"When Will the Bright Moon Be", directed by Xu Anhua, co-starring Zhou Xun, Peng Yuyan, Huo Jianhua and other stars, is an anti-Japanese film that profoundly depicts a group of cultural figures who escaped from the Japanese army with the assistance of the guerrillas after the fall of Hong Kong in 1941 and returned to the embrace of the motherland.
The core story of the film revolves around Fang Gu (played by Zhou Xun) and her mother Fang Mu (played by Yip Tak Han), vividly showing the tenacity and unyielding fighting spirit of the Hong Kong people in the war. Fang Gu is a young girl who lives with her mother and rents a second-floor cottage. Their landlords are patriotic poet Mao Dun (played by Guo Tao) and his wife Kong Delan (played by Jiang Wenli). Mao Dun participated in the Northern Expedition and wrote famous poems such as "Spring and Snow in Qinyuan". He had deep feelings for his aunt, but he couldn't express them for various reasons. At the same time, Kong Delan is a greedy and selfish woman who only cares about money and material comforts, and is indifferent to the situation of Mao Dun and Fang Gu.
With its deep emotions and tense plot, the film tells a story of patriotism, sacrifice and survival, while showing the indomitable spirit of cultural people who held their faith and pursued freedom in the war-torn years. "When Will the Bright Moon Be" is not only a remembrance of history, but also a tribute to those who pursued light and hope in the war.
In the cold winter of 1941, Hong Kong was invaded by the Japanese army, and the Chinese cultural elite of this land suffered merciless persecution and plunder. Mao Dun, a literary giant, finds himself in danger and is wanted by the Japanese army. At this life-and-death juncture, he decided to leave Hong Kong and walk with Fang Gu and Kong Delan. Under the guidance of the guerrillas and the secret help of the people of Hong Kong, they took a ferry from the Kowloon Pier to the freedom of Shanghai. On the way, they encountered an ambush and heavy artillery fire from the Japanese army. At this moment of life and death, Mao Dun heroically sacrificed his life to protect Fang Gu.
The movie "When Will the Bright Moon Be" culminates in a shocking battle on the beach in Shanghai shortly after Mao Dun's death. It was a decisive battle between the guerrillas led by the Chinese Communist Party and the Japanese invaders. In this battle, the Chinese Communist fighters demonstrated their fearless, heroic, tenacious, and indomitable revolutionary spirit, and died together with the enemy.
The film profoundly presents the historical significance and strong artistic appeal. It delicately depicts the suffering and struggle of the people of Hong Kong during the war, as well as their patriotism and national integrity. It conveys to the audience a firm belief, a courageous spirit of resistance, a determination to never give up, the courage to fight for ideals, the greatness of sacrifice for the country, and a strong desire for national rejuvenation.