Film title: Les Belles
Genres: Musical
Year of release: 1960

Film
synopsis:

Lan Lan and Mei Mei are the best dancers in Feng Chi-jen’s dance troupe which folded up, is hired by Mrs. Ma with Feng’s referral. However, it received objections from her son, Ma Ying, who is the manager, director and male star of the troupe.Mrs. Ma fires Li Erh, the leading lady of the troupe, as she was discovered by having affairs with another member of the troup, Chen Shen, which broke the troupe’s rule.The entire troupe turns against Lan Lan, since they believe that she would been responsible for getting Li Erh and Chen Shen fired.This misunderstanding is solved when Li Erh explains to the others that Lan Lan has nothing to do with her dismissal.The troupe is preparing to go to Japan to give a series of performances, but, Mrs. Ma stays in Hong Kong, as she intends to marry Feng Chi-jen.Ma Ying, who disliked Feng before, is surprised by his mother telling him that the love affair between her and Feng for 20 years. Ma Ying knows and changes his attitudes towards Feng.The Japan’s tour is successful and Lan Lan becomes the superstar in the troupe.Although her career is successful, she still feels lonely. On occasion, she notices a “companion-seeking” advertisment. Driven by curiosity, she employs a fictitious name to reply for it.Unknown to her the person who had advertised for a companion is none other than Ma Ying, who is also using a fictitious name.Correspondence begins and soon developed the likings between each other though they never met. Eventually, Ma Ying writes to Lan Lan and asks for a meeting. Lan Lan agrees.As the meeting approaching, Ma Ying; however, asks another member of the troupe, Hsieh Hsieh, to go for him instead. Meanwhile, he hides behind and sees who the girl is. Lan Lan also gets on the same plan and asks Mei Mei (also another member of the troups), to go for her instead.With Lan Lan and Ma Ying watching from secluded corners of the cafe, Hsieh Hsieh and Mei Mei meet each other. The two had been secretly in love with each other for long time, but the troupe’s rule made them to separate apart. Now, it is a golden opportunity to declare their love.Lan Lan and Ma Ying frustratingly leaving the cafe.Both Hsieh Hsieh and Mei Mei confess to the other that they were not the ones who had written the letters. On that night, Hsieh Hsieh informs Ma Ying the true identity of the girl is Lan Lan; while, Mei Mei does the same to Lan Lan too.Ma Ying, who had always been hostile to Lan Lan, now realizes that he is in love with her. Lan Lan also finds that Ma Ying is not so nasty after all. But, neither of them is willing to take the first step to let other know about it. But love always finds a way and it is not long before the two are in each others’ arms.The troupe returns to Hong Kong from Japan. Mrs. Ma meets them and she is shocked by seeing Lan Lan and her son; Mei Mei and Hsieh Hsieh and the other men and women in the troupe all walking arm in arm out of the plane.With the advise of Feng Chi-jen, she decides to change the outdated rule of keeping the men and women in her troupe apart.



Commentary:

This film was Shaw’s first color film presented in the widescreen Shawscope. The calculated move behind the scene showed Shaw’s strategies of multi-direction, for instance, with period drama movies focusing on the Huangmei opera genre and modern costume drama on musicals. Comedy actor Peter Chen Ho and the movie queen Linda Lin Dai were the protagonists of this film. The story opened with Linda Lin Dai going to Japan for a performance with a song and dance ensemble, and a joyful and quarrelsome love story was to follow. A number of large-scale song and dance scenes with national characteristics were added, making the viewing of this film a pleasant experience both for the eyes and for the mood.