Spring in a Small Town
Encyclopedia
Spring in a Small Town is a Chinese film
released in 1948
and directed by Fei Mu
. The film was based on a short story by Li Tianji , and was produced by the Wenhua Film Company.
Though its reputation suffered after 1949 in the mainland after the Communist revolution, within the last 20 years it had become known as one of the greatest Chinese films ever made.
, the film tells the story of the once prosperous Dai family. The husband and patriarch, Dai Liyan (Shi Yu) is an invalid, and spends his days in the courtyard nostalgic for the past. His marriage to Zhou Yuwen (Wei Wei
) has long been rendered loveless, though both still feel concern for the other. Liyan's young teenage sister Dai Xiu (Zhang Hongmei), meanwhile, is too young to remember the past, and stays cheerful and playful in the ruins of her home.
Into this dreary but unchanging existence comes Liyan's childhood friend Zhang Zhichen (Li Wei), a doctor from Shanghai
and a former flame of Zhou Yuwen before she ever met her husband. The rest of the film details Zhou Yuwen's conflicting emotions between her love for Zhang, and her loyalty to her husband and his family.
Unfortunately, because of this apparent lack of "political" grounding, Spring in a Small Town was rejected by the Communists
as rightist or reactionary, and was ignored following the Communist victory
in China in 1949. The film was only able to find its audience and had a resurgence in popularity after the China Film Archive made a new print in the early 1980s. Today it is considered one of the classics of Chinese film, with the Hong Kong Film Awards Association
naming it the greatest Chinese film ever made in 2005. Sixth Generation film director Wang Chao
also declared the film to be one of his favorites and Fei Mu the director he most admired. In 2002, the film was remade by Tian Zhuangzhuang
as Springtime in a Small Town
.
on May 8, 2007 by Cinema Epoch
. The disc features English subtitles.
An earlier all-region
DVD version was also released in the United States by the Guangzhou Beauty Culture Communication Co.Ltd on December 1, 2006.
Film
A film, also called a movie or motion picture, is a series of still or moving images. It is produced by recording photographic images with cameras, or by creating images using animation techniques or visual effects...
released in 1948
1948 in film
The year 1948 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* Laurence Olivier's Hamlet becomes the first British film to win the American Academy Award for Best Picture.-Top grossing films : After theatrical re-issue- Awards :...
and directed by Fei Mu
Fei Mu
Fei Mu was a major Chinese film director from the pre-Communist era.-Biography:Born in Shanghai, China, Fei Mu is considered by many to be one of the major film directors prior to the communist revolution in 1949...
. The film was based on a short story by Li Tianji , and was produced by the Wenhua Film Company.
Though its reputation suffered after 1949 in the mainland after the Communist revolution, within the last 20 years it had become known as one of the greatest Chinese films ever made.
Synopsis
Taking place in a ruined family compound after the warSecond Sino-Japanese War
The Second Sino-Japanese War was a military conflict fought primarily between the Republic of China and the Empire of Japan. From 1937 to 1941, China fought Japan with some economic help from Germany , the Soviet Union and the United States...
, the film tells the story of the once prosperous Dai family. The husband and patriarch, Dai Liyan (Shi Yu) is an invalid, and spends his days in the courtyard nostalgic for the past. His marriage to Zhou Yuwen (Wei Wei
Wei Wei (actress)
Wei Wei is a Chinese actress.-External links:...
) has long been rendered loveless, though both still feel concern for the other. Liyan's young teenage sister Dai Xiu (Zhang Hongmei), meanwhile, is too young to remember the past, and stays cheerful and playful in the ruins of her home.
Into this dreary but unchanging existence comes Liyan's childhood friend Zhang Zhichen (Li Wei), a doctor from Shanghai
Shanghai
Shanghai is the largest city by population in China and the largest city proper in the world. It is one of the four province-level municipalities in the People's Republic of China, with a total population of over 23 million as of 2010...
and a former flame of Zhou Yuwen before she ever met her husband. The rest of the film details Zhou Yuwen's conflicting emotions between her love for Zhang, and her loyalty to her husband and his family.
