The Goddess (1934)
"Shen nu" (original title)

Street walker by night, devoted mother by day, a woman fights to get her young son an education amid criminal and social injustice in China.

Director:

Yonggang Wu

Writer:

Yonggang Wu (script director)

Stars:

Lingyu Ruan, Tian Jian, Zhizhi Zhang

Cast

Cast overview:
Lingyu Ruan	...	The 'Goddess' (as Ruan Ling-Yu)
Tian Jian
Zhizhi Zhang	...	The 'Boss' (as Zhang Zhizhi)
Keng Li	...	(as Li Keng)

Storyline

An unnamed devoted mother sells herself by night on the streets of Shanghai in order to support herself and her infant son. When a gambler who calls himself "the Boss" strong-arms his way into becoming her pimp, she flees with her son and attempts to earn an honest living, but the Boss tracks her down and forces her back into prostitution. When her son reaches school age, she begins hiding away enough money to pay his tuition. Although her son is ostracized by other kids due to her profession, she takes great joy in providing an education and a potential better future for him. When the other parents want the boy expelled, a kindly principal fights to keep him in school. Meanwhile, the Boss finds her hidden cash, adding financial woes to the problems of social injustice.

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Plot Keywords:

social injustice | principal | china | prostitution | stage performance | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

TV-PG

Details

Country:

China

Language:

Mandarin

Also Known As:

The Goddess

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lianhua Film Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min 73 min (2008 TCM print)

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White

Did You Know?

Connections

Referenced in Center Stage (1992)

User Reviews

A prophetic and visionary allegory

A prophetic and visionary allegory of Chinese history, and an illuminating comment on the dynamics of repression. The protagonist is Mother China. Despoiled by international society, she must peddle her ass on the streets of Shanghai to support her son.

She is raped by a fat gambler, who then moves in with her, keeping her son as hostage. This lecherous clown looks very like the young Mao.

Wanting him to succeed in life, she sends her son to school, but he is expelled when outraged parents find out who his mother is. The old principal resigns.

If this incomparable film acquires an effective score it will spell the end for the Chinese Communist Party.