Author: Silence
Li Feifei of "Pink Chrysanthemum"
A petite maid, dressed in a gorgeous costume, holding a weapon while dancing and fighting, is dazzling and shocking. In Danjiao, my favorite thing to see is Wudan; in Wudan, my favorite is "Pink Chrysanthemum", and just listening to this stage name is enough to attract people.
"Pink Chrysanthemum" is Dao Ma Dan, good at playing roles such as Liang Hongyu and Mu Guiying. She has extraordinary martial arts, dancing guns and knives, brave and fierce, and often fights on stage.
In the 1920s, "Pink Chrysanthemum" also made movies. She was the first Peking Opera actress to make a movie.
Pink chrysanthemums in "Female Li Feifei"
In 1925, the four brothers founded Tianyi Film Company and produced China's first martial arts film "Female Hero Li Feifei". The screenwriter is Shao Chunren and Gao Lijian, the director is Shao Drunk, and the actors are Wu Frangxin. The main content of the story is that the young girl of the good family is falsely accused of being unchaste on the wedding night, and the heroine Li Feifei helps her find out the truth and reconcile the husband and wife. Among them, the actress Li Feifei is "Pink Chrysanthemum". Although I have not seen this movie, through her performance on stage, I can imagine her cool and heroic posture and wonderful martial arts in the film.
Kim So-chin's Yu Ji
In the 1930s, before the outbreak of the Anti-Japanese War, a female actress with both color and art appeared on the Peking Opera stage in Shanghai. Her best plays include "Fishing and Killing", "Overlord Farewell", etc., and she has also acted in some fashion plays. There are many people who like her and praise her, including Yu Qiaqing and Wang Xiaoli, who have heard about her at sea.
Jin Suqin once organized her own drama class, took turns performing in major theaters, and became a famous character. I have seen many of her plays, because Jin Suqin's "private huqin" Guo Xiaolong is my second brother's Gezhi Middle School classmate. Jin Suqin always had a small banquet before going on stage every night, but it was not Guo Xiaolong's turn. Guo Xiaolong often came to my house to eat, and when he was free before dinner, he taught my second brother to play the piano, and I listened. After dinner, my second brother and I followed Guo Xiaolong to the theater to watch the play. I was only 13 years old at the time, and I was already a small ticket fan who could play and sing.
After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, Jin Suqin also made movies in addition to acting. The reason is that The Yihua Film Company run by Yan Chuntang continuously shoots costume films in the "Lonely Island" period, and the selected theme is "Chu Bawang", which is choreographed and starred by Wang Yuanlong, who first entered the film industry. Wang Yuanlong looks like Yu Xuan Ang, majestic, just suitable for playing the overlord, but the lack of female stars who can play Yu Ji, Wang Yuanlong, who usually likes to watch Peking Opera, recommended Jin Suqin. Peking Opera actresses performing costume films is a good play, and Jin Suqin has played Yu Ji on the stage, which is the ideal candidate.
Poster of "Chu Bawang"
It is said that since she had never made a movie, Jin Suqin initially had some concerns, she was afraid that the makeup and stage appearance of the film would be different, after all, the film performance was different from the Peking Opera performance, and she was afraid that the close-up scene would reveal the flaws on her face. However, being a movie star is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity after all, and Jin Suqin didn't think much about it and agreed to it. Guo Xiaolong heard that Jin Suqin was making a feature film, not a documentary, and did not need the accompaniment of Huqin, and could only sigh.
Due to a different way of performing, Jin Suqin felt very unaccustomed. Although the costume is worn, in front of the camera, all the performance programs on the stage must be abandoned, but the action and language that are close to the reality of life must be used. Jin Suqin's acting is not very natural, not only the movement is somewhat stiff, but also the stage cavity of Jingbai is also spoken. However, Jin Suqin's fame is very loud, there are many fans, and if you can see your favorite famous characters on the screen, the fans are overjoyed and still praise. My second brother and I went to the theater twice, and one of them was invited by Guo Xiaolong. Guo Xiaolong became more and more angry the more he watched, and when he walked out of the theater, he scolded the movie for ruining Jin Suqin's "stuff".
Princess Wang Xichun
The Calden Theater on Baike Road (now Yellow River Road) was originally dedicated to screening foreign films, but during the "Lonely Island" period, the theater was rented out to the Shifting Wind Society, sponsored by Zhou Xinfang, and Peking Opera began to be staged. When the Japanese army banned Zhou Xinfang's plays such as "The Last Hatred of the Ming Dynasty" and "The Second Emperor of Qinhui" aimed at resisting the invasion of foreign nationalities, Zhou Xinfang posted the preview of "Wen Tianxiang" and "The Second Emperor of Qinhui" on both sides of the stage, but on the stage, he could only perform "Chasing Han Xin", "Fighting Yan Song" and the new platoon's "Dong Xiaowan", "Su Qin Six Kingdoms Worship Xiang" (upper and lower episodes), "To leave the one-arm brake celebration" and so on. Hanging the second card is Zhou Xinfang's protégé Gao Baisheng, who also invites Jin Suwen (Jin Suqin's sister) as the main Dan character, playing Dong Xiaowan and Su Qin's wife.
