Description
During 1947-1948, three commercial films: Everlasting Love( 1947) Long Live the Wife (1947) and Happiness and Sorrow of Middle Ages (1948) from the director Sang Hu were released. Although the results from box-office were stunning, they suffered fierce criticism from

During 1947-1948, three commercial films: Everlasting Love( 1947) Long Live the Wife (1947) and Happiness and Sorrow of Middle Ages (1948) from the director Sang Hu were released. Although the results from box-office were stunning, they suffered fierce criticism from progressive critics largely because the films lacked descriptions of China as a nation-state with critical explorations on nationalism, anti-imperialism, and feudalism. This ideological bias resulted in a long time neglect of the artistic and social value of these three films. This paper attempts to analyze the directors original intention through the love story vehicle, illustrate his concern toward individuals, society, urban culture and moral standards and further discuss this new film genre through a comparison of today's film market. In my opinions, his films contain considerable artistic and social values which deserve scholarly attentions. They show great compassion toward the dilemma of ordinary human beings and privilege the perspectives of common citizens; The director depicts various kinds of interpersonal relationships in a semi-colonial city and thus demonstrates considerable concern with the social realities. In their particular political environment, these films negotiate the economic market and yet successfully contribute their own intervention in the wider cultural discussion of post-war social reconstruction and the development of ethical values.
Reuse Permissions
  • Downloads
    pdf (786.8 KB)

    Details

    Title
    • Intervent and compromise in Sang Hu's movies from 1947 to 1948
    Contributors
    Date Created
    2012
    Resource Type
  • Text
  • Collections this item is in
    Note
    • Partial requirement for: M.A., Arizona State University, 2012
      Note type
      thesis
    • Includes bibliographical references (p. 52-53)
      Note type
      bibliography
    • Field of study: East Asian languages and civilizations

    Citation and reuse

    Statement of Responsibility

    by Jie Wu

    Machine-readable links