The shooting background of Cuigang Red Flag

195 1 In March, the Ministry of Culture held the "New Film Exhibition Month of State-owned Film Studio" in 26 cities across the country, showing 20 feature films and news documentaries, reviewing the first batch of achievements of the new China film industry, including "Red Flag of Cuigang" produced by Shanghai Film Studio. This paper mainly describes Xiang Wuer, the newly married wife of Jiang Mengzi, a Red Army soldier who stayed in Cuigang, Jiangxi Soviet Area after the Long March of the Red Army 1934. Her father and sister were persecuted by the enemy leader Xiao Zhenkui, and she was forced to change her name and surname and live in exile. In order to raise her newborn son, Xiang Wuer worked as a wet nurse in the strong house of the landlord Feng Zhi's house. She helped the guerrillas avoid enemy attacks many times. The film ends with 1949. As the commander of the People's Liberation Army, Jiang Mengzi led a team to fight bandits and returned to his hometown. Xiao Zhenkui tried to defend his life with risk. The arrested son tried to get his son Xiaohong to report the situation down the mountain and annihilate the enemy in one fell swoop. The family is finally reunited.

It should be said that among the movies with revolutionary struggle as the theme, The Red Flag of Cuigang is unique. Its hero is not an all-around hero like Liu Hulan and Zhao Yiman, but a family member of the Red Army who is still loyal at the low tide of the revolution. What he pays attention to is not the life-and-death struggle between the enemy and me, but depicts Wu Er's life side of waiting for her husband who has no news in adversity and raising his children as descendants of the revolution, which is the success and uniqueness of the film. This was very rare at that time when films with this theme easily lost their surface and concept. As some researchers have pointed out, this film is a revolutionary historical film with strong political orientation, which has injected some human nature. The new China film is a narrative strategy to win the audience's understanding and sympathy for the revolution, and then support the revolution, which has been proved to be successful in practice.

However, shortly after the film was released, although it received rave reviews, many distribution schools of the Soviet Long March northward were moved to tears by this scene. However, this has also attracted sharp criticism. The main criticism is that after the Red Army went north, the film did not show the party's leadership over the people, showed the cruelty of the enemy too much, did not write "the struggle of the people in the old Soviet area", and did not show the people's support for the revolutionaries and the families of the Red Army. In particular, the protagonist who questioned Wu Er lacked "typicality" and was a "female image waiting for victory". Later, some authors who wrote critical articles admitted that they had a hero's "model" in their minds from the beginning, and any character was set and measured by some "rules" and "frames". As a result, it was inevitable that a ruler could measure thousands of people's clothes and it was impossible to fit them. These inappropriate dogmatic comments attracted the attention of Premier Zhou Enlai after they were published in major Shanghai newspapers. In particular, he pointed out that the film "Cuigang Red Flag" was very touching, and some places made people cry. Xiangwuer is still strong and unyielding in such a serious white terror situation, waiting for the return of the Red Army. How can this not be a heroic image? He also said to Yu Lan, the star of the film, "I watched it three times with Chairman Mao, and the chairman praised it and told the cadres not to forget the people in the old Soviet area." After the spirit of this speech came out, it caused a warm response. The Film Literature Group of the Creative Committee of the Chinese Writers Association held a special discussion on this film. Shao Quanlin, Zhou Libo, Ai Wu, Zhong Dian, Chen Huangmei and other famous writers and critics attended and spoke, and made a fair evaluation of the film, pointing out that describing the party's leadership depends on the historical conditions and specific conditions reflected in the works, and it cannot be said that every work requires the party's * * *. There are various models available. Xiangwuer never bowed his head under the cruel oppression of the enemy and always looked forward to the return of the Red Army. He worked for the revolution instead of passively waiting for victory. He can be an example to the people in the old liberated areas.

