New Women
Encyclopedia
New Women was a silent Chinese film released in early 1935
in Shanghai by the Lianhua Film Company
. It is sometimes translated as New Woman. The film starred Ruan Lingyu
(in her penultimate film) and was directed by Cai Chusheng
.
New Women was itself based upon the life of another Chinese actress, Ai Xia, who had committed suicide in 1934. The film remains one of Ruan Lingyu's better known works, in no small part due to her own suicide shortly after the film was released.
A print of the film is currently maintained by the China Film Archive.
), living in 1920s Shanghai
. As the film begins, Wei Ming is working as a music teacher for a school, even as she harbors dreams of becoming a writer. In the film's opening scene, Wei Ming meets a friend, Yu Haichou (Zheng Junli
) and an old schoolmate, Zhang Xiuzhen (Wang Moqiu), now named Mrs. Wang, on a trolley-car.
Wei, Mrs. Wang, and Yu return to Wei's apartment, where Wei receives a phone call from the film's antagonist, the lecherous Dr. Wang (Wang Naidong), who is also Mrs. Wang's husband. He insists on picking Wei up, even as she ignores his call. As Mrs. Wang leaves, Wei is informed by Yu that one of her books has been accepted for publication. Wei's excitement, however, is soon contrasted as a flashback reveals that the publishing company has only selected her manuscript because she is a young woman. Unaware of this fact, Wei shows Yu a toy she has bought for her young daughter, a product of a failed marriage. She tries to flirt with Yu, but he ignores her advances.
Soon, Dr. Wang has picked Wei Ming up and they are on their way to a western-style dancehall. As Wei Ming sits in the car, a flashback is shown on the window of how she met Dr. Wang, a western educated Ph.D.
and a member of the board at Wei Ming's school.
As Wei Ming and Dr. Wang enter the dance hall, the film contrasts scenes of their dancing with images of Wei Ming's neighbor, Li Aying, a factory worker who leads her fellow workers in learning patriotic songs. With the night winding down, Dr. Wang tries to harass Wei Ming who firmly rejects him. As she flees, she winds up meeting Li and they re-enter their building together. In the mail is a letter from Wei Ming's sister. Wei Ming's daughter, who had been living in the countryside with her aunt, must now come to the city due to financial troubles.
The film then cuts to the young daughter and her aunt on a train bound for Shanghai. The young girl asks about her mother, as she coughs ominously.
Back in Shanghai, the situation has become dire. Dr. Wang has convinced the principal of the school to fire Wei Ming and the bills have begun to pile up. Li Aying asks Wei Ming to compose the music for a song, entitled The New Women for her. Wei, however, has other issues to deal with, including the worsening sickness of her daughter. Soon, things have reached a breaking point. Wei Ming is offered help from both her publisher as well as a newspaper reporter, but both make advances on her, which she rejects. Unable to pay for medicine for her child, and with no employment, Wei Ming agrees to become a prostitute. Her first client, coincidentally is Dr. Wang, who flaunts his new-found power over her. Wei, disgusted with herself, runs back to her apartment, with Dr. Wang in hot pursuit. Back in the apartment, Wang and Li come to blows with the effeminate Wang becoming quickly incapacitated. In the middle of this brawl, Mrs. Wang bursts through the door and accuses Wei Ming of seducing her husband.
With no money, Wei Ming's daughter succumbs to pneumonia
. Distraught, Wei Ming attempts to commit suicide, much to the chagrin of both Li Aying and Yu Haichou. In the hospital, both Li and Yu try to convince Wei that she needs to continue living. As the film ends, Wei Ming cries out that she wants to live. A newspaper obituary announcing her death is shown while a gang of Li Aying's workers march in step.
in Beijing
.
In Stanley Kwan's 1992 biopic of Ruan Lingyu, Centre Stage
, there is a re-enactment of the film's climactic final scene.
1935 in film
-Events:*Judy Garland signs a contract with Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer .*Seven year old Shirley Temple wins a special Academy Award.*The Bantu Educational Kinema Experiment started in order to educate the Bantu peoples.-Top grossing films:-Academy Awards:...
in Shanghai by the Lianhua Film Company
Lianhua Film Company
The Lianhua Film Company was one of two major production companies based in Shanghai, China during the 1930s, the other being the Mingxing Film Company.-Names:...
