Tomboy

A rich Shanghai family’s patriarch, the grandfather, is so desperate for a grandson to inherit his business that he falls sick when there seems to be no sign of a male heir appearing. One day, he immediately recovers on hearing the good news that his son's wife has just given birth to a son in Singapore where they live and have their own business.

However, little does the happy grandfather know that his son has lied about the gender of the newborn baby. Flash forward to 18 years later and the baby is now a grown girl named Liying, who has disguised herself as a grandson to visit the patriarch in Shanghai after his many exhortations. The disguise leads to a series of suspenseful events and comic incidents, ranging from the grandfather’s insistence on having the “grandson” sleep in the same bed with him to the identity confusion when the “grandson” goes to the toilet.

One day, to entertain his “male heir,” the grandfather invites a selected few youngsters to visit the family, which leads to further emotional complications. Though in disguise, Liying is immediately attracted to a handsome man named Lin, who in turn falls for another girl and only treats Liying as a same-sex friend. At the same time, a girl named Zhu (played by Zhou Xuan, dubbed the “golden voice” of Chinese cinema) grows feelings for Liying, thinking she is a boy. In one instance, Miss Zhu kisses Liying on the cheek and openly expresses her passionate love for the handsome “grandson”.

The moment of truth finally comes. When the “grandson” falls sick in bed from a “woman’s illness,” the grandfather embraces Liying. Shocked to find that she has breasts. he declares “You’re a girl!” before fainting to the floor. However, the film ends happily: while the grandfather finally reconciles with the fact that Liying is a girl, news from Singapore comes to the family again that the grandfather’s daughter-in-law just give birth to a real grandson. Liying leaves the grandfather with her newfound love Mr. Lin.

While Tomboy was called “poisonous,” “frivolous,” “worthless,” and a typical anti-leftist “soft film,” it was nonetheless a box office hit. Several sequels were subsequently made to entertain an enthusiastic audience, including one made in post-1949 Hong Kong.