Loh
Bok Lai, Patrick Teoh, Amy Len , Berg Lee , Yap Kok Chong, Chin
Lee Ling
Experimental filmmaker
James Lee of Malaysia wrote and directed The Beautiful Washing Machine.
Teoh's (Loh Bok Lai) girlfriend has just left him, and as the film
opens; he is buying a used washing machine to replace the one she
must have taken with her. At his dull desk job, Teoh's boss complains
that his sullen mood is hurting morale. The used washing machine
turns out to be very temperamental, turning itself on and off seemingly
at will. He calls the store, but the warranty has expired. He calls
the manufacturer, but the model has been discontinued. When a repairman
comes to fix it, the machine works fine. Teoh ends up scrubbing
his clothes clean by hand. One night, Teoh hears a noise and finds
a strange young woman (Amy Len) sitting by the washing machine eating
a bowl of soup. He has her do all of his cooking and cleaning while
he critiques her work and photographs her. Eventually, he takes
her out in the street and tries to sell her sexual services to other
men. This gets him into trouble, but the woman escapes and is taken
in by Mr. Wong (Patrick Teoh), an elderly widower who happens to
be the father of Yuen (Chin Lee Ling), the longtime girlfriend of
Teoh's co-worker, Yap (Yap Kok Chong). Wong also owns a broken washing
machine, which his son, Ah Dee (Berg Lee), was supposed to fix.
The arrival of the strange woman causes upheaval in Wong's home
as Yuen resents her presence, Ah Dee tries to seduce her, and Yap
forces himself on her. Wong refuses to explain her presence, and
the woman herself doesn't say a word.
The Beautiful Washing
Machine, shot by Teoh Gay Hian, was shown at the 2004 New York Asian
American International Film Festival.
Watch the Trailer here.
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