Thirteen (1974 film)


Thirteen is a 1974 Hong Kong coming-of-age film directed by Sung Tsun-shou and produced by Shaw Brothers Studio. It was based on the novel Zaoshu by Taiwanese novelist Kuo Liang-hui.

Cast and characters

  • Chin Han as Lu Tao-jan, a newspaper publisher.
  • Hsia Ping as Lan Chin, Lu's wife. The marriage is unhappy, and she spends most of her time playing mahjong. She treats her daughters rudely, but spoils her son.
  • Ku Chiu-chin as Lu Yun-pai, Lu Tao-jan's oldest daughter. She is married, pregnant and hardworking.
  • Chen I-ling as Lu Chin-pai, Lu Tao-jan's second daughter. She spends most of her time dressing up and hanging out with her boyfriend.
  • Tien Niu as Lu Chih-pai, Lu Tao-jan's third daughter and the protagonist of the film. She is 13 and does not like to study. She also does not get along with Chin-pai, with whom she shares a room.
  • Yuan Man-tzu as Lu Hsiu-pai, Lu Tao-jan's fourth daughter.
  • Chiang Ko-ai as Lu Li-pai, Lu Tao-jan's fifth daughter.
  • Hsu Chia-lin as Lu Sheng-pai, Lu Tao-jan's son and the youngest child.
  • Ling Yun as Shih Hsin-chiao, a 30-year-old journalist who trained under Lu Tao-jan.
  • Huang Shu-yi as Shih Hsin-ju, Shih Hsin-chiao's cousin in Macau. Her husband is in America, living with another woman.
  • Wong Yue as Hung Sen, a playboy 2 grades higher than Chih-pai.
  • Wang Ching-ho as the gynecologist.

Plot

Shih Hsin-chiao, a journalist who trained under mentor Lu Tao-jan, is a family friend of the Lus and well-liked by the children. Lu's 13-year-old daughter Chih-pai is infatuated with "Uncle Shih", but Shih sees her only as a child. Lu Tao-jan is transferred to Macau, where he has an affair with Shih's cousin. When Shih returns after a trip to Japan, he finds Chih-pai an attractive young woman. After repeatedly being rejected by Shih, Chih-pai has a relationship with a rich playboy Hung Sen, which leaves her pregnant. Desperate, she goes to the only man who can help her: Shih.