A rare document of Singapore cinema, Spirit of the Overseas Chinese was made by pioneering female Chinese filmmaker Wan Hoi-Ling, who had directed films in Singapore for the Shaw Brothers. Her partner Hou Yao, who tragically died during the war, collaborated with her on her films. Made just a year after World War II ended, the film begins before the war comes to Malaya and reflects upon the struggles of newly-emigrated and affluent Chinese immigrants who have to choose between the comfortable luxury of their lives in Singapore and returning to their motherland to fight the enemy.