The War of the Sexes

This is a movie about the war between boys and girls.  Joan is the head of the girls gang and Charlie is the head of the boys gang.  They constantly argue with each other, hassle each other, and of course they will fall in love with each other.  Charlie wants to write a book about a dead poet Ouyang Zhen-fang who happens to be Joan's father.  They work together on the book and love is developed.  It turns out that Joan's mother is Charlie's father's first love whom he dumps while he is abroad. The misunderstandings, parents' objections and their self-pride become obstacles between the two.  Eventually everything is solved out and the war between boys and girls ceases too.   

The movie is in a comedic tone with many phony and contrived moments. 

The best part is when Charlie&Joan recite Ouyang Zhenfeng's poem when he holds her on his back while crossing a river.  They feel  much closer when they find out they both love the same poem (written by Joan's dad, but Charlie doesn't know it until later).   The way they recite the same poem is so sincere and truthful, which remains as the highlight of the movie to me (see the pic above).  Later in the movie Joan also dance in the song with his dad's poem as the lyrics.  (The poem refers to the top picture I made.)    

Joan had the short curly hair in this movie.  I think she looked much better when she pulled her hair back in the dancing scene. The dancing scene is funny and probably will make you laugh as the mischievous guys make quite a prank to irritate the girls when they are dancing.  Both Joan and Charlie also played the famous Chinese legend Liang Shan-bo & Zhu Ying-tai (also know as the butterfly lovers) in the movie. Both Joan & Charlie's characters are vivacious, controlling, and proud, those type of people who would never be inferior to the other sex.

Although this movie is nothing spectacular, I find the pair-up of Joan&Charlie interesting. However, I think if Joan is cast as a her usual peaceful and virtuous type of girl to balance Charlie's brisk and proud usual image, they would be more fascinating.  Opposite always attracts.   

Director: Lai Chengying

Starring: Joan Lin, Charlie Chin, Ma Yonglin, Zhou Danwei 

Year: 1978