Center Stage

An homage to Chinese silent film star Ruan Lingyu (1910-1935) starring Maggie Cheung is certainly compelling as a premise, and there are several things I liked about it, including the re-creation of old movie scenes played alongside the original, and the cast and crew talking about what had happened in her life. It also gave me a jumping off point into understanding this actor and her work better, and hey, Maggie Cheung is always a joy.

For 154 minutes, though, it's pretty surprising just how many details are left out about Ruan's personal and professional life. Director Stanley Kwan's storytelling tends to put the viewer into a scene like a dance floor and spend a lot of time there, without enough explanation for the things going on with Ruan, her lovers, or the directors she works with. It's frustratingly distant. Even after her elongated suicide scene, he opts to show his crew filming Cheung pretending to be dead, instead of referencing the extraordinary funeral procession Ruan had. In the end it made me think that just a straight biographical film that walked through the events of her life would have worked better, as it probably would have been more informative.

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

This is a biopic about Yuan (Ruan) Ling-Wu, a movie star of the 30's in China. I've never seen any film she's been in, but I am very intrigued now. Maggie Cheung is excellent in this role. I feel Ms. Cheung is one of the best actresses in film, from any country. She is always interesting to watch. She plays Yuan sympathetically, passionately and solemnly. Looking at her in this role, looking at her pretty eyes, you can tell she understood this actress. At times, she looks flat out beautiful, especially when she smiles. I liked the style of this film, that the real Maggie Cheung comments on Yuan Ling-Wu during the film. Also commenting is the now departed contemporary of Ling-Wu, the very good actress Lilly Li (a few of her films have been recently released on DVD, and should be sought out). The film has a tragic air to it, as Ruan Ling-Wu committed suicide at the tender age of 25. Even if, like me, you have never heard of the actress, see this film. Ms. Cheung, with her smile, her sorrow, her anger all portrayed brilliantly through the film (she won Best Actress in Asia, richly deserved, just blows you away. Oh, and did I mention, she even dances in this film. A triumph, richly deserving of your time.

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.