Director: Bu Wancang
Love and Duty is a silent film about a woman's struggle in pursuing her true love and fulfilling her duties as a mother of three (who have different fathers). This is also the first time, I am able to catch my first glimpse of the infamous China's first prima donna in the silver screen, Ruan Lingyu. While watching the film, Ruan cinematic standards in front of the camera was really one of the best during that time. In a silent film, it is exceptionally hard to express one's feelings. Yet Ruan did it gracefully in showing her pain, pleasure, passion and desire. Many critics say that she set a high standard for the actors and actresses for the Chinese film industry in the 1930s and even now. To me, it were as if the film was made for her.
I felt that the use of typography in silent film is something that is quite unique to me. Well, I guess something 'old' can always be 'new' to someone, especially in such a different generation. I think it was handwritten and carefully calligraphed.
However, I felt that the story line of Love and Duty is expectable, maybe this was because I had watched too many of these kind of films for this course. But I'll definitiely give thumbs up for the kind of narrative provided in this film if I were to be in the 1930s when it is first screened.
[1] A Century Of Chinese Cinema: The 25th Hong Kong International Film Festival and beyond by Frank Bren. Retrieved on 29 April 2011 from http://archive.sensesofcinema.com/contents/festivals/01/14/hongkonged.html
[2] Ruan Lingyu. Retrieved on 29 April 2011 from http://shanghai.cultural-china.com/html/History-of-Shanghai/History/Historical-Figures/200810/31-954.html
[3] The 25th Hong Kong International Film Festival by Frank Bren. Retrieved on 29 April 2011 from http://archive.sensesofcinema.com/contents/festivals/01/14/hongkonged.html
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