This huangmei (“yellow plum,” a northern Chinese style) opera of a classic Chinese folk tale recounts the forbidden fourth-century love affair between poor male student Liang Shanbo (Ling) and the heiress Zhu Yingtai (Loh). Discontented with her proscribed maidenly life, Yingtai dons male attire to study at the academy, to her father's dismay. When she falls in love with the dashing Shanbo, the stage is set for tragedy. In keeping with the gender-bending tradition in Chinese opera, The Love Eterne features two actresses—in fact, two of the most popular female stars of the time—as the doomed lovers. The result was a smashing success, now seen as the pinnacle of the huangmei opera on film. A prized director for the studio, Li Hanxiang takes full advantage of the Shaw Brothers’ technical resources, shooting on huge sets and using lighting and atmospheric effects to create an otherworldly air that can pivot from the ethereal to the foreboding.