Spring Summer Autumn Winter (1969)

Three friends find their grouping completed when new student Lee Tung-mei joins their secondary school. The word "winter" is in her name and that alone makes her the perfect companion to Chun-ying ("spring"), Ha-muk ("summer") and Chau-ming ("autumn")* and friendship is instantaneous. Aside from fitting the naming convention, the four are distinctly unhip, preferring reading and duck feeding over the A-Go-Go and Blackout parties favoured by their schoolmates. As they hang out at a New Territories farm and enjoy candlelight chats together, the gang vow to share weal and woe, for better or for worse. Bonds quickly strengthen as Chun-ying and Chau-ming become boyfriend and girlfriend, as do Ha-muk and Tung-mei too.

Though beginning with beaming smiles all round, the sworn brotherhood and sisterhood heads downhill fast once they all hit the workforce. Partnership based on names is not the cause, however. Instead the kids' naivete to attempt bridging class differences is to blame -- Chun-yin comes from a wealthy family and the other three are far less well-off.

The trouble begins when Chun-ying returns from his US tertiary studies, takes up a senior position at his rich dad's firm and hires the other three, who've previously been caught up in the weak job market. Unfortunately, Chun-Ying's newfound money-minded western ideals start showing through when he alienates his friends and starts playing dog-eat-dog business games. The three working class friends must soon choose between helping to mend Chun-ying's ways or ditching him as a lost cause.

Produced by left-wing Cantonese cinema producers Sun Luen Film Company, Spring Summer Autumn Winter clearly pushes a class struggle message. Monologues on the topic are kept to a minimum but the scenarios go to sometime ludicrous lengths to get points across. While the poorer members of the gang continue humble life into adulthood -- Ha-muk in particular chooses sweaty labour in the company godown over an office job -- they start to witness how the rich cheat each other, offer false promises to the poor and abuse long-term friends as business tools to keep ahead of the pack. Reminders of westernisation among elites come as rich folks are seen importing foreign business models and referring to each other with English names.

I can easily imagine this season-themed troupe gaining short thrift from many young Hong Kong cinemagoers in the late-1960s. But more than 30 years on, Spring Summer Autumn Winter makes for some fascinating and entertaining viewing, not only because of the interest its Cultural Revolution influence affords. The four leads are a fun group to watch as they bring a continually forced script to life. Colour work is attractive with the characters strongly lit and brightly clothed against their surrounds and the studio set designs are superbly conceived, complete with people on balconies across from where the action is. Outdoor scenes are pleasing when a few streets, a school and other outdoor areas supplement the studio work. The print that played at the Hong Kong Film Archive was in terrific shape, making Spring Summer Autumn Winter all the more an attractive diversion from the week's mainstream cinema schedules.

* Note: The English title of this film is a direct translation of the title Chun Ha Chau Dong.

Credits:
Directed by Choi Cheong and Chan Hon-ming
Script by Chan Hon-ming
Starring Kong Lung, Ding Leung, Fong Fai and Lo Yeuk-bing

Return to screenings menu