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Chapter 183 The Stunning Old Lady

"Thank you so much, Teacher Ge! With you joining us, my movie is half done!" Wu Yuchen said with a fist and a fist salute.

When Ge Cunzhuang heard Wu Yuchen say this, he realized that half of the problem lay with him, but what about the other half...?

"Director Wu, I'd like to ask, have you found a female lead for this movie yet?"

Upon hearing this, Wu Yuchen shook his head: "Teacher Ge, I'm really worried about this. It's indeed difficult to find a female lead. I've looked at some actresses, and none of them seem to fit the bill."

The female lead in the movie should be as beautiful as possible. Some people may look bloated as they get older, but the female lead should have a fresh and elegant appearance, and her temperament must be graceful. She should also have an inner sense of perseverance and pride, because this will create a stark contrast with her later image of losing her dignity after becoming paralyzed. This will make her more touching and convincing in her desire to seek release through death.

The original actress who played the lead role in the previous version was Emmanuelle Riva, a great beauty in her youth. She starred in "Hiroshima Mon Amour" and was already 84 years old when she starred in "Love," maintaining her elegance and appearance remarkably well. Therefore, Wu Yuchen's first consideration was those famous actresses who were beautiful in their youth—the shining stars of the Republican era. He didn't necessarily require them to be over 80, but they had to be born after 1930. Unfortunately, many of these outstanding actresses had already passed away…

Take, for example, film queen Hu Die, who passed away 10 years ago. And the great star Zhou Xuan, who died young in the 50s. Actually, if you think about it, many of the big-name actresses of that war-torn era perished, and it's impossible for them to be as fortunate as stars in peacetime.

He also considered Xia Meng, Jin Yong's dream lover, who was a famous beauty when she was young. However, after getting some recent public photos of Xia Meng, he gave up. Xia Meng, who is 65 years old, probably loves beauty. Her hair is dyed black and her skin is well-maintained. She doesn't look like a 70 or 80-year-old woman at all.

It's true that the restrictions on film genres in mainland China have been too great for decades. Many actresses, even if they are beautiful, have to try to portray more vulgar characters. This is because films from the past few decades couldn't feature petit-bourgeois heroines; they were all made up of working-class or peasant heroines. As a result, many actresses' unique qualities were overshadowed. In addition, Wu Yuchen wasn't very familiar with the older generation of actors, so he was really struggling to choose a leading lady and didn't have a clear target.

He did check out the Beijing Film Studio, asking Han Sanping for information on the studio's veteran actors, and then searching through their files one by one, but there really weren't any actresses who met his requirements.

At this moment, Ge Cunzhuang spoke up with a smile: "Director Wu, I don't know if you've ever heard of the title 'New China 22 Movie Superstar'."

Upon hearing this, Wu Yuchen's heart skipped a beat, as if he remembered something, but he still said, "Teacher Ge, please explain this to me in detail!"

Ge Cunzhuang didn't keep anyone in suspense and began to explain:
"After our New China was established, it had a close relationship with the Soviet Union, so many Soviet films were shown at that time, and the names of the 22 greatest Soviet movie stars were displayed in the lobbies of many cinemas."

In 61, Premier Zhou Enlai proposed that China couldn't always rely on other countries' stars for publicity; we needed our own movie stars. Therefore, a list was compiled, personally reviewed by Premier Zhou, and ultimately, the "New China 22 Movie Stars" were chosen. This was the highest honor for actors in China at the time! You young people might not know, but they were incredibly popular back then.

As Ge Cunzhuang spoke, it seemed as if he were recalling events from decades ago. After a moment of reflection, he continued:

"Shanghai is the birthplace of Chinese cinema and the core of the film industry during the Republic of China era. Therefore, eight of these 22 people are from Shanghai, and the one I want to recommend to you is one of them."

As Wu Yuchen listened to Ge Cunzhuang's introduction, he hurriedly thought about the old movies he had seen. Although he trusted Ge Cunzhuang's judgment, he still had to search for relevant information and personally check on the old lady's current condition.

……

In Shanghai, at the Shanghai Film Studio, General Manager Zhu Yongde personally showed Wu Yuchen some old photos and documents:
"Director Wu, Teacher Wang is absolutely a great beauty. When she was young, her looks were no less than those of Hu Die and Zhou Xuan. Back then, she was known as one of the four great actresses of Shanghai and Hong Kong. In 51, she responded to the call of the country and returned to Shanghai from Hong Kong Island. In 52, she joined our Shanghai Film Studio."