. It is sometimes translated as New Woman. The film starred Ruan Lingyu
Ruan Lingyu
Ruan Lingyu , born Ruan Fenggen , was a Chinese silent film actress. One of the most prominent Chinese film stars of the 1930s, her death at the age of 24 led her to become an icon of Chinese cinema.- Career :...
(in her penultimate film) and was directed by Cai Chusheng
Cai Chusheng
Resting Place= Babaoshan Revoluntionary CemeteryCai Chusheng was a Chinese film director of the pre-Communist era. Known best for his progressive output in the 1930s, Cai Chusheng later became a victim to the persecutions of the Cultural Revolution.- Early career :Born in Shanghai to Cantonese...
.
New Women was itself based upon the life of another Chinese actress, Ai Xia, who had committed suicide in 1934. The film remains one of Ruan Lingyu's better known works, in no small part due to her own suicide shortly after the film was released.
A print of the film is currently maintained by the China Film Archive.
Synopsis
The film deals with an educated and modern young woman, Wei Ming (Ruan LingyuRuan Lingyu
Ruan Lingyu , born Ruan Fenggen , was a Chinese silent film actress. One of the most prominent Chinese film stars of the 1930s, her death at the age of 24 led her to become an icon of Chinese cinema.- Career :...
), living in 1920s 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...
. As the film begins, Wei Ming is working as a music teacher for a school, even as she harbors dreams of becoming a writer. In the film's opening scene, Wei Ming meets a friend, Yu Haichou (Zheng Junli
Zheng Junli
Zheng Junli was a Chinese actor and director born in Shanghai and who rose to prominence in the golden age of Chinese Cinema.-Early years:...
) and an old schoolmate, Zhang Xiuzhen (Wang Moqiu), now named Mrs. Wang, on a trolley-car.
Wei, Mrs. Wang, and Yu return to Wei's apartment, where Wei receives a phone call from the film's antagonist, the lecherous Dr. Wang (Wang Naidong), who is also Mrs. Wang's husband. He insists on picking Wei up, even as she ignores his call. As Mrs. Wang leaves, Wei is informed by Yu that one of her books has been accepted for publication. Wei's excitement, however, is soon contrasted as a flashback reveals that the publishing company has only selected her manuscript because she is a young woman. Unaware of this fact, Wei shows Yu a toy she has bought for her young daughter, a product of a failed marriage. She tries to flirt with Yu, but he ignores her advances.
Soon, Dr. Wang has picked Wei Ming up and they are on their way to a western-style dancehall. As Wei Ming sits in the car, a flashback is shown on the window of how she met Dr. Wang, a western educated Ph.D.
Ph.D.
A Ph.D. is a Doctor of Philosophy, an academic degree.Ph.D. may also refer to:* Ph.D. , a 1980s British group*Piled Higher and Deeper, a web comic strip*PhD: Phantasy Degree, a Korean comic series* PhD Docbook renderer, an XML renderer...
and a member of the board at Wei Ming's school.
As Wei Ming and Dr. Wang enter the dance hall, the film contrasts scenes of their dancing with images of Wei Ming's neighbor, Li Aying, a factory worker who leads her fellow workers in learning patriotic songs. With the night winding down, Dr. Wang tries to harass Wei Ming who firmly rejects him. As she flees, she winds up meeting Li and they re-enter their building together. In the mail is a letter from Wei Ming's sister. Wei Ming's daughter, who had been living in the countryside with her aunt, must now come to the city due to financial troubles.
The film then cuts to the young daughter and her aunt on a train bound for Shanghai. The young girl asks about her mother, as she coughs ominously.
