Things never said to a mermaid "Don't run away".

It starts with the troubled artist lacks inspiration until he finds a mermaid living nearby. This is the standard romantic fantasy about a mermaid falling in love with a human man. Every scene is what you would expect it to be. There is a bit of creativity when the mermaid eats an apple to become human. Takes me back to genesis, if you follow.

I watched this because it starred Charles Heung Wah-Keung, an actor I refer to as the Goose Boxer. He did the 1978 martial arts movie of the same name. That movie was above average and quite memorable. As usual, he did quite a few other martial arts movies, some good, some stinkers. He went on to be a big name producer of Win's Entertainment and China Star Entertainment Group.

My copy is the usual VHS converted to digital that plays as a square video on a HDTV with dual Chinese and English hardsubs that are not too poorly translated. The best line of the movie is when Charles says to the mermaid "Don't run away".

Why would anyone watch this movie 40 years later? I am on a mission to acquire and watch every martial arts movie of the golden age from 1967 to 1984. I have watched over 3000 and reviewed about half that and figure I am about halfway done. In doing so, I am also interested in the lives of the actors. That leads to distractions like this. Other than my personal reason, I cannot imagine any other reason to watch this movie. Nevertheless, I will post my review knowing it is most likely never to be read by anyone else.

Mandarin-language cinema across Mainland China, Taiwan, and Singapore explores historical reflection, cultural identity, and personal sacrifice, often expressed through poetic visuals and sweeping narratives. In Mainland China, this takes the form of allegory and large-scale epics that reflect on national history. Taiwan emphasizes intimate modernist realism, generational change, and the search for identity. Singapore contributes stories of migration, multiculturalism, and the negotiation of tradition in a globalized city.

The fantasy genre features imaginative and often magical worlds, characters, and events. It explores realms beyond the boundaries of reality, featuring elements such as magic, mythical creatures, supernatural powers, and fantastical settings. These stories can take place in entirely fictional worlds or blend fantastical elements with real-world settings.

Elijah Wood in The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring (2001)

The romance genre features the theme of romantic relationships and emotional connections between characters. These stories focus on the development of love, desire, and intimacy between protagonists, often exploring the challenges, conflicts, and triumphs that arise in their relationships.

Ingrid Bergman and Humphrey Bogart in Casablanca (1942)

The Biggest Movies and TV Coming in September

"The Gentlemen" and "Slow Horses" return this fall, while the "Reacher" spin-off series "Neagley" makes its debut. See our guide of the biggest Fall TV and streaming releases.

2026 Fall TV and Streaming Watch Guide

&quot;The Gentlemen&quot; and &quot;Slow Horses&quot; return this fall, while the &quot;Reacher&quot; spin-off series &quot;Neagley&quot; makes its debut. See our guide of the biggest Fall TV and streaming releases.

Get a closer look at these actors from their many TV and streaming series roles.

Beba, the Mermaid

Photos1

Top Cast8

User reviews1

Related interests

Storyline

Top picks

Details

Tech specs

Contribute to this page

More to explore

Recently viewed