Spring a Long Time Ago
Wei Wei's life is dominated by routine, doing the same things day in day out in the small town she lives with the husband Dai Liyan who she cares for due to his illness. But then her first love, Zhang Zhichen (Li Wei), arrives back in town and back in to her life causing her to question the life she has. But it causes other questions for Liyan and also her younger sister which makes things all the more complicated.
"Spring in a Small Town" is a Chinese movie held in high esteem, I believe I read somewhere that this is often referred to as the greatest Chinese movie of all time. Sadly it didn't do it for me and that is probably down to the romantic conflict which plays out in this movie as it has been explored many times since. It is still an interesting movie with not just the conflicted feelings of Wei Wei coming in to play but Liyan's feelings of not being worthy to have such a lovely wife. There is no doubt that it certainly explores the angles of the emotional, romantic conflict.
But whilst the storyline to "Spring in a Small Town" didn't captivate me the cinematography was more engrossing with some subtle camera work which captures the beauty of the area but also the destruction following WWII. Considering this is a movie from over 65 years ago it has a real artistic side which is not always evident in American and British movies of the same era.
What this all boils down to is that "Spring in a Small Town" didn't impress me as much as it has others but in a way that is fine. I say that as whilst not the most entertaining of movies it has a sense of artistry about it which probably has a greater appeal for film students.
