The films of Wu Yonggang

Wu Yonggang (born 1907) is famous as the director of his first film The Goddess, starring Ruan Lingyu. This is justly regarded as one of the best ever Chinese movies and indeed a classic of silent cinema. But who has seen any of his other films? In fact, based on Douban, Wu directed 34 films…

Waves Washing the Sand [浪淘沙] (1936)

Waves Washing the Sand [aka The Desert Island] Wu Yonggang's later film, a year after Goddess, is much less well known but equally interesting. In contrast to the earlier film it is with sound. The film opens with a long shot of the waves washing the beach (set to ominous classical music) and cuts to…

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)…