Back in Shanghai, the situation has become dire. Dr. Wang has convinced the principal of the school to fire Wei Ming and the bills have begun to pile up. Li Aying asks Wei Ming to compose the music for a song, entitled The New Women for her. Wei, however, has other issues to deal with, including the worsening sickness of her daughter. Soon, things have reached a breaking point. Wei Ming is offered help from both her publisher as well as a newspaper reporter, but both make advances on her, which she rejects. Unable to pay for medicine for her child, and with no employment, Wei Ming agrees to become a prostitute. Her first client, coincidentally is Dr. Wang, who flaunts his new-found power over her. Wei, disgusted with herself, runs back to her apartment, with Dr. Wang in hot pursuit. Back in the apartment, Wang and Li come to blows with the effeminate Wang becoming quickly incapacitated. In the middle of this brawl, Mrs. Wang bursts through the door and accuses Wei Ming of seducing her husband.
With no money, Wei Ming's daughter succumbs to pneumonia
Pneumonia
Pneumonia is an inflammatory condition of the lung—especially affecting the microscopic air sacs —associated with fever, chest symptoms, and a lack of air space on a chest X-ray. Pneumonia is typically caused by an infection but there are a number of other causes...
. Distraught, Wei Ming attempts to commit suicide, much to the chagrin of both Li Aying and Yu Haichou. In the hospital, both Li and Yu try to convince Wei that she needs to continue living. As the film ends, Wei Ming cries out that she wants to live. A newspaper obituary announcing her death is shown while a gang of Li Aying's workers march in step.
Cast
- Ruan LingyuRuan LingyuRuan Lingyu , born Ruan Fenggen , was a Chinese silent film actress. One of the most prominent Chinese film stars of the 1930s, her death at the age of 24 led her to become an icon of Chinese cinema.- Career :...
as Wei Ming, the heroine; - Wang Naidong as Dr. Wang, Wei Ming's suitor and primary antagonist;
- Zheng JunliZheng JunliZheng Junli was a Chinese actor and director born in Shanghai and who rose to prominence in the golden age of Chinese Cinema.-Early years:...
as Yu Haichou, Wei Ming's friend, a publisher; - Wang Moqiu as Mrs. Wang, Wei Ming's former schoolmate, now married to Dr. Wang;
- Yin Xu as Li Aying, Wei Ming's neighbor, a factory worker;
- Chen Sujuan as Wei Xiaohong, Wei Ming's daughter;
- Gu Menghe as Qi Weide, the editor-in-chief of the local newspaper.
Reception
The release of New Women was marred by a backlash from the press who objected to their profession's unflattering portrayal in the film. The press organization forced a public apology from Lianhua Company and director Cai Chusheng to make cuts to the film. The target of much of their ire became the film's star, Ruan Lingyu. The film soon became an instance of life imitating art when Ruan, who, suffering under the tireless gaze of the media, committed suicide by barbiturates not long after the premier of the film.Reputation
Today, the film's reputation has become firmly established as one of the classic examples of 1930s Chinese film. The organizers of the 5th Asia-Pacific Triennial on Contemporary Art referred to the film, in their retrospective of Ruan Lingyu's work, as a "Masterpiece in the spirit of the May 4th tradition." A print of the film is currently maintained by the China Film ArchiveChina Film Archive
The China Film Archive is a film archive in Beijing, China....
in Beijing
Beijing
Beijing , also known as Peking , is the capital of the People's Republic of China and one of the most populous cities in the world, with a population of 19,612,368 as of 2010. The city is the country's political, cultural, and educational center, and home to the headquarters for most of China's...
.
In Stanley Kwan's 1992 biopic of Ruan Lingyu, Centre Stage
Centre Stage
Centre Stage , also known as Actress and Yuen Ling-yuk, is a 1992 Hong Kong film, directed by Stanley Kwan.The film is based on a true story: the tragic life of China's first prima donna of the silver screen, Ruan Lingyu. This movie chronicles her rise to fame as a movie actress in Shanghai during...
, there is a re-enactment of the film's climactic final scene.
External links
- New Women at the UCSD Chinese Cinema Web-based Learning Center
- Translated intertitles from Ohio State University
- New Women at ViennaleViennaleThe Vienna International Film Festival, or Viennale, is a film festival taking place every October since 1960 in Vienna, Austria.The average number of visitors is about 75,000. Traditional cinema venues are Gartenbaukino, Urania, Metro-Kino, Filmmuseum and Stadtkino...