, when news of Yu-wen's terminal illness reaches Hsiao-shuang, she immediately arrives at his place in southern Taiwan only to find him dying with his book already completed. After his death, Shih-yao presents Hsiao-shuang a gift, which turns out to be the jade Yu-wen lost 4 years ago. Hsiao-shuang realizes Shih-yao still loves her after all these years.

Cast[edit]

  • Brigitte Lin as Tu Hsiao-shuang, a beautiful and musically gifted 18-year-old orphan
  • Han Chiang as Chu Chih-chien, a former friend of Hsiao-shuang's late father
  • Lu Pi-yun [zh] as Chu Chih-chien's kind mother
  • Chang Ping-yu as Hsin-pei, Chu Chih-chien's wife
  • Ku Ming-lun as Shih-yao, Chu Chih-chien's oldest child, a 29-year-old introverted and passionate television producer
  • Chen Lu-shan as Shih-ching, Chu Chih-chien's second child
  • Chen Yu-ching as Lee Chien, Shih-ching's husband
  • Tien Niu as Shih-hui, Chu Chih-chien's youngest child, an outgoing and enthusiastic 19-year-old student
  • Yeh Ming-te as Yu-nung, Shih-hui's boyfriend
  • Chin Han as Lu Yu-wen, Yu-nung's pal from the military who aspires to win the Nobel Prize in Literature

Music[edit]

Zai shui yifang (在水一方; zài shuǐ yīfāng) is a 1975 Mandarin album, released by Kolin Records (歌林). The songs on A-side are sung by Chiang Lei (江蕾) and those on B-side by Frankie Kao (高凌風).

"Zai shui yifang", sometimes translated "On the Other Side of the Water",[1] and "Ni zenme shuo" (你怎麼說) were later covered by other singers, including Teresa Teng in her 1980 album of a similar name.

Lyrics were written by Chiung Yao, and music was composed by Lin Chia-ching (林家慶), unless otherwise. Only songs that are listed as theme songs and instrumental are heard in the film.

Side A — Chiang Lei (江蕾)
No.TitleLyricsMusicChineseLength
1."Telling the Last Night's Dream" (Sub-theme)  昨夜夢中相訴; zuóyè mèngzhōng xiāng sù 
2."Please Calmly Listen to Me" (Sub-theme)  請你靜靜聽我; qǐng nǐ jìngjìng tīng wǒ 
3."zài shuǐ yīfāng" (Main theme)  在水一方 
4."Blue Ocean"UnknownUnknown藍色的海洋; lánsè de hǎiyáng 
5."nǐ zěnme shuō"Shang Kwan-yue
(上官月)
Szu Ma-liang
(司馬亮)
你怎麼說 
6."Telling the Last Night's Dream" (Instrumental)  昨夜夢中相訴 
Frankie Kao (高凌風) — Side B
No.TitleLyricsMusicChineseLength
1."zài shuǐ yīfāng" (Main theme)  在水一方 
2."Sunset" (Sub-theme)  陽光下; yángguāng xià 
3."Square Brick Road"Hsuan Ju (玄瞿)Shin Yi (欣逸)方磚路上; fāng zhuān lùshang 
4."Ocean, Sky, My Heart"Lin Wen-lung
(林文隆)
Lin Wen-lung
(林文隆)
大海·天空·我的心; dàhǎi, tiānkōng, wǒ de xīn 
5."You Take Away My Heart"Tu Fei (涂非)Tu Fei (涂非)你帶走了我的心; nǐ dàizǒu le wǒ de xīn 
6."zài shuǐ yīfāng" (Instrumental)  在水一方 

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Chinese pop music since the 1980s". China.org.cn. December 2008.

External links[edit]