CONFIDENTIAL
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CONFIDENTIAL
FM HONG KONG
TO IMMEDIATE FCO
TELNO 2782
OF 210745Z AUGUST 89
INFO IMMEDIATE PEKING
HKD 306/2
(40
042716
MDHIAN 2726
FILM CENSORSHIP 'ON THE SOCIETY FILE IN SHANGHAI'
1. OCEAN SHARES INTERNATIONAL COMPANY (WHO HAVE NO TAIWANESE LINKS) HAVE SOUGHT PERMISSION FOR THE RELEASE OF ANOTHER PREVIOUSLY BANNED FILM QUOTE ON THE SOCIETY FILE IN SHANGHAI UNQUOTE. THE FILM WAS MADE IN TAIWAN IN 1982 BY THE YONG SHEN FILM COMPANY.
2. THE FILM IS SET IN 1970. A YOUNG MAN IS STABBED BY A GROUP OF YOUTHS LED BY A GIRL. HE IS THE SON OF A CENTRAL COMMITTEE MEMBER KNOWN AS THE 'THE CHIEF'. TWO PSB MEN (WHO ARE PORTRAYED FAVOURABLY) ATTEMPT TO DISCOVER WHY THE GIRL HAS TURNED FROM A MODEL STUDENT INTO A DELINQUENT WHOSE BODY IS COVERED IN SCARS. THEY DISCOVER THAT SHE HAD FALLEN IN LOVE WITH THE SON WHEN SHE WAS A NURSE TREATING 'THE CHIEF'. HOWEVER, AFTER THE SON JOINED THE ARMY SHE SUDDENLY LEFT THE SANATORIUM AND RETURNED, WITH A SCAR ON HER FOREHEAD, TO HER HOME. AN ARRANGED MARRIAGE FAILED WHEN THE HUSBAND DISCOVERED SHE IS NOT A VIRGIN. SHE RUNS AWAY FROM HOME AND JOINS GANGS WHERE SHE IS VARIOUSLY RAPED AND ASSAULTED PICKING UP THE OTHER SCARS. DETECTIVES ARE UNABLE TO DISCOVER WHERE THE FIRST SCAR CAME FROM. THE SON DIES AND WHEN THE GIRL DISCOVERS THIS SHE REVEALS THAT THE SCAR WAS ACQUIRED WHEN SHE WAS RAPED BY THE CHIEF'. THE DETECTIVE REFUSES TO RECORD THIS BUT IS IN ANY EVENT ARRESTED BY THE CHIEF'S MILITARY SUPPORTERS.
THE
3. THE FILM IS LESS OBJECTIONABLE THAN 'IF I WERE FOR REAL' OR 'COLDEST WINTER IN PEKING' ALTHOUGH MORE SO THAT 'PORTRAIT OF A FANATIC'. ITS POLITICAL THEMES ARE THAT THE CULTURAL REVOLUTION WAS A BAD THING PARTICULARLY IN THAT THE YOUNG SHOWED LACK OF RESPECT FOR THEIR ELDERS AND THAT YOUTH IS MADE DEGENERATE THROUGH CORRUPT
LEADERSHIP.
4. UNLESS YOU SEE OBJECTION WE PROPOSE TO TELL THE CENSOR THAT THERE IS NO POLITICAL OBJECTION TO THE RELEASE OF THIS FILM. AS WITH 'COLDEST WINTER IN PEKING' AND 'PORTRAIT OF A FANATIC' WE WOULD NOT (NOT) INFORM NCNA. UNDER THE LEGISLATION WE HAVE TO GIVE A RESPONSE BY 5 SEPTEMBER. WE WILL ASSUME THAT YOU CONCUR WITH OUR PROPOSED
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