However, in the past, it was impossible to perform for a long time, and Zhou Xinfang had acted in many stage plays, so she decided to rehearse. However, old dramas such as "List of Fengshen Gods" are now out of date and too expensive, so Zhou Xinfang selected the story of wen Suchen from his notes "Exposure to wild sorcery" and asked Jin Suwen's husband Hu Tiwei to adapt it. Due to the large number of female characters in the play, in addition to Jin Suwen, Wang Xichun was hired to join the crew. Although "Wen Suchen" is also a stage play, it does not engage in organ arrangements, nor does it use "big fights" to please the audience. Zhou Xinfang deliberately "sang in martial arts" to interpret the chivalrous spirit of Wen Suchen to save the world and save the poor in a leisurely style. The suspense of the whole play is continuous, and the climax is repeated, which deeply attracts the audience. "Wen Suchen" was originally scheduled to be performed for only half a month per episode, and the result was that the field was full, so the four episodes were performed for a year, sensationalizing the beach.
Wang Xichun shoots the film "Wen Suchen"
In 1939, the United Press Film Company was founded. Director Zhu Shilin collaborated with Zhou Xinfang to adapt "Wen Suchen" into a movie, and four episodes were filmed in one year. Wen Suchen is played by Liu Qiong, and the female role is still played by Wang Xichun, who has become a movie star again. I have seen both Peking Opera and the movie "Wen Su Chen", and the overall feeling is that the movie is not as good as Peking Opera. Later, I talked to Liu Qiong about this matter, and Liu Qiong said that the responsibility was on him, how could he compare with Zhou Xinfang? But Zhu Shilin told me that except for Liu Qiong, no one can play Wen Suchen on the screen. The third and fourth episodes of "Wen Suchen" are played by Tu Guangqi as Wen Suchen, which is not as good as Liu Qiong.
The movie "Wen Su Chen" is as sensational as Peking Opera. Zhu Shilin believes that the success of the film is mainly due to Wang Xichun's outstanding acting talent. To this end, he also asked Hu Tiwei to write "Xiangfei", directed by himself, and asked Wang Xichun to play Xiangfei. "Xiangfei" tells the story of a concubine of Huo Jizhan, the ruler of Hui Xinjiang, who was named "Xiangfei" because of her unusual fragrance. Qianlong sent troops to attack, Huo Jizhan was killed in battle, and Concubine Xiang was captured in the Qing Palace and married qianlong. Qianlong saw that Concubine Xiang missed her homeland, and ordered to build a "return to the city" and let Concubine Xiang travel. In the "city", Xiangfei saw the old man of the same village, and the old man angrily rebuked him for betraying, so Xiangfei returned to the Qing Palace and drew her sword to assassinate Qianlong unsuccessfully. The crowd wanted to kill her, but the empress dowager stopped her and said with emotion, "This woman swore that she would not be humiliated to die, but it would be better to fulfill her martyrdom." "Xiangfei committed suicide. In 1940, "Fragrant Concubine" was made and was very sensational when it was screened.
In 1998, I edited the album "Old Shanghai Film Stars" and wrote an account of Wang Xichun's contributions to Chinese cinema. In 2004, Wang Xichun returned to Shanghai from Hong Kong to meet with old friends and specially invited me to participate. This dazzling star on the Peking Opera stage and movie screen 60 years ago, although she has white hair, but she is still dignified, luxurious and warm, it seems that the torment of the years has made her more radiant, and the tribulations of life can make people understand her extraordinary temperament. I looked at her, just like I saw the fragrant concubine in the movie, I didn't have time to express my admiration to her, but Wang Xichun thanked me sincerely because of the above-mentioned events, which showed the humility, kindness and kindness of this old artist.
Tong Zhiling's "Sai Guanyin"
Tong Zhiling, who once worshiped Xun Huisheng as a teacher and cast Mei Lanfang's disciples, went to Shanghai to perform at the age of 17. Her singing voice is cheerful and beautiful, and her acting skills are stretched freely, and she is unique among many Dan characters. In addition to the Xun Pai dramas "Jin Yunu" and "Red Lady", Tong Zhiling also wrote and performed new plays such as "You Sanjie", "Wu Zetian", and "Wang Xifeng's Big Trouble in Ningguo Mansion". Shanghai audiences in the "Lonely Island" period pursued the stimulation of stage performances, and Tong Zhiling relied on her ability to play wide roads, good voice, and ability to learn to sing now, and posted posters to perform "The Big Split Coffin" and "Spinning Cotton".
