Dirs: Zhu Shilin, Bai Chen
Scr: Lu Jue
Prod Co.: Dragon-Horse
Co-starring: Han Fei, Liu Lian, Jiang Ming, Lan Qing, Li Ciyu
1951 / B&W / D Beta / Mandarin / Chi & Eng subtitles / 111min

 

Ah Cui (Li Lihua) has been set on marrying her childhood sweetheart Little Trumpet (Han Fei) after a surprise reunion. However, life's obstacles cause their wedding date to be postponed again and again. The third highest-grossing Mandarin-language Hong Kong film in 1951 may be a comedy, but it doesn't shy from the bitter realities of life. Ever the dedicated actor, Li worked briefly at a cotton mill to understand the lives of labourers like Ah Cui. Li's devastating reaction to witnessing Ah Cui's dreams of forming a family being crushed as her home is demolished is proof of Li's immense acting talent as well as a reflection of the harsh realities that Hong Kongers in poverty suffered on a daily basis.

Screening courtesy of CDCC Paris