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You can watch Shanghai Blues (1984) for free on Kanopy, rent on Apple TV+, or buy on Apple TV+.

In 1937 Shanghai, a soldier and a young woman have an awkward meet-cute in darkness under a bridge as they seek refuge during a bomb raid. Ten years later, the soldier, now a burgeoning songwriter and tuba-player in a marching band, is back in town desperately searching for his would-be soulmate. As fate would have it they end up living in the same building unbeknownst to each other. Through a series of mishaps, he mistakes her new ingénue roommate for his love interest and wacky love triangle hijinks ensue.

1930s Shanghai vibrates with a restless, melodic energy that turns a chance encounter under a bridge into a decade-long search for lost melody. This sweeping romantic comedy swaps heavy drama for brassy band music and the bittersweet ache of a songwriter chasing a ghost.

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