"The Great Splitting Coffin" is a famous drama of the Xun Sect, Tong Zhiling got the true transmission, the performance came from a handy handy, plus she learned from Xiao Cuihua from her childhood, such as stilt gong and "string small flip" and "bungee", and used it in the stage action of losing her soul after the Tian family split the coffin, plus some performances that showed off the style, which won the full hall of color. Tong Zhiling is famous for "splitting" and "spinning", but she has also been ridiculed for "splitting" and "spinning", which is why. And her versatility and intelligence are recognized by everyone. The "Four Five Flower Caves" she sang learned the cavity of the "Four Famous Dans", which was exquisite and colorful. In addition to Peking Opera, she also sings various operas and popular songs. Tong Zhiling's "Spinning Cotton" has almost become a smorgasbord of opera, and is enthusiastically sought after by the audience.
In addition to acting, Tong Zhiling likes to watch dramas and movies very much, and makes friends in the drama industry and the film industry. Famous actors such as Shi Hui who love Peking Opera are must-see for almost every play of Tong Zhiling. Once, Tong Zhiling watched the drama "Nightclub" performed by the Kugan Theater Troupe, and was greatly interested in the "Sai Guanyin" played by Lu Shan in the play, and Shi Waving looked at it in his eyes and remembered it in his heart. After the victory of the Anti-Japanese War, the original team of the Hardwork Theater Troupe entered the Wenhua Film Company, and when filming the movie "Nightclub", Shi Hui recommended Tong Zhiling to play "Sai Guanyin". Director Huang Zuolin has seen Tong Zhiling's play and believes that she is very in line with the character's delicate and spicy and wanton personality in terms of image posture and temperament, and it is very appropriate to play "Sai Guanyin". Tong Zhiling thus walked from the stage to the screen. Her wonderful performances and outstanding talents in the film have surprised people in the theater and film industry.
Tong Zhiling shoots the film "Nightclub"
Most of the roles played by Tong Zhiling in Peking Opera and movies are cheerful, strong and even somewhat spicy characters, but she is extremely humble in her treatment of others in life, including listening to the opinions of others. In 1956, Tong Zhiling wanted to star in "The Tale of jade hairpins" based on Sichuan opera, and people in the film industry were invited to watch her rehearsal. On the same day, Shi Hua, Xu Changlin and I went to Tong's house for lunch. After the meal, Shi Hua and Xu Changlin left beforehand, leaving me alone. When invited, I couldn't resign, so I had to go to the rehearsal room with Tong Zhiling.
Although I like Peking Opera, I am a layman, just carefully looking at the end from the beginning. Tong Zhiling did not have time to remove her makeup and stood in front of me to listen to my opinion. At this point, I think that it would be a less responsible word of praise to just say "yes"; but I do think that her performance is flawless and cannot be proposed. After deliberating for a while, I asked her a detail. I said, "When Pan Bizheng and Chen Miaochang met for the first time, you played Miaochang and had a gaze. I think Miao Chang is Daogu, and he has a first meeting with Pan Bizheng, which should not be so. After Tong Zhiling listened, she nodded her head and thanked me. At the time, I thought she was just being polite. When "Jade Hairpin" was officially performed, I sat in the second row, and when Miao Chang first saw Pan Bizheng, I found that Tong Zhiling's gaze had changed from "affection" to "shy". For small opinions and suggestions, Tong Zhiling attaches great importance to it, is humble and humble, and improves in a timely manner, which is also an important reason for Tong Zhiling's fame.
Yan Huizhu's Yao Liying
Tong Zhiling became famous in the film, which aroused the strong interest of another female celebrity, she is Yan Huizhu from the Peking Opera family. Yan Huizhu first learned the Cheng School, and also learned Wu Dan, and the repertoire performed on stage includes "June Snow" and "Hujiazhuang", etc. In the Yan family class organized by her father Yan Jupeng, she was a pillar of the stage. Later, Yan Huizhu learned Mei Pai opera from the violinist Xu Lanyuan, and her performance style gradually changed from Cheng Pai to Mei Pai. During the "Lonely Island" period, Yan Huizhu and Tong Zhiling sang against each other, and because the two played differently, they had their own advantages and were comparable. Yan Huizhu advocates Mei Pai, plays the right road drama, dresses in green clothes, sings the words of the gong and is round, lingering and beautiful, behaves dignified and graceful, is stable and atmospheric, looks beautiful and moving, and is the embodiment of classical Chinese beauty on the stage. She is appreciated and evaluated by the audience, higher than other women.