At this seminar, Du Tan, as a screenwriter, once reviewed his writing process and said that he had written "a character between hard bones and soft bones". Yu Lanqing was disgusted, didn't understand why he said so, and refuted it with his deep feelings about life in his speech. It wasn't until many years later that I learned all the experiences of this film, especially that the Sixth Karlowe Farley Film Festival was supposed to award the best film award to Cuigang Hongqi, but because a major leader of the China film delegation had "left" ideas and strongly opposed it, it was changed to a photography award. At this moment, Yu Lanqing suddenly realized that Du Tan, as a party member writer, had to make that kind of review under strong pressure in those days, regardless of personal gains and losses, thus paying tribute to the old comrade who worked hard but never published his works.

Really shortened the distance.

Like the prevailing practice at that time, the filming of Cuigang Red Flag brought together artists from the liberated areas and artists who once lived in old Shanghai. Ma Yu, starring Lan He as the deputy director, is a revolutionary literary and art worker trained by Lu Yi in Yan 'an, while Zhang Junxiang and Feng Sizhi, who are directors and photographers, and Zhang Fa, Chen Tianguo, Xia Tian and Mu Bai, who play Jiang Mengzi, Xiao Zhenkui, Feng Laosi and Feng Zhigu, have been engaged in film work in Shanghai since 1930s and 1940s. It is these two creative forces that respect each other and work together to make the creation of this film a complete success.

Due to the strong recommendation of the screenwriter Du Tan, Yu Lan, who just made the film "The Warrior in White" for the first time in Dongying, was identified as the actor of Xiangwuer. Growing up in the north, she set off with Ma Yu to make a movie in a strange south. She couldn't help but be excited and nervous. When she got off the train in Shanghai in the morning, Ma Yu told her, "The rickshaws in Shanghai are different from those in Beijing. This is a double seat. We must take the same car. Don't be embarrassed. " Yulan also smiled and said, "Of course, do as the Romans do!" I really got on the rickshaw, but Yu Lan still felt a little uncomfortable. What surprised her even more was seeing the scenery of Shanghai on the rickshaw. The most striking thing is that every household and all shops flush toilets in the street! Later, in order to learn more about Shanghai, Zhong Jingzhi, then the director of Shanghai Film Studio, took them to the big world that broadway mansions and "country people" had to see. He also told a funny joke. A director from Yan 'an went to Shanghai to make a movie, and went to the big world himself, and was taken away by a prostitute. ...

What impressed Lan the most was the cooperation between filming "Cuigang Red Flag" and Shanghai film peers. Compared with many famous big stars in old China, at first she realized that she was an out-and-out "bumpkin", but in later practical contact, she felt that they were still very easygoing and enthusiastic. On the night of coming to Shanghai, director Zhang Junxiang warmly invited Yu Lan and Ma Yu to have dinner with him. The famous director is very equal and modest, telling some interesting stories from time to time to adjust the atmosphere, but in spite of this, they are polite and strangers. What really makes Yu Lan feel that he has shortened the distance with Zhang Junxiang is a little thing they met on the way to Jiangxi to see the location and go deep into life. At that time, they went upstream by boat and disembarked in Jiujiang. Because there was still a long way to go, Zhang Junxiang proposed to take a rickshaw, while Yu Lan insisted on walking. This made Zhang Junxiang stunned. He quickly grabbed Yu Lanqing quietly and asked in a low voice, "Are you disciplined and not allowed to ride a rickshaw?" His innocent expression made Yu Lanqing understand that if there was discipline, he would give up riding rickshaws, immediately shook his head and explained that there was no such discipline, but he was not used to riding rickshaws. Zhang Junxiang looked at Yu Lan for a while and made sure what she said was true. She said apologetically, "Then I'll go by car first." This scene made Yu Lanqing feel that Zhang Junxiang was sincerely willing to understand and respect revolutionary literary and art workers from the liberated areas.

