Long Way From Home (1974)
Hanyu Pinyin : Zhang Qin Wan Low

This review is kindly contributed by Shirlock.

Lin Weiyang (Charlie Chin Xianglin) is a hardworking student studying in San Francisco who works as a part-time waiter at Louie's Restaurant.  The boss' daughter Du Aihua (Chen Shali) is attracted to Weiyang and the two of them gradually become good friends. Weiyang has a younger sister, Shanshan, (Brigitte Lin) who exudes a carefree attitude towards her studies and her relationship with her boyfriend Ming Chen. Shanshan joins her brother in the US, enrolling in UCLA for her studies.  Weiyang's roommate Dahao whiles away his time at parties and eventually gives up his studies when his father's business in Taiwan fails.

In the course of her studies, Shanshan meets Oh HenLi. His influence on her causes her to play truant, going out to enjoy the sights and the expos instead of studying hard. Finally, she persuades HenLi to return to Taiwan to ask for her parent's blessing on their marriage. When Shanshan's parents rejects HenLi's proposal, Shanshan reveals that she is already two months' pregnant with his child. As a result, Mrs. Lin suffers a mild heart attack and is warded in the hospital.

Back in the US, Weiyang is about to find a job when Shanshan comes to visit. She tells him that after her marriage to HenLi, they had a row and after a fight, suffers a miscarriage. Her marriage is dissolved and her future, bleak. Weiyang returns to Taiwan after his sister tells him that their mother is gravely ill in hospital. Du Aihua tries to persuade Weiyang to stay in the US but his mind is made up to return home. Love conquers all after Aihua decides she cannot stay in the States without Weiyang.

This is probably the only movie that has Charlie Chin playing a brother to Brigitte Lin. While their relationship is respectful and playful, they would be better cast as lovers rather than siblings. Brigitte Lin is youthful and believably naive but her talents aren't put to good use as the sister who makes the mistake of marrying a man with a roving eye.  The movie revolves around each person's outcome during their undergraduate studies overseas, probably during a time when many were sending their children abroad for further studies. Ultimately, the story serves to remind that the moral fibre of being Chinese is to be filial to one's parents, to embrace tradition and to remember where one's roots are.

Click for the Long Way From Home VCD Covers.  picts

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Cast : Brigitte Lin Ching Hsia, Charlie Chin, Chen Sha-Li, Chiang Ben, Li Bi-Yuen

Producer : Mei Chang Ling
Assistant Producer : Ming Chi
Photography : Lin Hong Chung
Executive Producer : George F.H. Chang
Screenplay : James Yi Liu
Director : James Yi Liu

Spoken : Mandarin
Subtitles : Traditional Chinese
Film : Taiwanese

Other Reviews:

  1. Brigitte Lin 2002 - Long Way From Home
  2. Hong Kong Cinemagic - Long Way From Home
  3. Hong Kong Movie Database - Long Way From Home
  4. Love Brigitte - Long Way From Home
  5. Xinyi's Tribute to Charlie Chin - Long Way From Home
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