There is a scene in the movie "Let the Bullets Fly" that is very classic.
After Zhang Muzhi, played by Jiang Wen, and Tang Shiye, played by Ge You, came to Goose City, the former wanted to use his status as a county magistrate to straighten his waist and make a fortune in the local area, and the latter said that Zhang Muzhi was kneeling in front of Huang Silang and asking for food.
And Zhang Muzhi naturally did not follow, so he said the very classic line, "I want to stand, but also earn money."
"I want to stand and earn money" is Zhang Muzhi's attitude throughout the movie, and it is also Jiang Wen who says his true inner thoughts through the mouth of the character.
The so-called "standing and earning money" is not to go with the flow, not to be swayed by others, and to make money by living and working according to their true ideas. This practice is exactly the opposite of those condescending behaviors in reality.
Before that, Jiang Wen thought so and did the same.
In the past few decades, Jiang Wen's own film works have been counted. After the success of the debut work, countless scripts were handed to Jiang Wen every year, but in these years, Jiang Wen's films were only 6.
It is not a good story that does not shoot, it is not suitable for your own style, it is not a thought that you want to express. To put it bluntly, Jiang Wen only makes his favorite movies, and other scripts that want to make quick money are exempt from talking.
Normally, a commercial director is often subject to investors, who give money to the former before they have a scene, so many times the director has to compromise. Either change the story to a mess, or go through the back door and put someone in and make a mess of the whole movie.
For all this, Jiang Wen did not accept it at all. Originally, some people thought that his movie was going to be frustrated, but it turned out to be very popular, and investors could not do anything about him.
When he was an actor, Jiang Wen was also very willful, shooting if he wanted to shoot, and leaving without shooting.
In 1998, Jiang Wen took over the film "Jing Ke Thorn Qin King", playing the role of Jing Ke. As a result, after a month of shooting and Chen Kaige's cooperation concept was not harmonious, Jiang Wen patted his ass and left, and his head did not return, so that Chen Dao himself was messy in the wind, and finally had to find Zhang Fengyi to save the scene.
In 2003, Jiang Wen promised Zhang Yimou to star in "Hero", but before filming began, he suddenly resigned directly. How many actors want to shoot with Zhang Yimou, Jiang Wen is not coming, the entire Chinese film and television circle, I am afraid that few actors are crazy than him.
Obviously, whether as a director or as an actor, Jiang Wen has always done things according to his true ideas. Like is like, dislike is dislike, never wronged yourself to do something against your heart, and will not make bad movies for money.
As a result, in 2021, Jiang Wen reneged on his promise. Jiang Wen, who wanted to stand and earn the money, still knelt down this time
With the release of the fantasy movie Turandot: The Origin of the Spell, various bad reviews about the film are all over the place. "Not classy", "special effects five cents", "the story is embarrassing to the point of cutting feet", the audience who was fooled by Jiang Wen starring to buy tickets to enter the scene, eager to use all the bad words to describe this movie.
After watching the movie, the audience who came out of the theater couldn't understand why Jiang Wen would take over this film.
According to Jiang Wen's past temperament, this kind of story book in his hand may not stay for a few minutes, and he was immediately thrown out. Wasting time on such a film is a pure waste of life.
But this time, Jiang Wen not only took this kind of book, but also honestly cooperated with propaganda, which was really unbelievable.
Of course, don't say that the audience does not understand, it is estimated that Jiang Wen himself may not want to understand, why did he promise Zheng Xiaolong to star in "Turandot".
Maybe it's out of paying off a debt of affection, maybe it's because of a painful promise at a banquet, or maybe it's because the producers have given too much.
Who knows why?
Just like the master played by Ge You in "Let the Bullets Fly", it is not a chill to make money! Jiang Wen is also a layman who is detached from the identity of a director, and he also needs money to live, especially when people are middle-aged and elderly, and they need more money to prevent aging.
Besides, few people will be too rich. If there is an opportunity to put it in front of you, show your face in the movie and say a few minutes of lines, millions will be paid, I am afraid that few actors will not be moved.
It's just that this time of starring, for the audience who originally liked Jiang Wen and did not hesitate to buy tickets when they saw Jiang Wen, the harm suffered this time is not insignificant.
The harm is deceptive and almost irreversible. It's like chasing a party that chases love, throwing yourself into love, only to find out that the other party is a liar in the end, which is simply a head-on attack.
In the future, when these viewers see Jiang Wen's name again, I am afraid that they will have to take a detour.
I don't know if Jiang Wen, who knelt down this time, will be able to stand up in the future?