Plot Rating: 5/10

Artist Rating: 7/10

I will give a brief summary of the first half of this series so that you'll understand the second half written by Shirley (Thanks for doing a great job Shirley!!)

Chow Suen (Nadia) was adopted by a nice lady who was a second wife to a relatively well-off man (Tam Bing Man). When she was a baby, the family was still pretty well-off, but they soon lost their wealth and by the time Chow Suen was in her teenage years, she was already washing clothes for people. Her foster mom treated her very well, but her foster dad was now a greedy man, and to make matters worse, her foster's dad's son was constantly in debt and she had to pay the debts. Her foster brother was going to sell her to a prostitution place in order to repay his debts. However, Chow Suen escaped from her captors and hid in an apartment housed by a group of stage singers/performers.

The leader of the group and his partner Suet Man (Helen Mah) saved Chow Suen and paid the debt for her. In order to repay them, Chow Suen worked as a maid for them. Most of the people in the group (Aaron Kwok, Mui Siu Wai, etc.) treated her fairly well. However, as always, there were two people who disliked her for the problems that she caused and her complicated background.

It was here that Chow Suen fostered her passion for music and singing. While listening to others, she learned. Later, a new composer joined their group. His name was Yim Zhi Wah (Leon Lai) and he was a very famous composer/singer. He was very nice to Chow Suen and this caused one of the female members to be very jealous and treat her even worse.

Later, many of the female members of the group were offered better opportunities elsewhere. Thus, this troupe had to promote newcomers and Leon chose Chow Suen for the role. Her debut proved to be a complete failure, but Leon didn't give up and he decided to sing a duet with her instead. Their duet was very successful and from then on, Chow Suen captured the heart of the people. She also captured the heart of Zhi Wah and they soon started dating.

The second part of Songbird---contributed by Shirley

After many courtship music composer Yim Zhi Wah ( Leon Lai Ming ) and the famous singer Chow Suen ( Nadia Chan Chun Ling ) is very much in love, thus they decide to get married. However Chow Suen's god-father, the film boss, Lau Kin Chung ( Andy Tai Chi Wai ) wants to exploit his god-daughter to make more money. Thus, he tries to stop the wedding by making Chow Suen sign a long contract with his film company. After they get to know about this, Chow Suen and Zhi Wah plan to elope. They got the help of Chow Suen's co-star who starred in many films with her Chiu Cheng ( Lam Lee ) where last time Zhi Wah had a misunderstanding with him ( thinking that Chiu Cheng likes Chow Suen also ). With Chiu Cheng's help, they managed to go to Peking and got married in a church there.

After they got married, they went back to Shanghai. Chow Suen now has an offer from her god-father's rival film company run by Fung Leung Kwan. But her god-father also give her a new contract with his film company. To avoid any problems and please everyone, Chow Suen agrees to sign short-term contracts with both the companies.

While busy making films for both companies, her health got worse and Chow Suen collapes on stage! After that she is happy to learn she's pregnant . However her god-father shows no pity and forces her day and night to make more films. Finally Chow Suen cannot take it and collapsed again.

The film turns out to be a major hit and garnered her a Shanghai Movie Queen title . This even forces her god-father to make more films with her . Finally Chow Suen suffers a miscarriage and is told that she could no longer conceive.

Zhi Wah who is very angry and upset exposes to the press that film boss Kin Chung ( Chow Suen 's godfather ) only knows how to exploit her! Kin Chung vows to get even and sent some people to run Zhi Wah down with a car . Luckily it's not very serious but Zhi Wah is hospitalized for a week. Not satisfied, Kin Chung spread rumours that Zhi Wah's having an affair with another singer Cheng Siew Wan who is pregnant with his child . Chow Suen believes it's true and tries to commit suicide . Zhi Wah denies everything and explain to Chow Suen that Siew Wan is just like a friend to him . Chow Suen, who is also influence by media, finds it impossible to trust him ( moreover, she saw him with Siew Wan a few times ). After many quarrels, Zhi Wah ask for a divorce and Chow Suen, in despair, agreeds.

During the Japanese Occupation in Shanghai , Chow Suen quits making film because she has no intention to work with Japanese to make propaganda films. But Leung Kwan who works with the Japanese forces Chow Suen and her godfather to produce a movie for them. Kin Chung( god father ) decides to flee with Chow Suen and her foster mother by boat at night . But Chow Suen's foster father ( Tam Bing Man ) got to know about it and informs Leung Kwan of their plans not without asking a huge sum of money. So when they tried to escape Kin Chung and Chow Suen were captured while her foster mother falls to the sea and drowns.

Kin Chung openly calls Leung Kwan a traitor to his own country and thus was shot to death. Chow Suen meanwhile has no choice but to continue to make movies for the Japanese . During this time, she got to know a textile factory boss Lo Hou Tak ( Eddie Kwan Lai Kit ). With his gentlemanly behavior, concern and help Chow Suen forget all her sorrows.

Meanwhile Chow Suen's stepbrother Loi Foo is arrested for stealing her money. While trying to escape Loi Foo is killed by the Japanese. Tai Wai (Chow Suen's foster father, the one who reported her escape ) and his wife got to know about this and in a fit of anger Tai Wai's wife blames Chow Suen for the death of her son Loi Foo, storms to Chow Suen's mansion and tries to strangle her to death. In the struggle Chow Suen accidently pushes her step-mother against the wall and kills her. Taking this opportunity Tai Wai threatens to report Chow Suen to the authorities but Hou Tak bribes Tai Wai to keep his mouth shut . Secretly Hou Tak then hires people to kill him off.

One day Chow Suen sees the singer Siew Wan in a clinic and Siew Wan finally admits that she and Zhi Wah were only friends all along . Realizing that she has wrongly accused Zhi Wah of infidelity last time , Chow Suen regrets what she has done and wants to meet with Siu Wah again hoping to reconcile with him. Her hopes were dashed when she stumbles upon Zhi Wah , this time remarried with his wife who is pregnant.

Unable to take it anymore, Chow Suen decides to leave Shanghai. With all the pressure of fame and the the failure in love, Chow Suen is on the verge of a nervous breakdown . But Hou Tak took this time to express his love for her. Touched Chow Suen has an affair with him and she's surprise and delighted to find that she is pregnant again! Hou Tak promise to marry her but behind her back he is actually a swindler and cheats her of her wealth. By chance Chow Suen discover that Hou Tak has been conspiring with her secretary Jenny to cheat her all along . Everything then took it's toll and Chow Suen then suffers a mental breakdown and spends her remaining days in a mental asylum. Her best friend Suet Man ( Helen Mah ) often visited and looked after her. Chow Suen passed away in 1957.

PS: A very sad and touching story . Nadia Chan were famous after this show.
---Shirley
PSS: I personally wasn't very thrilled about this series. I think it was too depressing for me.
---Mimi

8/28/98

[Home] [TVB Series] [ATV Series] [Mandarin] [Credits] [Links] [About Me] [Sign Guestbook]