Ban sheng yuan (1997)

Director:

Ann Hui

Writers:

Kin Chung Chan (writer)
Eileen Chang (novel)

Release Date:

12 September 1997 (Hong Kong)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

In 1930s Shanghai, a young office girl falls in love with a factory worker in the same company.

Plot Keywords:

Rape | Love | Based On Novel

Awards:

6 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

You Ge	...	Zhu Hongcai
Lei Huang	...	Xu Shuhui
Leon Lai	...	Shen Shijun
Changwei Liu
Anita Mui	...	Gu Manlu
Zhiwen Wang	...	Yu Jin
Annie Wu	...	Shi Cuizhi
Chien-lien Wu	...	Gu Manzhen

Also Known As:

Eighteen Springs (Hong Kong: English title)
Half Life Fate (literal English title)

Runtime:

126 min | Argentina:127 min (Mar del Plata Film Festival)

Country:

Hong Kong | China

Language:

Mandarin

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

South Korea:15 | Argentina:13

Company:

China Film Co-Production Corporation

Trivia:

Although she spoke the language, this is the first and only film in which all of Anita Mui's lines were done in Mandarin.

Movie Connections:

Version of "Ban sheng yuan" (2003)

Good story spoiled by bad production

Joint production by Hong Kong and China, which spelled the doom of the film. Famous actors such as You Ge from mainland China, where the film was shot, and produced, for the sake of cost reduction. However, as other mentioned, the Chinese standard of production is not up to the standard and thus ruined a good script and cast.