Center Stage (1991 film)
| Center Stage | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Stanley Kwan |
| Written by | Peggy Chiu |
| Produced by | Willie Chan Tsui Siu-Ming |
| Starring | Maggie Cheung Tony Leung Ka-Fai Carina Lau |
| Cinematography | Poon Hang-Sang |
| Distributed by | Golden Harvest |
Release date | 1992 |
Running time | 146 minutes 154 minutes (Extended version) 126 minutes (Edited version) |
| Country | Hong Kong |
| Languages | Mandarin Cantonese Shanghainese |
Center Stage (Chinese: 阮玲玉; pinyin: ruǎn líng yù; Cantonese Yale: yun5 ling4 yuk6), also known as Actress and Yuen Ling-yuk,[1] 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 the 1930s. Actress Maggie Cheung portrayed Ruan in this movie.
Nicknamed the "Chinese Garbo," Ruan Lingyu began her acting career when she was 16 years old and committed suicide at age 24.
The film alternates between present scenes (production talks between director Kwan, Cheung, and co-star Carina Lau, interviews of witnesses who knew Ruan), re-creation scenes with Cheung (as Ruan, acting inside this movie), and extracts from Ruan's original films including her final two films The Goddess and New Women.
Maggie Cheung won Best Actress award at Berlin International Film Festival in 1992 for her delicate portraiture of Ruan.
Reception
Awards
- Golden Horse Awards,[2] 1991
- Best Leading Actress - Maggie Cheung
- Best Cinematography - Poon Hang Sang
- Best Feature Film (nominated)
- Best Director - Stanley Kwan (nominated)
- 42nd Berlin International Film Festival[3]
- Silver Bear for Best Actress - Maggie Cheung
- Chicago International Film Festival, 1992
- Silver Hugo Award for Best Actress - Maggie Cheung
- 1993 Hong Kong Film Awards
- Best Actress - Maggie Cheung
- Best Cinematography - Poon Hang Sang
- Best Art Direction - Pok Yuk Mok
- Best Original Film Score - Johnny Chen
- Best Original Film Song - Johnny Chen
Recognition
Prominent American film critic Jonathan Rosenbaum picked the film as his favorite of the 1990s.
Cast and roles
- Maggie Cheung - Ruan Lingyu
- Ruan Lingyu - Various (in archival footages)
- Chen Yan Yan - Herself (in interview)
- Li Lili - Herself (credited as Lily Li)
- Tony Leung Ka-fai - Cai Chusheng
- Carina Lau - Li Lili
- Chin Han - Tang Chi-Shan
- Paul Chang - Boss of Lianhua Film Company
- Waise Lee - Li Min-wei
- Lawrence Ng - Chang Ta-Min
- Cecilia Yip - Lin Chu-Chu
- Maryanna Yip
- Hsiao Hsiang
- Stanley Kwan
References
- ^ "Yuen Ling-yuk" is the Cantonese transcription of "Ruan Lingyu".
- ^ "Golden Horse Awards 1991". goldenhorse.org/tw. Retrieved 25 January 2012.
- ^ "Berlinale: 1992 Prize Winners". berlinale.de. Retrieved 29 May 2011.
- ^ Center Stage at HKMDB
- ^ Center Stage at chinesemov.com