The movie "Eternal Life in the Fire" is the last film made by Zhao Dan before his death, when he was just 50 years old, he did not expect that his acting career would end so early. After the Cultural Revolution, Zhao Dan returned to the film industry, he was eager to chase back time, he thought of too many roles, Lu Xun, Wen Yiduo... One of the roles he wanted to play the most, but eventually lost.
It was 1978 after the smashing of the "Gang of Four", the North Film Studio pitched the feature film "The Great River Rushing", the film will appear for the first time the image of Zhou Enlai, intends to ask Zhao Dan to play Premier Zhou, from the "cowshed" soon after the joy of Zhao Dan's joy is beyond words, for ten years "prison", he has not filmed a play, an actor (especially Zhao Dan) does not let him act than anything uncomfortable; second, he has a special and deep feeling for Premier Zhou. As early as 1937, after the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War, Zhao Dan participated in the public performance of the famous anti-Japanese war drama "Defending Lugou Bridge" and threw himself into the "Third Team of Anti-Japanese Rescue Drama". At that time, Premier Zhou was in Wuhan. After the two people met, they formed a deep friendship. Since then, the premier has repeatedly paid attention to Zhao Dan's performance career. Premier Zhou often said, "Ah Dan and I are old friends." Zhao Dan said: "The most admired person in his life is not others, it is Premier Zhou." ”
In 1976, after the death of Premier Zhou, Zhao Dan was very sad. Zhao Dan missed the beloved Premier Zhou, and looked for every opportunity to obsessively play Premier Zhou, using the screen image to pin his thoughts, gratitude and respect. In 1977, after Zhao Dan's comeback, he made his first appearance at the welcome party and recited a prose poem "Lights of Zhongnanhai" in honor of Premier Zhou. To have the opportunity to play the great image of Premier Zhou is not only a good study and exercise for him, but also to pin his endless mourning on Premier Zhou. He was excited, excited, and sometimes sleepless all night, eagerly looking forward to entering the movie as soon as possible.
He hired a makeup artist to study and ponder the styling. Zhao Dan's mouth was a little cramped, his mouth was a little short, and he asked the makeup artist to raise his upper teeth and draw his lips down. Zhao Dan's upper jaw was not long enough, and the makeup artist shaved the hair off the door of his head. Zhao Dan's ears were not large enough, and they were enlarged through three-dimensional shaping, and then properly processed in the eyebrows and other parts, so that the image of Premier Zhou was vividly presented. When the makeup artist fixed the shape for him, everyone present said like, and Zhao Dan was even more like a child, happily patting his thigh. During that time, Zhao Dan got a lot of valuable materials from Deng Yingchao's hands to study day and night, and rehearsed at home at all times, Huang Zongying saw his premier appearance, and he couldn't help but believe it. Until the fifth audition, shooting the footage of Premier Zhou's office reviewing documents, Zhao Dan really came alive. Zhang Ruifang shouted in surprise when she saw the make-up photos: "Premier Zhou is resurrected!" ”
However, it backfired, and later he was not allowed to act. Although the "Gang of Four" had been smashed at that time, it was influenced by some ultra-left lines, and some gossip was difficult to clarify for a while. Zhao Dan was extremely sad, he was in the Peace Hotel, a person silently shed tears, which he did not expect. Not being able to play Premier Zhou has also become his great regret, and Zhao Dan, who is lying on the hospital bed, still keeps chanting: "Why don't you let you act at once?" After Deng Yingchao knew, she comforted him and said, "If you don't act, you won't act, and there will be good dramas in the future!" ”
Zhao Dan did not make this film, but left this memorable makeup photo.