Xie Fang's image in the movie "Song of Youth" (1959)
From 1949 to 1976, among the actresses trained by the New China film industry, especially Yang Likun (1942-2000), Xie Fang, Zhu Xijuan , and Huang Wanqiu are the most representative.
From now on, Yang Likun becomes a legend, Xie Fang becomes a performing artist, Zhu Xijuan becomes a famous actor, and Huang Wanqiu becomes a shining meteor in the film industry.
Ruan Lingyu's image in the movie "New Women" (1935)
Review of the "left-wing" movies in the 1930s, the sensitive beauty of Ruan Lingyu (1910-1935), Zhou Xuan (1920-1957), Li Lili (1915-2005) and other gradually move towards traditional and "modern", and tends to neutralize proletarian worker women.
Urban women became the mainstream on the screen in the 1940s. By the end of the 1940s, "new women are the masses of production. New women are the laborers of society; new women are the forefront of building a new society; new women should join men to stir up the storm of the times..."
Chen Yunshang's image in the movie "Home" (1941)
This "unfallen woman" , it has been foreseen that the female image of "workers, peasants and soldiers" on the Chinese screen after 1949 will replace the charming and charm of Hu Die (1908-1989), Chen Yunshang (1919-2016), Baiguang (1921-1999), Li Lihua (1924-2017), etc. - this intention to separate from the old era and its ideology and aesthetic standards was completely "disappeared" after 1949.
The "healthy" female image and the resolute "revolutionary" form have created a single market, making these movies unable to travel abroad and promote our "new atmosphere" to create foreign exchange for the country.
Li Lihua's image in the movie "Autumn" (1942)
, and Xie Fang's Lin Daojing in "Song of Youth" (1959), rushed to the public with the appearance of a "petty-bourgeois woman". Her role is in sharp contrast with the actresses such as Zhang Ruifang (1918-2012) and Tian Hua , who have round faces and big eyes, long braids or short hair, and strong and healthy appearances as a working woman.
[Except the public and study hard]
1958, the director of the Beijing Film Studio filmed the movie "Song of Youth" was the former leader of the Central South Art Troupe Cui Wei (1912-1979). Cui Wei remembered Xie Fang when he looked for an actor who played Lin Daojing.
movie "Song of Youth" (1959) location, director Cui Wei was telling a drama to Xie Fang
At that time, Cui Wei did not know that Xie Fang, who was born on November 1, 1935, was married to 27-year-old Zhangmu .
In January 1959, the ice and snow in the north were slowly melting, and the willows on Chang'an Street have begun to turn green.
The deputy director of the filming crew of "Song of Youth" of Beijing Film Studio Chen Huaiai (1920-1994), hurried to the train station to welcome the opera actor Xie Fang from the side of Yangtze River .
Xie Fang's image in the movie "Song of Youth" (1959)
Chen Huaiai welcomed this young man with big eyebrows, big eyes, dignified and thin eyes on the platform.
However, the momentary look made Chen Huaiai's heart suddenly feel cold: "Song of Youth" is a film that presented a gift to the 10th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China. The protagonist of the film Lin Daojing has a very heavy role, with more than 400 shots in total, and it must be filmed within half a year.
Xie Fang's image in the movie "Song of Youth" (1959)
This person who just turned 23 years old, has never been on the screen, and is so thin, wants to play Lin Daojing, can she be? Xie Fang did not notice Chen Huaiai's emotions. She walked out of the train station with excitement about making a movie.
hasn't come to Beijing for two years, and the capital has changed a lot. However, the scenery along the way did not attract Xie Fang, who was sitting in the car.
Xie Fang's image in the movie "Song of Youth" (1959)
She was thinking about her stage partner and the theater leader's instructions before leaving; of course, she thought more about Lin Daojing... From Wuhan to Beijing, Xie Fang read the novel "Song of Youth" all the way.
However, this time, whether sentimental or excited, new emotional factors have been penetrated into rereading this novel.
At this moment, in the depths of this young girl's heart, how can she not show off her beautiful longings and associations, and not sing her song of youth?
Xie Fang's image in the movie "Song of Youth" (1959)
As the candidate actor who plays Lin Daojing, Xie Fang started auditioning.