Wu Yuchen looked at the photo that Lao Zhu had taken out. Even though he had seen many beauties in the entertainment industry, he was still momentarily stunned when he saw this photo from half a century ago. He was amazed! She was so beautiful! Absolutely stunning!
Wu Yuchen quickly followed up, asking, "How is Teacher Wang doing now?"

She was definitely a beauty when she was young, but he cares more about how she looks now that she's older. Otherwise, no matter how beautiful she was before, it wouldn't be of any use to him in this shoot.

Old Zhu smiled and said, "She's still as charming as ever, definitely meeting your requirements, Director Wu! It's also good that you came at the right time, Director Wu. She spends half the year in Hong Kong and half in Shanghai, and she's here right now."

Wu Yuchen was delighted upon hearing this: "Okay, Mr. Zhu, then I'll trouble you to take me to visit Teacher Wang!"

In the XH district, in the Shangying residential area, in a family building, the door opened, and Wu Yuchen saw a sprightly old gentleman, tall with gray hair.

Old Zhu immediately smiled and said, "Hello, Mr. Liu! Director Wu Yuchen and I have come to visit you and Teacher Wang!"

Upon seeing this, Wu Yuchen immediately greeted the elderly Mr. Liu Heqing and was warmly invited into the house.

As Wu Yuchen entered the hall, he was greeted by a silver-haired woman in her seventies. Despite her age, she still possessed a bright and captivating radiance, maintaining an air of refinement and elegance. This was none other than Wang Danfeng, the leading actress he was there to visit.

Wu Yuchen felt that the old lady in front of him was perfect in every way, both in appearance and temperament, so he immediately walked up to her warmly and greeted her politely:

"Hello, Teacher Wang! I'm so happy to see you today! I'm a big fan of your movies and songs. I used to sing your song 'Little Swallow' every day when I was a kid!"

Grandma Wang Danfeng was very happy to see the two visitors and shook hands with Wu Yuchen, saying:

"Director Wu, you're too kind. Those are outdated songs from decades ago. My husband and I just recently watched your film 'Mr. Donkey,' and it was wonderfully made!"

Wu Yuchen smiled and said, "Teacher Wang, even decades from now, your 'Little Swallow' and 'Nurse's Diary' will still be passed down!"

The song they were referring to, "Little Swallow," is the nursery rhyme that everyone heard in their childhood: "Little swallow, wearing a flowery dress, comes here every spring..." This nursery rhyme was sung by Wang Danfeng. In 57, she sang this song to lull children to sleep in her film "Nurse's Diary," and it became an instant hit across the country. The film "Nurse's Diary" was also a huge success, being the first film in New China to feature a nurse as the protagonist. After its release, nurses became the most ideal partners in the eyes of the public, sparking a trend of many men pursuing nurses.

At this moment, Old Zhu spoke up again: "Teacher Wang, if you'd like, why don't you take Director Wu to your study to see your glorious history!"

"What glorious history do I have? Director Zhu, you're bragging about me again!"

"Teacher Wang, you are the pillar and pride of our Shanghai Film Studio!"

Old Zhu knew that Wu Yuchen was here to select the leading actress for an Oscar-nominated film, so he naturally wanted to win this opportunity. Now he just wanted Wu Yuchen to learn more about Wang Danfeng's past.

There is a cabinet in the study displaying many of Wang Danfeng's previous works and photos of her with celebrities, including more than one photo with Chairman Mao, one with Premier Zhou Enlai, and one from 85 when she was the only Chinese actor invited to attend President Reagan's inauguration ceremony...

Wu Yuchen was also deeply moved. Among the female stars of the Republic of China era, there were very few, if not only Wang Danfeng, who could shine during that period and continue to be a popular artist after the founding of the People's Republic of China.

A moment later, when Wu Yuchen presented the script to Grandma Wang Danfeng, she did not accept it, but instead smiled and said:

"Director Wu, thank you for valuing me, but it's been almost 20 years since I last made a film. I've completely forgotten how to act, so I'm afraid I can't handle this movie. Perhaps I should pass?"

Wu Yuchen's current reputation is very attractive to any actor in the Chinese film and television industry. They would be eager to accept any script he offers, but this may not include veteran actors like Wang Danfeng and Lan Tianye who have been retired from acting for many years.

