4. The Love Eterne
The story of The Love Eterne originates from an ancient Chinese folk legend, and though it has been adapted countless times before and since, none quite match up to the 1963 effort directed by Li Han Hsiang. This version is glorious and grandiose with a magnificent colour palette and songs that are eternally enjoyable, and deserves to be mentioned alongside the greatest musicals ever filmed. The story is of a young girl who goes to an all boys school in the guise of a man and falls in love with a classmate. The two are seen as inseparable 'brothers', but everything comes tumbling down when she reveals her identity. What, for the most part, is an innocuous and joyful bit of fun quickly becomes a tragic tear-jerker in the final act and the final scenes can only be summed up as breath-taking. Fabulous performances from Betty Loh Ti and Ling Po helped elevate this movie to a masterpiece, and it's proof that far too few musicals have come out of Hong Kong cinema. A cultural phenomenon upon release, The Love Eterne is a beloved classic, and all these years later, still a sensational piece of cinema.