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Happy Times

Original title: Xing fu shi guang
  • 20002000
  • PGPG
  • 1h 42m
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
4K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Xing fu shi guang (2000)
Theatrical Trailer from Sony Pictures Classics
Play trailer1:47
1 Video
14 Photos
  • Comedy
  • Drama
  • Romance
Zhao is an aging bachelor who hasn't been lucky in love. Thinking he has finally met the woman of his dreams, Zhao leads her to believe he is wealthy and agrees to a wedding far beyond his m... Read allZhao is an aging bachelor who hasn't been lucky in love. Thinking he has finally met the woman of his dreams, Zhao leads her to believe he is wealthy and agrees to a wedding far beyond his means. Zhao's best friend Li hatches the idea to raise the money by refurbishing an abandon... Read allZhao is an aging bachelor who hasn't been lucky in love. Thinking he has finally met the woman of his dreams, Zhao leads her to believe he is wealthy and agrees to a wedding far beyond his means. Zhao's best friend Li hatches the idea to raise the money by refurbishing an abandoned bus, which they will rent out by the hour--the Happy Times Hotel--to young couples star... Read all
IMDb RATING
7.4/10
4K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Yimou Zhang
  • Writers
    • Yan Mo(novel "Shifu, You'll Do Anything for a Laugh")
    • Gai Zi
  • Stars
    • Lifan Dong
    • Benshan Zhao
    • Dong Jie
Top credits
  • Director
    • Yimou Zhang
  • Writers
    • Yan Mo(novel "Shifu, You'll Do Anything for a Laugh")
    • Gai Zi
  • Stars
    • Lifan Dong
    • Benshan Zhao
    • Dong Jie
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 41User reviews
    • 61Critic reviews
    • 63Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 5 wins & 4 nominations

    Videos1

    Happy Times
    Trailer 1:47
    Happy Times

    Photos14

    Dong Jie in Xing fu shi guang (2000)
    Benshan Zhao in Xing fu shi guang (2000)
    Ben Niu and Benshan Zhao in Xing fu shi guang (2000)
    Benshan Zhao in Xing fu shi guang (2000)
    Benshan Zhao and Dong Jie in Xing fu shi guang (2000)
    Benshan Zhao and Dong Jie in Xing fu shi guang (2000)
    Yimou Zhang, Benshan Zhao, and Dong Jie in Xing fu shi guang (2000)
    Xing fu shi guang (2000)
    Xing fu shi guang (2000)
    Xing fu shi guang (2000)
    Xing fu shi guang (2000)
    Xing fu shi guang (2000)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Lifan Dong
    • Stepmotheras Stepmother
    Benshan Zhao
    Benshan Zhao
    • Zhaoas Zhao
    Dong Jie
    Dong Jie
    • Wu Yingas Wu Ying
    Biao Fu
    Biao Fu
    • Little Fuas Little Fu
    Xuejian Li
    Xuejian Li
    • Lias Li
    Qibin Leng
    • Wu Ying's Stepbrotheras Wu Ying's Stepbrother
    Ben Niu
    • Old Niuas Old Niu
    Jinghua Gong
    • Aunty Liuas Aunty Liu
    Hongjie Zhang
    • Lao Zhangas Lao Zhang
    Bingkun Zhao
    • Lao Baias Lao Bai
    Honglei Sun
    Honglei Sun
    • Customer at 'Happy Times'as Customer at 'Happy Times'
    • Director
      • Yimou Zhang
    • Writers
      • Yan Mo(novel "Shifu, You'll Do Anything for a Laugh")
      • Gai Zi
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Director Zhang Yimou issued a casting call via the Internet for role of the blind girl. Eventual lead Dong Jie was selected from some 40,000 girls who auditioned for the role.
    • Alternate versions
      SPOILER: There are two versions of this film; the original Chinese release version and an International Version, which is six minutes longer. The International Versions features more content in the early scenes where the two couples come to the Happy Times Hut hoping to have sex. In the Chinese cut, these scenes are more ambiguous as to what the couples have in mind. Additionally, the International Cut has a longer and very different conclusion. In the Chinese cut, after Zhao (Benshan Zhao) writes the letter supposedly from Ying's father, the film cuts to him reading it to her as the credits start to role. In the International Cut, however, after Zhao leaves the restaurant in which he writes the letter, he is hit by a car. In hospital, his friends come to see him, finding the letter to Ying (Dong Jie). Upon returning to her apartment, however, they find it deserted. A tape recording Ying has made and left behind explains that she knew all along the Happy Times Hotel didn't exist, but she doesn't mind as they were the happiest days of her life. She then explains that she is going to Shenzhen. After the message is finished, Fu (Biao Fu) plays it again, reading aloud Zhao's letter at the same time. The film then cuts to Ying walking along a crowded city street as the credits role.
    • Connections
      Featured in Late Night with Conan O'Brien: Martin Lawrence/Los Lobos (2002)

    User reviews41

    Review
    Top review
    7/10
    One of Zhang Yimou's best!
    This film will either get to you like a death in the family, or leave no lasting impression on you whatsoever. I'm among those who fit in with the first part. Maybe family death is exaggerating but that doesn't matter, this is still A VERY POWERFUL FILM. This film proves that ZHANG YIMOU IS THE BEST DIRECTOR ALIVE (as Alferd Hitchcock and Akira Kurosawa are dead). The best actor in this film is actually the blind girl (sure, she's no River Pheonix, but who is?) who always gives you the impression that she's blind (unlike some American actors in American films). Yet she happens to know more than you think in the end (no spoilers on that). To see this film on the big screen was too much, 10 out of 10. Oh, and watch out for Hero, from the same director of this.
    helpful•12
    4
    • jokercard88
    • Dec 20, 2002

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 31, 2000 (China)
    • Country of origin
      • China
    • Official sites
      • Fox (Japan)
      • Sony Pictures Classics - trailer, synopsis, etc. (Flash) (United States)
    • Language
      • Mandarin
    • Also known as
      • Happy Time
    • Filming locations
      • China
    • Production companies
      • Guangxi Film Studio
      • Xin Huamian Film
      • Zhuhai Zhenrong Co.
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $1,900,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $240,093
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $31,084
      • Jul 28, 2002
    • Gross worldwide
      • $361,000
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 42 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • DTS
      • Dolby Digital
      • Dolby SR

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