When Wu Yuchen visited Lan Tianye before, he was completely focused on calligraphy and painting, preparing for an art exhibition, and had no plans to make a comeback.

Therefore, Wu Yuchen was now mentally prepared and said to the old lady:
“Teacher Wang, you should know that sometimes acting doesn’t require so many techniques; a natural performance can have a more seamless effect. In my opinion, you are the most suitable candidate for the female lead, so your statement about not acting for 20 years is perfectly reasonable!”

Old Zhu also chimed in, "Teacher Wang, Director Wu's play is really excellent. After reading the script, I felt that this role was perfect for you, and it's exactly the kind of tragedy you like."

Wang Danfeng gently shook her head: "It's been almost 20 years since I last acted, and I've gotten used to my current state. I'd rather not."

After trying to persuade her for a while, Wu Yuchen realized he hadn't succeeded. He thought for a moment and said, "Teacher Wang, how about this? You can keep the script for now and take a look. If you're interested, you can contact me anytime!"

After seeing Wu Yuchen and Lao Zhu off, Liu Heqing noticed that his wife hadn't picked up the script on the table. He smiled and asked her, "Wu Yuchen is a truly internationally renowned director. His movies must be quite good. Aren't you going to consider it?"

Wang Danfeng shook her head, sighed, and said, "I'm so old now, I don't want to go through all that trouble anymore."

Upon hearing this, Liu Heqing smiled but didn't say anything. Instead, he picked up the script and started reading.

Liu Heqing originally came from a prominent family in old Shanghai. He was the young master of the Cathay Film Company and a junior fellow student of Yang Jiang. He was quite talented in his youth, managing a large theater and being groomed as her successor. After the founding of the People's Republic of China, the Cathay Film Company was merged into the Shanghai Film Studio through a public-private partnership, and he became a cinematographer there. However, due to his personal background, he was never given important responsibilities.

After the reform and opening up, Lao Liu, nearing 60, went south to Hong Kong Island to start his own business. His vegetarian restaurant, Gongdelin, became incredibly popular, frequented by Hong Kong celebrities and raking in huge profits, making it the most famous vegetarian restaurant in Hong Kong. Wang Danfeng's retirement from acting 20 years ago was also partly to support her husband's business venture.

Although his wife never said anything, Lao Liu had always remembered the incident. Now, the opportunity offered by Wu Yuchen, a renowned director both at home and abroad, had finally resonated with him. He had spent most of his life working in the film industry and had a deep passion for it.

After a while, when Wang Danfeng came out of the house, she was a little surprised to see her husband holding a script and staring blankly. She went over and touched his arm: "Old Liu, are you alright?"

Old Liu regained his senses, gently shook his head, and then sighed, saying, "I think you should seriously consider this script!"

"Is it really that good?" Wang Danfeng became curious and even her husband tried to persuade her.

"It's not a matter of good or bad, it truly speaks to the hearts of us old folks! After reading it, I couldn't help but think about what I would do if I encountered this situation. At our age, we might really fall ill one day, sigh!"

Liu Heqing sighed repeatedly, then added, "There are so few films that reflect the delicate emotions of the elderly! I think they are very meaningful."

Wang Danfeng could refuse Wu Yuchen and Lao Zhu's invitation, but her husband's words piqued her curiosity, so she took the script from him and started reading.

Inside the hotel, Wu Yuchen was pondering the story of his three visits to Zhuge Liang's thatched cottage. The elderly Wang Danfeng truly embodied the image of the female lead. Although she had retired from acting for 20 years, she had acted for most of her life, and some aspects were ingrained in her very being. There was no doubt about the skills and solid foundation of these veteran actors; they were far superior to the younger generation of actors.

At the same time, he set himself a timeframe, a maximum of one month; if it didn't work out, he would decisively move on to another target. Moreover, during this month, he also needed to gather information on other potential actresses, because if the old lady resolutely retired from acting, he couldn't just wait indefinitely. If this film wanted to compete for next year's Oscars, it had to be filmed, released, and submitted for censorship this year!
Just as Wu Yuchen was thinking about these things, his phone rang. It was Lao Zhu calling.

After Wu Yuchen answered the phone, he heard Lao Zhu on the other end laugh heartily and say, "Director Wu, Teacher Wang has agreed to act!"

The selection of the female lead took a whole day...

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(End of this chapter)