Fatal Beauty

Beyond The Great Wall

Dir: Li Han-hsiang
Scr: Wang Zhibo
Prod Co: Shaw Brothers
Co-starring: Chao Lei, Hong Bo, Chiang Kuang-chao, Li Ying
1964 | Colour | DCP | Mandarin | Chi & Eng Subtitles | 89min

In this retelling of the classic tale, Lin Dai stars as imperial concubine Wang Zhaojun—one of the Four Beauties of Ancient China. Unlike the other palace concubines, Zhaojun refuses to bribe the imperial painter Mao Yanshou (Hong Bo) to draw pretty portraits of her for the emperor to choose from. As a result, she hasn’t been paid any visit by the emperor (Chao Lei) for three years. It is only when the emperor by chance hears her playing pipa that he realises such a beauty lives in the palace. Meanwhile Mao Yanshou instigates the Xiongnu’s Chanyu (tribal leader) to ask the Han emperor for Zhaojun’s hand in marriage or threaten war. To prevent Xiongnu’s invasion, Zhaojun agrees to the marriage alliance. After reprimanding Mao, she commits suicide. Lin conveys Zhaojun’s resentment for being an outcast with elegance and subtlety, then conveys the love of being favoured by the emperor with deep affection. Later, she expresses passionate indignance when she accuses Mao of being a traitor, intense sorrow when she agrees to marry into a foreign tribe, and elicits a dignified attitude when she sacrifices her life for the good of her country. Lin shows great versatility in her moving performance, without a shred of convolutedness.

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