A Torn Lily

A Torn Lily is a 1953 Hong Kong black-and-white costume film written and directed by Yuen Yang-an, based on the traditional story of Wang Kui Betrays Guiying. The film was produced by Great Wall Movie Enterprises and stars their 20-year-old starlet Xia Meng (19 at the time of filming) in the lead role.

A Torn Lily
Film poster
Chinese孽海花
Literal meaningA Flower in a Sinful Sea
Hanyu PinyinNiè Hǎi Huā
Directed byYuen Yang-an
Written byYuen Yang-an
Produced byYuen Yang-an
Starring
  • Xia Meng
  • Ping Fan
  • Sun Zhijun
  • Li Ciyu
  • Shek Hwei
Cinematography
  • Yu Sheng-san
  • Wong Shek-lam
Edited byChong Man-long
Music byLi Houxiang
Production
company
Release date
  • 13 February 1953 (1953-02-13)
Running time
120 minutes
CountryBritish Hong Kong
LanguageMandarin

It became the first Hong Kong film to compete in an international festival when it entered the 7th Edinburgh International Film Festival in 1953,[1] though it represented China.[2] It is also likely the first Hong Kong film released in the People's Republic of China, where it drew an audience of over 8.7 million viewers on 16347 screens in December 1954, about 22 months after it was released in Hong Kong.[3] It is currently kept at the Hong Kong Film Archive.[4]

Cast
  • Xia Meng as Jiao Guiying, a courtesan
    • Dai Lei as Jiao Guiying (child)
  • Ping Fan as Wang Kui, a scholar
  • Shek Hwei as Xiao Ju, Guiying's friend
  • Su Qin as Wang Zhong, the servant
  • Sun Zhijun as Jin Lei
  • Li Ciyu as Minister Xie
  • Gam Sha as Zhang Xingjian
  • Cao Yan as Zhang Qian
  • Chang Tseng as Nobleman Kou
  • Chan Ching-po as Wandering Singer
  • Shi Lei as Prime Minister Han
  • Chi Ching
  • Wen Yi-min
  • Huang Fan
  • Wong Chun
  • Chu Li
  • Cheung Ho

Reception

Raymond Durgnat wrote a not very flattering review in Sight & Sound (Vol. 24–25), calling Chinese films (along with Japanese films and Vsevolod Pudovkin's films) too "theatrical". But he called the first half of the film "beautifully evoked".[3]

References
  1. "【夏夢作品】《孽海花》揚威海外" [Xia Meng's works: A Torn Lily Recognised Abroad]. Apple Daily (in Chinese). 4 November 2016.
  2. "A Torn Lily". British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 29 April 2018.
  3. Doctor Qi'ai (奇爱博士) (March 2014). "夏梦和她的理想年代" [Xia Meng and Her Ideal Era]. Iris (虹膜) (in Chinese). 1 (13).
  4. "Film Screenings: A Torn Lily". Film Programmes Office, Leisure and Cultural Services Department.


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