Liebe wie Staub im Wind (1986)

Liebe wie Staub im Wind: Directed by Hsiao-Hsien Hou. With Grace Chen, Shu-Fang Chen, Shu-Fen Hsin, Chi-Ying Kao. A young couple leave their mining town home for Taipei where they struggle to eke out a living in an industrial wasteland.

“Hsaio-hsien Hou based this quietly effective Taiwanese Bildungrsoman on co-scripter Nien-Jen Wuu0026#39;s own experiences. The film is heavily influenced on the one side from Japanese masters like Ozu (though Hou denies this) and from the Italian Neo-Realists whose films inspired Wu. Itu0026#39;s the old story of the younger generation (u0026#39;60s kids from a mining town) leaving the country to try their luck in the big city. A shy, but devoted couple seem to be making a go of it, but life, jobs, family and even military service take a toll on the relationship. Itu0026#39;s well observed, especially in the rural sections, and charmingly acted, but the natural flow of events doesnu0026#39;t really stick with you. Hou has trouble balancing the plot strands and particularizing the relationships, asking for a response out of proportion to what weu0026#39;ve seen. No doubt this is not a problem for Taiwanese audiences, but then Ozu u0026amp; De Sica managed the trick, didnu0026#39;t they.”