Li Lili in two wartime movies: Orphan Island Paradise [孤島天堂] (1939) & Storm 0n the Border [塞上风云] (1940)

Li Lili is perhaps most famous for her roles in several films of the first Golden Age of Chinese cinema in the 1930s, especially those directed by Sun Yu (see below for a full filmography and links to reviews). Unlike many stars, she did not continue to make films in occupied Shanghai after the Japanese…

Lianhua Symphony [联华交响曲] (1937)

A compilation of eight short films by directors of Lianhua film studio including Fei Mu, Sun Yu and Cai Chusheng. The film opens with Two Jiao (by director Situ Huimin, a CPC member who later directed a number of anti-Japanese films in Hong Kong and served in a number of roles in the PRC government…

Blood on Wolf Mountain [狼山喋血记] (1936)

Blood on Wolf Mountain (aka Blood on Langshan) is directed by Fei Mu. Ostensibly, it's a story of a Chinese village surrounded by marauding wolves. In fact, filmed just before the outbreak of major hostilities between China and Japan, the wolves are intended as an allegory for the Japanese and the village represents the Republic…

The Big Road [大路] (1935)

The Big Road, directed by Sun Yu, is a story of the building of a highway to support the fight against the Japanese invaders in 1930s China. The film is basically silent but with songs and some sound effects added in post-production. The film focuses of a team of roadworkers led by Jin [Yan Jin]. Laid…

Daybreak/Early Dawn [天明] (1933)

A fascinating film of social criticism by director/writer Sun Yu. Lingling (an 18 year old Li Lili, already a big star) and her boyfriend/cousin Zhang [Gao Zhanfei] are amongst many to take the boat from their rural home to the bustling city of Shanghai in search of work. They are met by Lingling's cousin [Ye…

Films of Ruan Lingyu

Ruan Lingyu was one of the first Chinese film megastars and remains one of the most important Chinese movie actresses. Born in 1910, she appeared in about 30 films between 1926 and her death (by suicide) in 1935. It is claimed that 100,000 people attended her funeral in Shanghai. Many of these films (see below)…