Iron & Silk (1990)

Mark Salzman always was interested in Kung-Fu and the Chinese culture, claims to have seen every Kung-Fu movie. 1982, with a degree in Chinese literature, he visits a province university in... See full summary »

Director:

Shirley Sun

Writers:

Mark Salzman (autobiography), Mark Salzman (screenplay)

Stars:

Mark Salzman, Qingfu Pan, Hangcheng Dong

1 nomination.

Cast

Credited cast:
Hangcheng Dong	...	Teacher Cai
Xihong Jiang	...	Teacher Zhang
Jeanette Lin Tsui	...	Teacher Hei
Qingfu Pan	...	Himself
Espérance Pham Thai Lan	...	Zhang & April
Mark Salzman	...	Teacher Mark
Xudong Sun	...	Sinbad
Funglin To	...	Old Sheep
Vivian Wu	...	Ming
Yang Xiru	...	Dr. Wang
Xiao Ying	...	April
Hu Yun	...	Fatty Du
Lu Zhiquan	...	Teacher Li
Genyuan Zhuang	...	Teacher Xu

Storyline

Mark Salzman always was interested in Kung-Fu and the Chinese culture, claims to have seen every Kung-Fu movie. 1982, with a degree in Chinese literature, he visits a province university in China for two years to teach Chinese teachers the English language. He learns the refinements of correct behavior among Chinese people, makes friends with his pupils, falls in love with the young doctor Ming, learns Wushu (similar Kung-Fu) from the famous teacher Pan... but also learns about political repression, especially when he's forbidden contact with some of his friends.

---

Plot Keywords:

martial arts | kung fu | cult film | kung fu master | martial arts master | 

---

Taglines:

As a student in America, he searched for ancient wisdom. As a teacher in China, he learned to find it within himself.

---

Genres:

Comedy | Drama

---

Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

USA Japan

Language:

English

Release Date:

14 August 1991 (France)

Also Known As:

Ferro & seta

Filming Locations:

Canada

Box Office

Gross USA:

$356,077

Company Credits

Production Co:

SUN-Productions,Tokyo Broadcasting System (TBS)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Took four years to film.

---

Quotes

[first lines]
Mark: [voiceover] I hate to admit it, but when I graduated from college, I thought I was ready for anything. That is, until I stepped off the train in Hangzhou. Here I was in a country of a billion people, and I didn't know a single one. This place was different than what I'd expected. It wasn't at all like what I'd seen in the Kung Fu movies. No one else I knew stayed up all night to watch that stuff, but I was hooked.
[screaming, Kung Fu movie clips with English subtitles]
Mark: The hero was ...

---

Connections

References The Big Boss (1971)

User Reviews

A True Kung-Fu Story

This is a film about a young man who finds himself visiting China just after China was opened to the west. Mark Salzman plays himself in this autobiographical film about his cross-cultural adventure overseas. 'Teacher Mark' teaches English and wants to study kung-fu under Master Pan, a kung-fu legend even in America, who was immortalized in movies. Master Pan's reluctance to teach him kung-fu drives him even more and the friendship that develops between them provides substance for this movie. A love interest surfaces and together all of these elements don't really add up to a blockbuster but you will find is a story with a lot of heart. The acting is substandard but any kung-fu fan or film enthusiast will appreciate what the movie offers. Don't expect a slick production or big time special effects and you should have fun with this movie about the fulfillment of a dream and one young man's uncommon achievement.