She walked into the photography photos of Beijing Film Studio with excitement.
Compared with the theater's rehearsal hall, the studio is so big. Apart from the few strong lights in front of the camera, the surroundings are black, empty and deserted. The camera rustled, and Xie Fang performed seriously according to the director's request...
Chen Huaiai's outdoor location in the movie "Song of Youth" (1959) has passed for several days, but there is still no news for the selection results. Xie Fang was anxious and ran to find Chen Huaiai: "Will you let me act? If you don't let me act, tell me as soon as possible. I'll go back to Wuhan to act!" After all, it's not difficult to understand this feeling of being a young man.
At that time, Xie Fang did not know that the news of filming "Song of Youth" was released, which caused excitement among many actresses across the country, especially Baiyang (1920-1996), and it also entrusted the relationship between Beijing. After all, the author and screenwriter of this drama, Yang Mo (1914-1995) was still her own sister.
Writers Yang Mo and Bai Yang
But Cui Wei knew that Bai Yang's age was not suitable for this role, so he still asked Bai Yang to audition at Beijing Film Academy. Bai Yang, who has a strong self-esteem, naturally understood the "mystery" of it - if the audition effect was not ideal, it would inevitably "embarrass" herself - she refused the audition request.
At this time, Xie Fang was told by Chen Huaiai: She was selected! The joy and excitement made her restless: the first time, after all, it was the first time.
Xie Fang's image in the movie "Song of Youth" (1959)
Of course, she also felt the weight of the burden on her shoulders. However, she is not clear about her "insider information" of her election.
Under the struggle between many parties, Cui Wei chose Xie Fang at the risk of "smashing the pot".
With the help of Cui Wei and the comrades in the film crew, Xie Fang studied the role hard, explored the inner world of the character, and sought the most expressive physical movements.
Xie Fang and Qin Yi in the movie "Song of Youth" (1959)
She and Lin Daojing were sad, painful, desperate, and pursue, joy and struggle together. Studying - shooting, shooting - studying, Xie Fang was exhausted, but she still persisted.
Director organizes and encourages the staff working at each link of the film crew to maximize their creative talents.
Photographer Nie Jing (1921-1986), worked hard to study the shooting angle, and selected and photographed the most beautiful and moving lenses.
Xie Fang and Yu Yang in the movie "Song of Youth" (1959)
Half a year has passed, and "Song of Youth" has finally finished filming. The comrades in the entire crew were ecstatic for the successful completion of the task.
On the eve of the 10th anniversary of the founding of the People's Republic of China, one night when "Song of Youth" was about to meet with the audience, Xie Fang, Cui Wei and Yang Mo, as well as other major cast members of "Song of Youth" visited Premier Zhou's home to watch the sample.
For Xie Fang, it would be so happy to be able to watch the sample around Premier Zhou and listen to the Prime Minister’s teachings to him!
Xie Fang's image in the movie "Song of Youth" (1959)
The profound thoughts and superb art of the film were highly praised by Premier Zhou. Halfway through the film, Premier Zhou couldn't help but reach out to Xie Fang and warmly congratulated her on her successful performance.
Facts prove that Cui Wei's vision is correct. The movie "Song of Youth" achieved great success after its release. It was a three-year difficult period. Many people were not full but lined up to buy tickets. Cinemas in many cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Wuhan were full, and the 24-hour cycle was performed.
Xie Fang's image in the movie "Song of Youth" (1959)
Lin Daojing, this image of a young intellectual who awakened from confusion, hesitation, and despair in the 1930s and finally embarked on the revolutionary path was vividly expressed by Xie Fang.
Later, when recalling his relationship with Cui Wei, Xie Fang said: "At that time, my home in Wuhan was on the second floor. The third floor was the art troupe. The leader of the group was Director Cui Wei. He saw that I loved singing and had a good image, so he asked me to go upstairs to the art troupe. In 1959, Director Cui Wei wrote to me, asking me to audition for the crew of "Song of Youth". At that time, I could only watch the sample film three days after filming, and then decide whether to shoot another one. So it was difficult to make a movie. So I acted in the first movie and became a movie actor."
movie "Song of Youth" (1959) Japanese version poster
"Song of Youth" also caused a sensation in Japan, North Korea, Vietnam and other countries. In 1962, Xie Fang visited Japan with the Chinese Women's Delegation. Wherever she went, enthusiastic Japanese friends and overseas Chinese compatriots affectionately called her Lin Daojing.
