Ruan Lingyu

This story of a young beautiful acclaimed actress from the 30s could have been so much more. Unfortunately it is a bit of an overlong mess which mixes a somewhat boring documentary approach with 90s interviews and vintage reels, with a rather gripping and stylish account of love, society bias and deceit. Had to fight not to fall asleep during the dull moments

I stumbled on a DVD copy of the film from the local library, but before that I never heard of this film. Stanley Kwan also directed Rouge, a film I enjoyed and liked very much, and that prompted my decision to make the time investment to watch it.

Center Stage, aka Yuen Ling-Yuk (Cantonese pronunciation of the main character) or Ruan Ling-Yu (the mandarin equivalent) is a slow film, a period piece focused on the life and premature death of an actress in the 30's in China. As a kid growing up in Asia several decades ago I never watched B/W silent films, so Yuen was never known to me, until now.

It was a slow film, but well acted and researched. I enjoyed the depiction of Shanghai in the 30's and the personification of various people in the entertainment circle. This film is obviously not for everyone. For the selected few with the interest or the cultural background, it is a film worth watching. If nothing else, it is a cultural lesson on the filming business and a snapshot of the Chinese society in 1930. Seeing some big name actors in it, doing what they do best, is a bonus.

Directed by Stanley Kwan, "Centre Stage" is a poignant biographical drama that delves into the life of Ruan Lingyu, one of China's most iconic silent film actresses. Set against the backdrop of 1930s Shanghai, the film chronicles Ruan's rise to fame, her tumultuous personal life, and the challenges she faced in a male-dominated industry.

At its heart, "Centre Stage" is a character study of a woman ahead of her time. Maggie Cheung delivers a mesmerizing performance as Ruan Lingyu, capturing her vulnerability, strength, and complexity with nuance and grace. Through Cheung's portrayal, we witness Ruan's transformation from a naive young girl to a confident and independent artist.

Kwan's direction is masterful, seamlessly blending archival footage with dramatic reenactments to create a vivid and immersive portrait of 1930s Shanghai. The film's visual style is stunning, with sumptuous cinematography and lavish production design transporting viewers to a bygone era of glamour and intrigue.

"Centre Stage" also shines a light on the darker aspects of fame and celebrity. As Ruan's star rises, she becomes the target of tabloid gossip and political scrutiny, ultimately leading to her tragic demise. The film does not shy away from portraying the harsh realities of fame, reminding viewers of the toll it can take on those in the spotlight.

In conclusion, "Centre Stage" is a captivating and deeply moving portrait of a legendary actress. With its stellar performances, lush visuals, and compelling storytelling, it pays tribute to Ruan Lingyu's enduring legacy while shedding light on the complexities of fame and identity. A must-watch for cinephiles and anyone interested in the history of Chinese cinema.

I saw Stanley Kwan's "Centre Stage" ("Yuen Ling-yuk") at a university series "New East Asian Cinema" on February 27, 2006. The film is a biography of Ruan Ling-yu (1910-1935), a silent film star of Chinese silent films.

The film describes the life and meteoric rise to fame of young Shanghai actor Ruan Ling-yu (played well by Maggie Cheung), who from the age of 16 till her death at age 24, was featured, often in a lead role, in over a dozen films. She was involved in extramarital affairs with two men and eventually the double standards that women suffer by catch up with her (but not with the married suitors), and dogged media slander her reputation. With her honor at stake, she sees no recourse but to commit suicide, and does so with an overdose of barbiturates. According to the wikipedia entry about her (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ruan_Ling_Yu), "her funeral procession was reportedly three miles long, with three women committing suicide during it."

The film cleverly goes back and forth in time, and includes excellent interludes from some of Ruan Ling-yu's films. These snippets, as well as the local color we see in 1930s Shanghai, reveal a vivacious setting in Chinese history that I would enjoy learning more about, including seeing some of the period cinema.

Not previously knowing anything about Ruan Ling-yu, I of course cannot vouch for the realism of the portrayal, but the acting of Maggie Cheung revealed a strong, magnetic, kind, talented, determined, and yet slightly aloof woman who enjoys many admirers. The other characters were not nearly as well developed, but that is understandable with the focus being on Ruan Ling-yu.

I wonder if Kwan could have set the stage, so to speak, a bit more economically, and found the first half to two thirds rather slow. But, without giving anything away, the ending (of course we know that suicide is the true history) is calmly dramatic and captivating. The manner in which Cheung shows the actor saying goodbye to her close friends, who don't know that this is in fact her farewell, is touching - I wonder if this is how it happened. A film worth watching and which I would like to see again - 7.5 stars out of 10.

--Dilip Feb. 27, 2006

A biopic of Chinese silent film actress from the 30's, Ruan Lingyu, with Maggie Cheung as Ruan. This movie tells the sad story of a young woman who is rescued from poverty by show business, and is subsequently destroyed by it. It's a classic story of the patriarchal double standard in which an adulterous woman is punished by society while an adulterous man is not.

Maggie Cheung's performance is quite good. First of all, she pulls off being an actress playing an actress who is very immersed in her work.

Everyone in this movie is exceedingly composed - they speak carefully, and walk perpetually as if on eggshells. No one really comes alive until a scene at a dance hall near the end. But despite all the sugary politeness, Cheung successfully conveys a woman who is being slowly destroyed by her oppressive environment. And there are a couple scenes in which she completely loses it, and it's very affecting to watch.

The movie is very interestingly interspersed with clips from Ruan's movies, documentary footage of Ruan's surviving contemporaries, and the actors' conversations with the director.

The other actors, such as Tony Leung Ka Fai, Carina Lau, and Waise Lee, who are so interesting in other movies, all have little to nothing to do, except to look nice in period costume.

Also interesting is the fact that Carina Lau (who plays fellow actress Lily Li) looks much more like the real Ruan Lingyu than Maggie Cheung does.

Watching this film is a bit like watching a PBS documentary - edifying, educational, but not exactly fun.