Young woman Yue and her adoptive father Lin Tsai-tien live a poor but happy life raising ducks in the countryside. Yet their tranquility is disrupted when Chao-fu, a Taiwanese opera performer, claims to be Yue’s biological brother and continually extorts money from Lin Tsai-tien by threatening to reveal Yue’s true identity. Over time, Chao-fu’s greed grows, and urged on by his wife, he even attempts to take Yue with him to form his own Taiwanese opera troupe. Faced with the inevitability of the siblings’ reunion and anxious for Yue’s well-being under Chao-fu’s dubious livelihood, Lin Tsai-tien decides to sell all their ducks and give the money to Chao-fu. Fortunately, Yue’s love for her adoptive father prevails, and she insists on staying with him, leading to a turning point in the situation.
The “Healthy Realism” approach of Central Motion Picture Corporation (CMPC) emerged in conformity with the art and literature policies of the 1960s. Nevertheless, the new approach also provided filmmakers an opportunity to break away from making propaganda dramas. Beautiful Duckling is LEE Hsing’s first independently-directed color film for CMPC following on after Oyster Girl. The production design was inspired by the countryside watercolor paintings of Taiwanese artist Ran In-ting. The film adapted the Taiwanese folksong, Embrace the Spring Breeze, to create a pastoral and idyllic soundtrack, and blends breathtaking countryside vistas with local elements like Taiwanese opera and duck farm. The grand agricultural exhibition organized by the 4-H Club was placed in the background to soften any propagandistic intent linked to agricultural reform, while the narrative structure centers on family ties, highlighting the value of “gratitude for nurturing is greater than gratitude for giving birth”. In all, Beautiful Duckling laid the cornerstone for Healthy Realism films, serving as a significant work that offers insights into Taiwan’s early films and political propaganda.
