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Conclusion: An Autumn's Tale in 2007 Two decades after its release, An Autumn 台 Tale remains, in the minds of many, a Hong Kong cinema classic. In addition to recognizing its staying power and popularity with a multigenerational fan base,the film merits an even more prominent place in the discussion of the Hong Kong New WavejSecond Wave. An Autumn 台 Tale sheds light on a particular time (the late 1980s) and a particular historical phenomenon (the “brain drain") in an easy yet profound manner. In addition, the film is a rich text for engaging the topics explored in the previous chapters such as: Connections between Hong Kong film and transnational American studies; between Hong Kong and Hollywood films aboutjset in New York; and, between Hong Kong film and recent work in gender studies. The film also serves as a bridging text between Asian studies, Hong Kong cultural studies, Asian American studies, and transnational American studies. There is another reason to take a fresh look at An Autumn 台 Tale two decades on. As 1 write this conclusion, Mabel Cheung “發區話。 MABEL CHEUNG YUEN.TING'S AN AUTUMN'S TALE Yuen-ting's classic is making head1ines in both the Chinese and Eng1ish press. A daytime screening of the fi1m, aired on a 10ca1 Hong Kong te1evision station in October of 2006, stirred up a bit of controversy. A parent, who was disturbed about the graphic 1anguage used in the film, 10dged a comp1aint with Hong Kong's media watchdog,the Broadcasting Authority (BA). The BA declared that AnAutumn$ Tale contained “extreme1yo旺ensive expressions" and they ru1ed to ban it from being aired on10ca1 te1evision stations.1 The outcrγfrom the pub1ic was immediate and near unanimous in its support for overturning the ban and allowing the fi1m to be shown during prime time. Mabe1 Cheung Yuen-ting and Alex Law were both bewi1dered by the ruling. They continue to maintain, as they noted in both of my interviews with them, that one purpose of making AnAutumn 台 Tale was to promote understanding between various individua1s and diverse groups of people in a foreign place. The 1anguage is mi1d by any standard (particu1arly in comparison towhatpass臼 as acceptab1e 1anguage on most channe1s on a dai1y basis in Hong Kong). Additionally, there was a parenta1 guidance warning posted before the fi1m aired. Cheung says she understands that parents want to protect their chi1dren from danger but she thinks it wou1d be best to “1et chi1dren get in touch with all kinds of peop1e."2 The incident is a reminder of the strange mora1ity that governs Hong Kong in its incarnation as a Specia1 Administrative Region of the PRC. In a South 仿ina Morning Posteditoria1, Chris Yeung wrote，“τ'he broadcasting watchdog's ru1ing has raised the question of whether government appointees have a grasp of what is acceptab1e to TV viewers. Is Hong Kong tru1y a modern, progressive world-class City?"3 Yeung's comments are a fitting end to this study ofAnAutumn 台 Tale for it was anxiety about a 10ss of freedom that drove so many “Jennys" and “Figgys" away from Hong Kong in the 1980s. Those who are interested in the cycles ofhistory, (as well as finding out what all of the fuss is about), might want to pick up a copy ofAnAutumn 台 Tale and make up their own minds. ...

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