Romantic love is unrequited love between those of different social positions. Western civilization has moved beyond romantic love, largely because barriers of class have broken down and women are liberated. Many parts of Asia, however, retain traditional cultures that present impenetrable barriers. In the Mood for Love, written and directed by Kar-Wai Wong, brings romantic love to the screen from Hongkong of the 1960s. The two lovers are journalist Chow Mo-Wan (played by Tony Leung) and shipping clerk Su Li-Zhen (played by Maggie Cheung). The film begins in 1962. They live next door to each other, and their spouses either are out of town or make excuses for not coming home for dinner after work, so they run into each other a lot as they try to socialize or get fresh air in the neighborhood. Eventually, they realize that they really do not have satisfying marriages, they get acquainted, hold hands, but they never even kiss. However, when she decides that she cannot betray her husband, Chow gets himself reassigned to Singapore in 1963 to get over the affair. In the most poignant scene of the film, which is filled with languid looks and long, sad pauses between few words of dialogue and sentimental Spanish songs sung by Nat King Cole (but not “I’m I the Mood for Love”), comes when she places a long distance call to Chow in Singapore but hangs up without saying anything after hearing his voice. In 1966, Chow goes to Cambodia, yet another strategy to get over the unconsummated affair. The last frames show him leaning against a portion of the Angkor Wat temple almost in tears. The sad film speaks to the brokenhearted, and could easily have featured two married men confronted with the amorous dilemma that they are gay. What is the film’s message? Cry in a moviehouse if you can, but move on with your lives lest depression brought on by unconsummated love become your quicksand. MH