The Unforgettable Character

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The Unforgettable Character
video cover
Chinese	在水一方
Mandarin	Zài Shuǐ Yī Fāng
Literally	On One Side of the Water
Directed by	Chang Mei-chun
Written by	Chiung Yao
Produced by	Chang Jen-dao
Starring	Brigitte Lin Chin Han Tien Niu
Cinematography	Chen Jung-shu
Music by	Lin Chia-ching
Release date	1975 (1975)
Running time	98 minutes
Country	Taiwan
Language	Mandarin

The Unforgettable Character is a 1975 Taiwanese romantic drama film directed by Chang Mei-chun and written by Chiung Yao.

Plot[]

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[]

• 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
•  [zh] as Chu Chih-chien's kind mother
• as Hsin-pei, Chu Chih-chien's wife
• as Shih-yao, Chu Chih-chien's oldest child, a 29-year-old introverted and passionate television producer
• as Shih-ching, Chu Chih-chien's second child
• 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
• 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[]

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.

References[]

External links[]

• 黑膠博覽會【935】在水一方......江 蕾 & 高凌風 主唱 (Zai shui yi fang) at A Jun's blog in (Chinese)
• Frankie Kao discography
• The Unforgettable Character at the Hong Kong Movie Database (Chinese version)
• The Unforgettable Character (在水一方) at the China Movie DataBase (Chinese)
• The Unforgettable Character (在水一方) at DigitalArchives.tw