Yan Huizhu staged on stage is Zhengdan, but offstage is a smart, gentle attitude, approachable "boudoir Dan", both modern women lively, enthusiastic, modern atmosphere of the times, happy hip-hop, laughing, drunk. Yan Huizhu was pleased to make friends with cultural celebrities, and after the victory of the War of Resistance Against Japanese Aggression, a large number of cultural figures came to Shanghai from Chongqing, and she visited them one by one. There is a Xu who is known as the "Talent of the Yangchang" who once published a long novel "Wind Xiaoxiao" in the mainland, which was all the rage. After he arrived in Shanghai, "Wind Xiaoxiao" was republished and swept the beach again. Yan Huizhu was fascinated by it and was bent on paying homage to the author. Xu Zheng has a writing plan that needs to be interviewed by artists from all walks of life. Therefore, through the introduction of acquaintances, the two met and often met, either to eat at the Fortress Building of the International Hotel, or to drink coffee in the "Huizhong", and I always accompanied the last seat. Yan Huizhu was warm and cordial, Xu was restrained and avoided, and the exchanges between the two were hyped up by tabloid reporters.
Words and words
Once, when I heard Jochi say that Yan Huizhu once told him that her mother was a movie actress in the early days. Jochi listened and encouraged her to go to the screen. Coincidentally, Huang Zuolin wrote a script "The Legend of Film Fans", Qiao Qi played the male protagonist, and was looking for a female lead candidate, and Qiao Qi immediately recommended Yan Huizhu to director Hong Mo. The director believes that Yan Huizhu is the best candidate, and the owner of Datong Film Company believes that the film is joined by Yan Huizhu, which can make the film more popular. In order to make her mother's career continue in herself, and at the same time, in order to fulfill her wish to be on the screen, Yan Huizhu plunged into the studio and threw herself into the film. For a period of time, Yan Huizhu's figure seemed to be "missing".
"The Legend of the Fan" is the only film starring Yan Huizhu. This film by the master of comedy, Huang Zuolin, is a funny satire on male and female fans who are obsessed with American movies, and it still has a cautionary significance. The story is to the effect that Lin Mengxia (Qiao Qi), the son of an important member of the Nanjing government, imitates the western hero in the American movie, uses a rope to trap pickpockets, boxing hooligans, and helps female film fan Yao Liying (Yan Huizhu) out of trouble, and the two meet. Although Li Ying loves the spirit of Dream Hero's righteous courage, he feels that Dream Hero is too short and lacks the western heroism in American movies. After plastic surgery, Dreamer proposed to Li Ying and was finally successful. They built an American-style mobile house in the suburbs as a new house, and their married life was fully imitated in American movies. One day, the fans held a dance party in their activity room, encountered hooligans to make trouble, someone accidentally touched the car throttle, the car slammed into the activity room, the house completely collapsed, the fans scattered and fled, and Li Ying finally found the dreamer in the ruins.
Because Tong Zhiling's "killer skills" "Spinning Cotton" and "Big Split Coffin" were deemed to be "offensive to morality" and banned, these two plays had to be renamed "Rich and Home" after two performances. The plot of "Return home with wealth" is that Zhang San returned from a three-year business trip and was about to enter the door, but when he heard his wife singing a small song at home, he had a plan and threw silver ingots from outside the wall to test his chastity. His wife opened the door, the couple quarreled, and finally reconciled. Since the performance is in the New Year, everyone dreams of getting rich and reuniting, so the play is very popular. Yan Huizhu and Tong Zhiling both wear fashion acting, and Yan Huizhu is dressed in a silver cheongsam, which is brilliant and attractive than Tong Zhiling. At the same time, due to the high ticket price and many seats in the Great Hall, Tong Zhiling sang for less than 20 days and was unable to continue, so she had to stop the gong; as far as the star theater where Huizhu took the stage had low ticket prices and few seats, it was more lively. In addition, after Yan Huizhu's performance at the Star Theater expired, she also went to the Dahua Cinema to sing. At this time, Tong Zhiling had stopped performing, and the audience had to go to see Yan Huizhu's Mei Pai play.
Yan Huizhu in the movie powder room
Tong and Yan made every effort in Shanghai and Nanjing, and they all realized that they should receive it when they saw good, so they temporarily left the stage and entered the film world. Yan Huizhu became a hit with "The Legend of Film Fans" written by Huang Zuolin, directed by Hong Mo and co-starred with Qiao Qi, and "Tear Stains on The Shirt", "Powder Ink Kite" and "Nightclub" starring Tong Zhiling also achieved remarkable results.
("Silent Character Trivia")