Yuen Ling-yuk (Centre Stage)(The Actress)(The New China Woman) (1992)
-
84% of users liked it
(899 ratings)
In the 1930s, in China, there was a woman film-actress who was tagged as "the Chinese Garbo." She was a wildly popular performer who made her first film at age 16 and died by her own hand at age 25. Ironically, she was famous for playing tragic heroines, and her own life mirrored the kinds… More In the 1930s, in China, there was a woman film-actress who was tagged as "the Chinese Garbo." She was a wildly popular performer who made her first film at age 16 and died by her own hand at age 25. Ironically, she was famous for playing tragic heroines, and her own life mirrored the kinds of situations she portrayed onscreen. In this biopic, Ruan Ling-yu (Maggie Cheung) is riding high in her career when the press decides to take her down a notch or two, bitterly criticizing her for an affair with a married man. This situation is unbearable for her, and she kills herself, but not before uttering the words "Gossip is a terrible thing." In addition to the central drama, scenes from actual films starring the actress are included, and the actors in this biopic occasionally step out of character to address the camera, recounting some significant fact about the individuals whose lives they are playing, and the nature of those times in China. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
- Directed By
- Stanley Kwan
- Genres
- Art House & International, Drama
Unrated,
- In Theaters
- Aug 14, 1992 Wide
Critic Reviews
-
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com
The luminous Maggie Cheung, who deservedly won the Berlin Festival Acting Award, offers a sensitive portrait of the popular actress Ruan Ling-Yu (she was compared to Garbo), who committed suicide over a scandal in her personal life.
-
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
An overwhemingly moving tribute to the popular Hong Kong actress Ruan Ling-yu of the 1930s...
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
Featured Audience Ratings
Currently unavailable on Flixster
Also available on
Other Retailers
Not Available
Not Available
Not Available
Subscription Services
Not Available
Not Available
Not Available
Cast
-
Maggie Cheung
as Ruan Ling-yu
- Carina Lau
- Tony Leung Ka Fai