Cast
- Wei WeiWei Wei (actress)Wei Wei is a Chinese actress.-External links:...
(韦伟) as Zhou Yuwen (周玉纹 Zhōu Yùwén), the heroine; - Shi Yu (石羽) as Dai Liyan (戴礼言 Dài Lǐyán), her husband;
- Li Wei as Zhang Zhichen (章志忱 Zhāng Zhìchén), Dai Liyan's childhood friend and Yuwen's former lover
- Cui Chaoming as Lao Huang (老黄 lǎo Huáng), Dai Liyan and Yuwen's loyal servant;
- Zhang Hongmei as Dai Xiu (戴秀 Dài Xiù), Dai Liyan's young sister.
Reputation
Made after the war and the so-called "Solitary Island" period of Shanghai film-making, Spring in a Small Town, unlike its leftist predecessors of the 1930s, was a more intimate affair with only tangential references to the politics of the day. Indeed, the film can be distinguished from those earlier works by its more mature treatment of inter-personal conflicts, particularly in the sense that there are no villains or antagonists except for time and circumstance. Even the husband, who ostensibly stands between Zhou Yuwen and Zhang Zhichen's love, is an inherently decent and good human being.Unfortunately, because of this apparent lack of "political" grounding, Spring in a Small Town was rejected by the Communists
Communist Party of China
The Communist Party of China , also known as the Chinese Communist Party , is the founding and ruling political party of the People's Republic of China...
as rightist or reactionary, and was ignored following the Communist victory
Chinese Civil War
The Chinese Civil War was a civil war fought between the Kuomintang , the governing party of the Republic of China, and the Communist Party of China , for the control of China which eventually led to China's division into two Chinas, Republic of China and People's Republic of...
in China in 1949. The film was only able to find its audience and had a resurgence in popularity after the China Film Archive made a new print in the early 1980s. Today it is considered one of the classics of Chinese film, with the Hong Kong Film Awards Association
Hong Kong Film Awards
The Hong Kong Film Awards , founded in 1982, are the most prestigious film awards in Hong Kong and among the most respected in mainland China and Taiwan. Award ceremonies are held annually, typically in April. The Awards recognize achievement in all aspects of filmmaking, such as directing,...
naming it the greatest Chinese film ever made in 2005. Sixth Generation film director Wang Chao
Wang Chao (director)
Wang Chao is a Chinese film director and screenwriter, sometimes considered part of the loosely defined "sixth generation." Wang began his career serving as an assistant director to the fifth generation auteur, Chen Kaige, working with the elder director on epics like Farewell My Concubine and...
also declared the film to be one of his favorites and Fei Mu the director he most admired. In 2002, the film was remade by Tian Zhuangzhuang
Tian Zhuangzhuang
Tian Zhuangzhuang is a Chinese film director and producer.Tian was born to an influential actor and actress in China. Following a short stint in the military, Tian began his artistic career first as an amateur photographer and then as an assistant cinematographer at the Beijing Agricultural Film...
as Springtime in a Small Town
Springtime in a Small Town
Springtime in a Small Town is a 2002 Chinese film directed by Tian Zhuangzhuang. The film is a remake of director Fei Mu's 1948 film, Spring in a Small Town...
.
DVD releases
Spring in a Small Town was released on Region 1 DVDDVD
A DVD is an optical disc storage media format, invented and developed by Philips, Sony, Toshiba, and Panasonic in 1995. DVDs offer higher storage capacity than Compact Discs while having the same dimensions....
on May 8, 2007 by Cinema Epoch
Cinema Epoch
Cinema Epoch is an independent film distribution & production company based in the U.S. It was founded by distribution veteran and filmmaker Gregory Hatanaka. The company specializes in foreign, independent and cult cinema. The company's first release was the martial arts classic Master of the...
. The disc features English subtitles.
An earlier all-region
DVD region code
DVD region codes are a digital-rights management technique designed to allow film distributors to control aspects of a release, including content, release date, and price, according to the region...
DVD version was also released in the United States by the Guangzhou Beauty Culture Communication Co.Ltd on December 1, 2006.
External links
- Spring in a Small Town at the Chinese Movie Database
- A translated script from Ohio State University