Street Angel (1937 film)

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For the comic book series, see Street Angel (comics).
For the silent film of the same name, see Street Angel.
Street Angel

Zhou Xuan as Xiao Hong in Street Angel
Directed by Yuan Muzhi
Written by Yuan Muzhi
Starring Zhou Xuan
Zhao Huishen
Zhao Dan
Distributed by Cinema Epoch
Mingxing Film Company
Release date(s) 1937
Running time 87 min.
Country China
Language Mandarin
Allmovie profile
IMDb profile

Street Angel (simplified Chinese: 马路天使; traditional Chinese: 馬路天使; pinyin: Mǎlù tiānshǐ) is a Chinese black-and-white film released in 1937. The film was directed by Yuan Muzhi and stars the popular singer Zhou Xuan.

Contents

[edit] Synopsis

The film deals with two sisters, Xiao Hong (Zhou Xuan) and Xiao Yun (Zhao Huishen) who live under the brutal thumb of their landlords. Xiao Yun has already been forced into prostitution while her sister serves as a teahouse singer. Soon the sisters realize that the landlords have decided to sell Xiao Hong to a wealthy patron, whereupon they seek the aid of their neighbors, a street musician, Xiao Chen (Zhao Dan), and his misfit friends.

Street Angel is often praised for its mix of melodrama and comedy. One sequence in particular, where Xiao Chen and his friends attempt to act as barbers reveals a moment of slapstick or physical comedy in the otherwise dreary third act.

[edit] Reputation

Praised for its portrayal of the downtrodden in Shanghai at the time of its release, today, Street Angel is often considered one of the classics of the "leftist" filmmaking period that reached its peak in the 1930s. It was selected as one of the Best 100 Chinese Motion Pictures by the 24th Hong Kong Film Awards, ranked 11th.

[edit] Cast and roles

  • Zhou Xuan - Xiao Hong
  • Zhao Huishen - Xiao Yun, Xiao Hong's older sister
  • Zhao Dan - Chen Shaoping, aka. Xiao Chen, Xiao Hong's boyfriend. A trumpet player who lives across the alley
  • Wei Heling - Wang, the newspaper seller and Chen's best friend

[edit] External links

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