A clear female voice echoed in the rehearsal hall of the drama "Thunderstorm". Cao Ying, who plays Sifeng, is wearing a light yellow dress, with arrogance between her eyebrows, and she is talking about her lines endlessly.
"I tell you, if a woman can do it, she can do what a man does, and she does it better than a man. After hearing this, the director couldn't help but exclaim: "Okay, very good! Sakurako, your tone is so subdued and frustrated that you are vivid, and you completely interpret Sifeng, a strong woman, to the fullest!" There was a round of applause from the audience.
This is the golden age when Cao Ying shined on the drama stage in the early 50s of the 20th century. At that time, she was in her youth, with a peugeot face and a smart and bright temperament.
She is the pillar of the Chongqing Repertory Theatre, and with her excellent acting skills, she has successfully portrayed many roles such as Hua Jinzi in the drama "Wilderness" and Sifeng in "Thunderstorm", which has been widely acclaimed.
Cao Ying, formerly known as Zhang Yuanrui, was born in 1930 in Chengdu, Sichuan, the capital of art. At the age of 17, she walked into Chengdu Nanhong Drama School with a smile and began her Xi of studying acting.
After graduation, she worked in the Chengdu China Art Theater and the Army Art Troupe, and later joined the Chongqing Repertory Theatre by changing careers, and truly found herself to bloom on the stage.
However, the splendor on the stage of the drama is not enough, and Cao Ying is eager to show her skills in the wide world of film. In 1957, under the appreciation of director Yan Jizhou, Cao Ying successfully played the role of the female landlord Qiaofeng in the movie "Five Cold", and her sensational acting skills won her unanimous praise from film critics and audiences.
Then, in 1960, Cao Ying was fortunate to cooperate with the extremely popular actor Wang Xingang in "Mengyuan Sha" directed by Wang Ping, and successfully played a very different role as a female spy.
However, the good times did not last long, and Cao Ying, who was on the rise in her career, was also criticized for playing an "alternative" role, resulting in her failing to burst out more brilliant sparks on the road of film and television.
She retired in 1984 and died of illness in 2001 at the age of 71. In her short life, she has only participated in two movies, but those roles have become the shining pearls of her acting skills, leaving a distinct mark on film history and the hearts of audiences.
In 1957, director Yan Jizhou decided to put Shi Chao's "Five Cold" on the screen. With her outstanding performance on the drama stage, Cao Ying got the opportunity to play the role of the female landlord Qiaofeng.
This was the first time she was "electrocuted" in a movie, and it also made her the starting point for her to shine in film history in the future.
The big screen was turned on for the first time, and Cao Ying rubbed her hands a little nervously. "Sakurako, don't be afraid, relax, just bring your state in the drama to you. The experienced Yan Dao encouraged on the side.
Cao Ying took a deep breath and quickly adjusted to her state. After the director shouted "Action", she was still nervous just now, and instantly turned into Qiaofeng on the screen.
"Captain Luo, be careful on the road...... I, I'll wait for you to come back!" Cao Ying looked at the male protagonist with affection, but her eyes were full of endless reluctance and sorrow.
This soft, strong, affectionate look instantly captured everyone's hearts, and the director praised loudly: "Great! Sakurako, you perfectly portray Qiaofeng's complex emotions, her ambivalence about Captain Luo's deep love and pain."
The image of a spicy and bold, love-hate female landlord came to life on the screen. Qiao Feng played by Cao Ying seems to be frivolous, but she is actually depressed and depressed in her heart; She longs for love but also has to hold on to her dignity, and this weak and stubborn mentality is vividly interpreted through her rich expressions and figures.
In particular, her complex eyes for the actor Luo Wenchuan are sometimes in love, sometimes complaining, and sometimes worried, which has moved and made countless audiences unforgettable.
In this screen debut, Cao Ying conquered the hearts of film critics and audiences with her outstanding performance. But at the same time, she also encountered unexpected criticism for successfully portraying this "special" landlady landlord.
For a while, this undoubtedly also had a negative impact on her later film and television development path. However, we still have to thank Director Yan for his discernment, which allowed him to discover Cao Ying's jade; I also want to thank Cao Ying herself, who did not flinch in the midst of criticism, but bravely and clearly played the role she is best at.
It is this Qiaofeng that has achieved her status in film history, and it will also be the most eye-catching footnote of her acting skills.
