POLL RESULTS: Final Scene in “Looking Back in Anger 義不容情”

First, my apologies for the delay in putting up this post, as I’ve been quite busy lately so haven’t had a chance to work on my blog as much as I would like (plus I got sidetracked with the LOTCH reunion show...LOL!).

Anyway, my latest 80s/90s poll asked the question: In the famous final scene of the series “Looking Back in Anger (義不容情)”, in your opinion, who do you feel is the ‘mystery woman’ who leaves the note for Felix Wong’s character Ding Yau Kin (丁有健)?

The choices:

.> Ding Yau Kin’s WIFE, Ngai Chor Gwan 倪楚君 (played by Carina Lau 劉嘉玲) = 2 votes
.> Ding Yau Kin’s SISTER, Chan Siu Ling 陳少玲 (played by Carrie Ho 何嘉麗) = 1 vote
.> Someone else (Who? Please explain in poll results to be post in 2 weeks) = 0 votes


Before I analyze the results of the poll, let me first explain why I decided to ask the question in the first place. To some, the answer may be ‘obvious’ in a sense based on the development of the storyline that led up to that particular scene -- but upon paying closer attention, the answer actually isn’t that obvious. The fact that in the past 20+ years since the story aired, people continue to debate the ending proves that there is definitely more than meets the eye…

So is the ‘mystery woman’ Carina or Carrie? Or someone else perhaps?

Based on the votes, looks like I was the lone dissenter who voted for Carrie, who played Felix’s adopted sister in the series. Interestingly enough, as many times as I’ve seen this series, I’ve always thought that the ‘mystery woman’ was his sister – never once did I think it was Carina (who played Felix’s wife).

There are a few reasons why I feel that the ‘mystery woman’ is Carrie:

First, the ‘outfit’ that the woman wore (or at least the little that the audiences were able to see, which were pretty much the shoes and stockings) just did not look like what Carina’s character would wear. If I remember correctly, the shoes looked a bit old-fashioned and with Carina’s character having such good fashion sense, it just doesn’t seem reasonable that she would wear shoes like that.

Second, I truly believe that Carina’s character died in the earthquakes and/or landslides in Ethiopia – after Felix had been waiting 10 years to see his wife again (and on such a special occasion, their shared birthday) and she had even called him prior to the disasters to tell him she was returning home (which means she has forgiven him), it just doesn’t make sense to me that she would change her mind suddenly and decide not to return after all. Maybe it’s just hard for me to believe that Carina’s character would ‘play’ Felix like that – it just doesn’t seem like her personality at all in the series.

Third, I didn’t really catch it the first time, but after watching the series several times, I started to see ‘hints’ in the last few scenes of the series (the party scenes at the end where all of the siblings are there) of possibly the siblings knowing the truth (that Carina had died) but just couldn’t bear to break it to Felix – plus he was so adamant that she would definitely show up on their designated meeting day that they probably knew there was nothing they could say or do to convince him otherwise until that day arrived. So when that day came and Carina was a no-show, the sister decides to leave Felix the note so that he will finally be convinced and move on with his life.

So that’s my explanation….right or wrong, I don’t know, but that’s what I’ve believed all these years.

For those who voted, what is your reasoning for your pick? Please feel free to share! :o)