Xie Fang-Lin Daojing, her image of blue cheongsam, white gauze scarf, red sweater and short hair with ears has been dissolved into one person in the hearts of millions of viewers. Xie Fang became famous in one fell swoop and was eventually selected as one of China's 22 best-known film actors.
Xie Fang's image in the movie "Early Spring February" (1963)
[Gloriously joining the party and transferred to Beijing Film Academy]
Xie Fang returned to Wuhan and returned to the opera stage, starring in large-scale operas such as "Liu Sanjie", "White-Haired Girl", and "The Sun Rises".
For Xie Fang, 1962 was a year that she would never forget for the rest of her life. This year, she gloriously joined the Communist Party of China . The Party not only gave her new political life, but also injected strong vitality into her artistic life.
movie "Early Spring February" (1963), Xie Tieli (right) and Xie Fang talked about the drama
In August 1962, director Xie Tieli (1925-2015) began to prepare for "Early Spring February" (1963).
"Early Spring February" is the novel "February" adapted by Roushi (1902-1931), a modern writer and one of the famous "Five Martyrs of the Left League". The adaptation of
was supported and helped by the Deputy Minister of Culture and Film Department at that time, Xia Yan (1900-1995), and Chen Huangmei (1913-1996), Director of the Film Bureau, and devoted a lot of effort to it.
Xie Fang and Sun Daolin's image in the movie "Early Spring February" (1963)
When Xie Tieli decided to adapt this work, Xie Tieli solicited Chen Huangmei's opinions and obtained consent.
The main character in "Early Spring February", Tao Lan is a brave, enthusiastic and new woman who grew up under the May Fourth Movement. After many consent, it was confirmed that Xie Fang, who was still in Wuhan Song and Dance Theater at that time, was played by Xie Fang.
Xie Fang's image in the movie "Early Spring February" (1963)
In November 1962, Xie Fang went north again and jointly presented a masterpiece adapted from literary works in the history of Chinese film, and successfully created the image of Tao Lan, a young intellectual who declared war on feudal traditions by himself.
After filming "Early Spring February", Xie Fang was officially transferred to the Beijing Film Studio to serve as an actor.
Xie Fang's image in the movie "Early Spring February" (1963)
Tao Lan and Lin Daojing have certain similarities in their personalities, such as the spirit of resistance to dark reality, the desire for freedom, the demand for personal liberation, etc.
However, due to their different family background, life experience, thoughts and feelings, and the times they live in, there are obvious differences in personality colors.
When creating the image of Tao Lan, Xie Fang always pays attention to starting from the specific characters and giving the characters a distinct personality tone and external actions.
Xie Fang and Sun Daolin's image in the movie "Early Spring February" (1963)
Especially Tao Lan is a liberated woman. She does her own way, is cynical, needs to act fiercely and unrestrainedly, and Xie Fang still completed the task successfully. Playing Tao Lan brought her greater honor.
If the successful shaping of the character Lin Daojing has relied on some of the similarities between actors and characters in temperament, the artistic height that Tao Lan has reached is by no means something that a "true actor" can do.
Xie Fang's image in the movie "Early Spring February" (1963)
"Early Spring February" was released in Shanghai, which triggered a wave of Shanghai citizens rushing to get tickets all night long.
Hong Kong audience said that "March Early Spring" is the "most beautiful movie" and expressed appreciation for Xie Fang's performance.
When "Early Spring February" was released in France, it was called "beautiful movie" by critics.
movie "Early Spring February" (1963) Hong Kong version poster
[Innocent writer, serious shaping]
After filming "Early Spring February", director Xie Jin (1923-2008) invited her to play Zhu Chunhua, an artist from a child bride to a troupe pillar in the feature film " Stage Sisters " (1964) that reflects the lives of artists in the old society.