In 1960, Wang Ping, the female director of Bayi Film Studio, approached Cao Ying and asked her to play the heroine in the new film "Mengyuan Sha". "This time, the actor is the most popular student in our Bayi - Wang Xingang, you two will be a beautiful pair on the screen!" Hearing that she was going to cooperate with this popular idol, Cao Ying was so happy that she couldn't keep her mouth shut.
On the day of the start-up, Cao Ying carefully put on makeup, permed her wavy curly hair, and put on a close-fitting cheongsam, completely turning the role of female spy Dao Ailing into reality.
She swayed to Wang Xingang to introduce herself, and the two quickly talked happily. "Sakurako, I've seen your performance in "Five Colds", and your acting skills are remarkable!" Wang Xingang said with a smile.
Cao Ying was not modest, and bluntly said that she would go all out, and her cooperation with the male god would definitely be brilliant.
Sure enough, the cooperation between the two was seamless. This pair of male and female spies are fighting wits and courage back and forth, and the reversals are constantly and thrilling. Cao Ying successfully portrayed Dao Ailing's vicious, insidious, and enchanting and sexy qualities vividly through exaggerated and delicate performance techniques.
"Cut! Director Wang Ping couldn't help but applaud the tacit cooperation between the two. Cao Ying smiled shyly, she knew that she would definitely shine on the screen if she cooperated with the male god.
However, as everyone knows, this star will be quickly extinguished after it is burned. "Mengyuan Sand" has become her only cooperation with Wang Xingang, and it is also the last beautiful scenery in her screen career.
Many years later, when she looks back on the past, whenever she thinks of all kinds of happy conversations with male gods, there will always be a little sourness and reluctance in her heart - it could have been better, if it weren't for that criticism, she could have worked side by side with Wang Xingang to compose more moving music on the screen.
In 1984, Cao Ying, accompanied by her husband, chose to retire as a turning point in her life. The path of retreat from obscurity seems to be the life she really yearns for in her heart.
A villa in the suburbs became her home, and the days of isolation were plain and warm. The hustle and bustle of the past seemed to be far away from her.
Few people know that this gentle and elegant old man is the sensational movie actress of the year. Time has left mottled marks on her face, and she is no longer the spicy and suave as Qiaofeng in her memory, or as enchanting and frivolous as Dao Ailing.
All the roles have been integrated into her bones and have become the treasures of her acting skills. Even when she is no longer standing under the camera, she still looks calm and dazzling.
One winter day in 2001, Cao Ying passed away in the drizzle at the age of 71. Before dying, she smiled and looked back on every role she had played, and sincerely thanked them for achieving her glory.
She also understands that she failed to become a household name female star like Wang Xiaotang after all, but she has no regrets. Because in the hearts of many audiences, she has become a legend - an actress who shook their film life and reflected in the depths of their souls with just two film works.
Her quiet and gentle old age life is as dazzling as her turbulent youth and brilliant middle age.
For many movie fans, "Five Colds" and "Mengyuan Sha" are not big-budget movies. They are neither as politically correct as "Children of Heroes", nor as emotionally shocking as "Deep in a Hundred Flowers", and they cannot even be regarded as the masterpieces of Bayi Factory and Great Wall Company.
However, these two films contain a unique charm - what is unforgettable is the two completely different female images perfectly presented by the heroine Cao Ying.
The spicy and bold, love-hate Qiaofeng in "Five Colds", and the bewitching, frivolous, insidious and cunning Dao Ailing in "Mengyuan Sha" are like two extremes.
Cao Ying successfully used her acting talent to portray both roles vividly. Especially in the debut novel "Five Colders", she vividly portrayed Qiaofeng's complex personality of softness and rigidity, longing for love but also reserved self-esteem.
This expressiveness was no less than that of the more famous actresses of the time. However, it is regrettable that these two films became the end of Cao Ying's screen career. She could have had a more brilliant film career, but a misunderstanding and criticism ruthlessly ended her dream of stardom.
We have to rejoice that at least "Five Colds" and "Mengyuan Sha" left these two bright pearls for her. Although she failed to become a top actress like Wang Xiaotang, in the hearts of many movie fans, she has become a kind of legend - an actress who blooms in their memories with just two works, and the image of an actress that never fades.