What Lan didn't expect was that when he went deep into the old area to experience life and prepare for filming, the famous director who returned from abroad and worked in the Kuomintang-controlled area for many years had a working procedure very similar to that of literary and art workers from Yan 'an. Although he has rich shooting experience, Zhang Junxiang's first requirement for his unfamiliar era and historical background is investigation and interview. After arriving in Jiangxi, Zhang Junxiang proposed to understand the different related scenery of this area in the Soviet period, the Kuomintang period and the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression period, and made a detailed survey outline. Yu Lan still keeps a detailed record of this outline, which truly reflects the state of mind and eagerness of these old artists in their efforts to "reform" and their understanding and expression of the new requirements of the era of "workers, peasants and soldiers". The options are as follows:

I. Overview of the Soviet period

1, Red Army symbol, logo, song, compilation, salute.

2. The method of land distribution and how to deal with it by landlords.

3. Organizations at all levels and military-civilian relations.

4. What about Young Pioneers and Red Guards?

5. What is the way to expand the popularity?

6. The living conditions of ordinary people in several encirclement and suppression campaigns.

Second, the situation after the Red Army went north

1, Chairman Mao's article on the content of declaring war on Japan.

2. How did the people react when the Red Army went north?

3. What should the local government do after going north?

4. What was the difference between the clothes, makeup and utensils of the masses at that time and now?

Third, the Kuomintang period.

1. How is the Communist Youth League organized?

2. What atrocities did the landlord have?

Fourth, the War of Resistance against Japanese Aggression period.

1, the situation of the Kuomintang.

2. How are guerrillas organized?

3. What is the relationship between ordinary people and guerrillas and bandit troops?

……

Creation is a mixture of love and hate.

For Yu Lan, as an actor, more preparation work is to visit and contact the families of the Red Army and the surviving cadres and party member, and to understand how those people who can't stay in the Soviet area with the Red Army northward survived through hardships, because the film "Red Flag in Cuigang" reflects how they waited with difficulties and obstacles to usher in the day of liberation. In a short month, she interviewed about thirty or forty people, from the secretary of the provincial party Committee to ordinary people. Tears welled up in every interviewee's eyes, telling the story that after the Red Army went north to resist Japan, the party organization was severely damaged, the enemy was extremely cruel, many people were killed and many families were extinct. In the past fifteen years, countless family members have never heard from each other, but they have never forgotten * * *. 1930 Zhu zanzhen, a 73-year-old mother, wife and son who joined the party, was arrested by the enemy, but he still failed to insist on turning himself in. Later, his mother was killed, and he ran to Shaoguan and other places in Guangdong to survive. 59-year-old Zhong, whose wife was killed by the enemy, thought that the Kuomintang would never "no", so we turned over, took off the notice of the director of the Kuomintang joint insurance, hid it on the roof, and waited for * * * to come back for a bloodbath. It is the belief that the revolution will win that the Party has sown in their hearts that makes the people in the Soviet area endure the hardest hardships under the white terror, which is also the real historical background of the film "The Red Flag of Cuigang".

What makes Yu Lanqing feel the most rewarding and shocking is that he has come into contact with an object similar to Wu Er. A woman who complained bitterly started to work for women from 1929. 1934 when the red army left, she was the propaganda minister of ningdu and Xingguo county committees. She stayed because of illness, fought guerrilla warfare for two months and was introduced to the rear hospital. At that time, more than 70 people wanted to hide in people's homes, and more than 30 wounded people had to go with her anyway, insisting on fighting in the Big Foshan. The enemy burned mountains on all sides, but she ran out of ammunition but was never caught, saying that she was in the laundry team. A traitor recognized her: "tell me, you used to be good at talking!" " "She said nothing but that she was in pain. Both the enemy commander and the colonel asked her to promise to be an aunt and let her go out. She firmly refused, saying, "Let me go home or die. "The enemy sent her to Nanchang for a month and sentenced her to 12 years in prison. At that time, the prison sentence could still be bought. Her mother sold cattle and borrowed money to buy her from the detention center for 70 yuan, and worked as a nanny at the landlord's house for two years. Later, the Kuomintang forced her to go to the support club. She hid in the mountains, married a nonpartisan administrator who dug tungsten mines there, went through hardships, and finally borrowed money to do small business to make a living. She said that she believed that the party would definitely come back. When she was beaten, she thought that as long as she had a breath, she could see the party coming back. Even if she died, it would be glorious and the party would know. When she saw the head of the liberated army, she was so sad and happy that she couldn't even speak. For her, it is difficult without party relations. She didn't eat for three days, so she cried all the way to Ningdu to find her client.

