The Mermaid (1964) Shaw Brothers **Official Trailer** 魚美人

Title: The Mermaid 魚美人 Year: 1964 Director: Kao Li 高立 Casts: Ivy Ling Po 凌波, Li Ching 李菁 Awards : Asian Film Festival (1965 -- 12th) : Best Actress (Li Ching), The Most Versatile Talent Award (Ivy Ling Po), Best Sound Recording (Wang Yung-hua) In the 70's, she would play strong woman's roles, but in the 60's, when she began her career, Ivy Ling Po excelled at playing men in fantastic fantasy films which rivaled any country's legends. Modern day fans of The Little Mermaid are in for a revelatory delight when they see this spectacular Chinese variation on the theme incorporating a carp which turns into a "fairy" which looks just like the gender-bending hero's lady love. The lovely Li Ching gets this plum dual role, sharing the screen with such other fun and fascinating characters as the "Turtle Fairy" and the "Lobster Fairy." At first things just humorously confusing, but it turns dangerous when the real girl's parent invite a sorcerer to separate the fish from the girls. Only the last second intervention of the Goddess of Mercy can save the day, leading to an ending that is truly universal: living happily ever after.