On January 10, 1964, "Sisters in Stage" officially started filming. Since the Ministry of Culture and the Film Bureau listed it as a key film and proposed to be distributed abroad, and it was stipulated that it would be specially produced overseas versions, Xia Yan directly came forward to coordinate and specially seconded Xie Fang from Beijing Film Academy.
Xie Fang's video in the movie "Stage Sisters" (1964)
This series of measures prompted the Shanghai Film Bureau and Tianma Factory to pay attention to the filming of the film, provide it with the best color film and equip the most powerful filmmakers. The reason why Shanghai Film Festival attaches great importance to it is because Xie Fang was a box office star at that time, and she also allowed the movie to earn foreign exchange abroad.
Xie Fang, who is not a opera actor, plays an Yue Opera actor who has moved from the old society to the new society. He undoubtedly faces great challenges in his performance. This is an advanced artist who is a pure and innocent person who acts seriously and smiles in New China.
Xie Fang and Cao Yindi in the movie "Stage Sisters" (1964)
In the movie "Stage Sisters", she uses her sincere feelings and skillful acting skills to truly and vividly express the external beauty and spiritual beauty of the poor artist Zhu Chunhua. The style is fresh and timeless, the colors are suitable for each other, and the colors are strong and artistic charm. The character of
is very different from the first two characters she played in terms of life experience and personality, but her performance once again won praise from the audience.
Xie Fang and Shangguan Yunzhu in the movie "Stage Sisters" (1964)
Xie Fang's performance in "Stage Sisters" was extremely successful, and Zhu Chunhua became another classic role of her.
Although Xie Jin later admitted that he did show "the friendship between women" in this movie, he ended with a "revolution" in that era.
Xie Fang's image in the movie "Stage Sisters" (1964)
The famous Japanese film critic Tadao Sato (1930-2022) believes that from an international perspective, "Early Spring February" can also be said to be a very good work, and also believes that "Stage Sisters" is successful in expressing "a brave attitude of "whoever encounters unfortunate women, fighting against society while living".
Xie Fang's image in the movie "Stage Sisters" (1964)
When reviewing Xie Fang's artistic footprints, from 1959 to 1964, Xie Fang spent most of her time in front of the camera. During these times, she starred in three classic films: "Song of Youth", "February of Early Spring" and "Stage Sisters", which together constitute Xie Fang's "Youth Trilogy". These films also record Xie Fang's youthful light and shadow, and also make the image gallery of Chinese film women more diverse.
Xie Fang's image in the movie "Stage Sisters" (1964)
Xie Fang is indeed a lucky person. When she first entered the film industry, she filmed films one after another under the directors of Cui Wei and Nanbei Er Xie, creating three well-known artistic images of Lin Daojing, Tao Lan and Zhu Chunhua.
However, everything has different sides, just like everyone has a face and the back of the head.
Just imagine: a serious and good director, would he rather invite an actor who cannot fully reflect his artistic conception to take on his role?
Xie Fang's image in the movie "Stage Sisters" (1964)
North and South Xie values Xie Fang's artistic talent with a deep foundation and values her not the kind of "real actor" who is only good at playing a similar character to her.
, Xie Fang is brave and willing to accept roles with different personalities, constantly answers the director's problems and opens up new ways of acting for herself.
Movie "Sister Stage" (1964) British version poster
[Halfway to become a monk without any airs]
Just as Xie Fang's artistic vitality was booming, the "Cultural Revolution" storm swept over, and Xie Fang's artistic creation was interrupted.
Until 1976, she made her official comeback in "Mountain Flowers" (1976) directed by Cui Wei, which focuses on agricultural learning from Dazhai, but the film did not receive wide screenings.
Xie Fang's image in the movie "Second Handshake" (1980)
What really attracted national attention was that she met the audience with the face of the crazy Kong Nina in the feature film " Tears " (1979).
Kong Nina is the wife of a patriotic and returned overseas Chinese and the county party secretary.
During the "Cultural Revolution", her husband was persecuted to death, and she was beaten to a special suspect for no reason, which made her pretend to be crazy for five years! It was not until the "Gang of Four" was smashed and the Party's cadre policies were implemented that she regained her normal appearance.