There is also a man named Wang Jiande, the ex-wife of a commander of our army, who served as deputy governor after liberation. She is healthy, simple and generous. Yu Lan contacted her several times and was invited to move in with her. Listening to her talk about her husband, her feelings are still so deep. She said, "The commander said the revolution would succeed. Now, if you suffer a little, the revolution will succeed. " She told Yu Lan that although she had never worked before, her heart for the revolution was real. After her husband led the troops to the north, she tried to take care of the whole family, giving her mother-in-law three meals of rice and her son a sweet potato meal. She only had a sweet potato meal and porridge, and she also tried to borrow money for her son to study. Later, my mother-in-law became seriously ill and life was really difficult. She wanted to hang herself, but her relatives told her, "She will be back in less than five years." She finally gritted her teeth and persisted.

Wang Jiande sometimes takes Yulan to see the orchard she planted. She was barefoot with a bamboo pole. As soon as she walked into the orange grove, she showed a natural and relaxed attitude. She enthusiastically picked early-maturing red oranges for Magnolia and talked while picking them. She always talked about the benefits of the commander's husband in the past, how to hold her hand, and how to tell her about the revolution. She didn't dislike her low academic qualifications at all. She said: "Although he is not at home during the Spring Festival, I always give him a pair of chopsticks and a bowl, just like he is at home. I look forward to him every day The more I expect the moon to be round. Who knows that the more you look forward to it, the darker it will be. " 1935, the commander also wrote back, affectionately writing: "I am fine now, don't worry." I'm going to Japan soon. I'll meet you after Japan and come back to share happiness. "However, the war was cruel, and there was no news for three years, five years and fifteen years. Later, I learned that he married a new wife because his family situation was unknown. After liberation, her husband went back to his hometown to see them, and sent his son to Beijing for college, so that his relatives and friends could be kind to Wang Jiande ... Recalling these sad past events, Wang Jiande still showed his love for her husband. This unique loyalty of oriental women makes Yu Lanqing's eyes moist. But Wang Jiande has no tears. He is always immersed in the happy memories of his first love. ...

After nearly half a month's separate search and the concentrated experience of life after the arrival of the film crew, Yu Lan had infinite admiration and sympathy for the life suffered by the people in the Soviet area, and had a strong feeling from the bottom of her heart that she seemed to be one of them, and finally successfully shaped Xiang Wuer, a quite fresh and complicated revolutionary female artistic image.

It is particularly worth mentioning that the photography of the film is full of passion, poetry and creativity. Photographer Feng Sizhi works closely with the director, giving full play to his skills and experience in pursuing color and texture by using sports and light modeling, ranging from the battle scenes of thousands of troops to the close-up of a character, and even every empty shot of a tree and grass has been carefully designed. At the end, in the spectacular scene of the People's Liberation Army marching towards Cuigang, with the help of the high-flying red flag and powerful soldiers, the close-ups of Xiang Wuer and his son gave the film great momentum and profound meaning. Because of its excellent visual effects, this film won the 195 1 photography award of the 6th Karoway Farley International Film Festival, which is the first time that China's film photography has won the praise of the world film circle. Later, the film was awarded the second prize of 1949- 1955 excellent feature film by the Ministry of Culture, and each creative staff won a medal for it.