Esprit d'amour[1] is a 1983 Hong Kong supernatural romance film directed by Ringo Lam and starring Alan Tam, Shu-Chun Ni and Cecilia Yip.

Koo Chi-Ming (Alan Tam) is a life-insurance investigator who, on his way to his engagement party, loses control of his car and almost runs over a young woman, Siu-Yu (Ni Shu-Chun).

Later upon arriving at his party he and his father (Bill Tung) begin being henpecked by his mother (Tang Pik-wan) and his fiancée Ivy (Cecilia Yip).

Rushing forward to grab Mimi, Siu-Yu accidentally steps on a skateboard, which sends her over the edge of the roof.

Now a free man and with a promotion, Chi-Ming begins a romantic relationship with Siu-Yu, much to the dismay of his girlfriend, who along with his mother hires an exorcist, Dr. Han (Tien Feng).

Ivy takes Chi-Ming out to a nightclub to distract him, but while watching a dance performance he spots Siu-Yu on stage and in great distress.

[3] Maggie Cheung was originally meant to play the role of Siu-Yu, but was rejected by director Po-Chih Leong.

[3] At the Golden Horse Awards in a cocktail reception the director spotted a young girl called Joyce Ni and instantly wanted her to play Siu Yu, however she had never acted before.

[3] Filming began in late 1982 under the direction of Po-Chih Leong, director of the generally well-received Hong Kong 1941.

According to Ringo Lam around one-third of the film had been shot when Leong resigned after arguing with producer Karl Maka.

In need of a quick and inexpensive replacement Maka gave the previously unknown Ringo Lam his big break.

[5] The film's theme song (Chinese: 幻影; Jyutping: waan6 jing2), known in English as "Illusion", or sometimes as "Phantom" or "Mirage",[6] is used throughout the movie in a music box and is also used in the ending credits.

The award ultimately went to "A Chance Encounter" (偶遇), the theme song of the 1984 film A Certain Romance (少女日記), sung by Samantha Lam.

[5][15][16] In 1990 the film featured as part of Channel 4's "Chinese Ghost Story" season introduced by Jonathan Ross, being played alongside similar movies in the genre such as Encounters of the Spooky Kind, Zu Warriors from the Magic Mountain, Mr. Vampire, Spiritual Love and Rouge.