Xie Fang's image in the movie "Second Handshake" (1980)
Xie Fang shed tears for Kong Nina and also shed tears for herself that she lost a large period of precious creative years.
The audience and Xie Fang's hearts are in the same way: they are happy for Xie Fang's injustice and for Xie Fang to restore her artistic youth.
After wiping off the tears on his face, Xie Fang played the role of female scientist Ding Jieqiong in the feature film "The Second Handshake" (1980), which reflects the work and love life of patriotic intellectuals at home and abroad in my country.
Xie Fang's image in the movie "Li Qingzhao" (1981)
Immediately afterwards, she ran between the ancient capital Xi'an and the picturesque Suzhou and Hangzhou, and devoted a lot of sweat to shaping the patriotic female poet Li Qingzhao who has an important position in the history of Chinese literature.
In "Li Qingzhao" (1981), this character not only lives in a very long time, but also has extraordinary talent and personality. It is really difficult to show her love ideals, literary talents and political ambitions to revive the country from her bumpy and tragic life.
Xie Fang's image in the movie "Li Qingzhao" (1981)
reproduces this historical figure on the screen, which is very meaningful for opening up new fields of my country's film themes and enriching the image of my country's film art.
Influenced by the novel "Song of Youth", Xie Fang later had the idea of writing.
In 1986, she finally realized her wish and published the art essay "On and Out of the Screen", the novel "The Unsinkable Lake" in 1997, the autobiographical collection "The Past Hurry" in 1998, and the memoir "The Seventy Years of Me" in 2006, which was a fruitful result.
Author: Xie Fang Publisher: Writer Publisher Publishing Year: 1998-3
Author: Xie Fang Publisher: Xinxing Publishing House Year of publication: 2006-5
Xie Fang said: "Whenever I lift my pen, my heart is full of passion and spring, and I seem to have forgotten my age and returned to my youthful youth. Holding the book I wrote in my hand, I always feel a sense of accomplishment and joy. The writing is so wonderful, it brings a different kind of happiness to life."
Xie Fang and Zhang Mu
Xie Fang and Zhang Mu have a family of three
Xie Fang and Zhang Mu have a son, Zhang Jing. They worked as artists in Beijing Film Studio, and their daughter-in-law Li Haiping worked in the film printing factory. They got married in 1987. In 1988, their daughter-in-law gave birth to a son Zhang Xiaolong.
Xie Fang and Zhang Mu's family of five
Xie Fang in life has no airs and does not look like a star at all.She often said: "I am an ordinary person. The people like movies and make us successful. We should be the people's literary and artistic workers. We always regard ourselves as stars, not good actors."
Xie Fang and Zhang Mu's family of five
Regarding the current development status of the Chinese film and television industry, Xie Fang said this. Nowadays actors are very lucky and have many opportunities to exercise. Every year, we have many film and television dramas on the screen and are popular on the Internet on TV stations. This is a good thing for actors, and there are many opportunities to exercise.
Xie Fang and Zhang Mu in their later years
However, Xie Fang particularly disliked those film and television dramas that were separated from life. She said that literature and art serve the people, and actors must be born from life. At the same time, film and television dramas also bear certain social responsibilities, which should not only bring people a healthy entertainment attitude and method, but also have a correct "three views".
87-year-old Xie Fang
Xie Fang pointed out that young actors are not in depth in life nowadays. Some characters can be played as soon as they can be picked up, and some characters are not that true. "Young actors nowadays should experience life more."
Xie Fang's image in the movie "Song of Youth" (1959)
- Tao Yuling faces a painful life: the pain of losing her daughter, three times of cancer, and at the age of 88, she also plays WeChat
- Shu Xiuwen, who is critically ill and has no one to take care of her. Before her death, she paid all her 80,000 deposits to her party fees
- Tian Hua married his first love and had three sons. He lost four close relatives in his later years. At the age of 94, he was still active on the screen. At the age of 94, he was not intimidated by grief. Wang Xiaotang: he was deeply in adversity and his relatives passed away one after another. At the age of 88, he was alone and had lost his memory in his later years. Sun Daolin, who entered university at the age of 17 and herded sheep at the age of 21, asked to experience torture in order to play Li Xia.
