Street Angel (), also known as Street Angels,Christopher Rea. “Street Angels (Malu tianshi 馬路天使).” In Chinese Film Classics, 1922-1949, 158-175. New York: Columbia University Press, 2021 is a 1937 left-wing Chinese film directed by Yuan Muzhi (袁牧之) and released by Mingxing Film Company. Starring popular Chinese actor Zhao Dan (赵丹) and iconic Chinese singer Zhou Xuan (周璇), the story is set in the slums of Shanghai, chronicling the lives of a band of downtrodden underclass outcasts: a tea house singer, a trumpet player, a newspaper hawker, and a prostitute. By blending elements of romance, comedy and melodrama into the storyline, the characters find themselves in a variety of difficult situations as they try to navigate the hardships of the city during the 1930s. Released towards the end of the golden age of Shanghai cinema, the film is regarded as a masterpiece of the Chinese left-wing movement. Taking place during a time of national tension within the country, issues such as economic policy and military conflict are explored to raise awareness about some of China's most pressing concerns. Additionally, the depiction of an impoverished neighborhood in the midst of a contemporary city is a compelling examination of how modernization had affected China during this era. This fusion between the two also provides a commentary on the combined effects that modernization and colonialism had on Shanghai specifically.Guo-Juin Hong (2009) Meet me in Shanghai: melodrama and the cinematic production of space in 1930s Shanghai leftist films, Journal of Chinese Cinemas, 3:3, 215-230, DOI: 10.1386/jcc.3.3.215/1 p. 217
As one of China's earliest sound films, Street Angel also made a name for itself by popularizing two timeless ballads: “Song of the Seasons” (四季歌) and “The Wandering Songstress” (天涯歌女), both of which are still celebrated as classics of Chinese modern song evolution.
Plot Set in the slums of 1935 Shanghai, the film begins with a wedding procession. Chen Shaoping, also known as Xiao Chen (Zhao Dan), is a trumpet player in the marching band who establishes a romantic connection with his neighbour, a songstress named Xiao Hong (Zhou Xuan) who fled the Japanese invasion of Manchuria with her older sister Xiao Yun (Zhao Huishen). In the midst of poverty, the two sisters are taken in by a couple that own a tea house and are subsequently made to work for them. As a way of pleasing customers, Xiao Yun is forced to become a streetwalker while Xiao Hong works as a singer.
The film continues to slowly develop the flirtatious relationship between Xiao Hong and her neighbour Chen Shaoping. Communicating across the street through their windows, the couple enjoy each other's company through impromptu activities such as Xiao Hong singing a song alongside Chen Shaoping's accompaniment and Chen Shaoping putting on a magic show for Xiao Hong's entertainment. Then, one day, Chen Shaoping's friend the Barber (Qian Qianli) sees Mr. Gu (Feng Zhicheng), a thug and frequenter of the tea house where Xiao Hong works, take Xiao Hong out after getting a haircut from the barbershop where the Barber works. The Barber then tells Ah Bing (Shen Jun), the young peddler who is also friends with Chen Shaoping, to follow Mr. Gu and Xiao Hong, and Ah Bing watches them happily buy clothes and eat together. When Ah Bing and the Barber tell Chen Shaoping of the events that have occurred, Chen Shaoping misinterprets this as Xiao Hong being unfaithful, and runs back to his room upset.
Chen Shaoping confronts Xiao Hong and they get into a fight about her apparent affair, whereby Xiao Hong flees back home. When Xiao Yun returns, she sees a sobbing Xiao Hong and comforts her. Later, Chen Shaoping and Wang (Wei Heiling), Chen Shaoping's friend and a newspaper seller, are drinking at the tea house and an intoxicated Chen Shaoping demands Xiao Hong to sing him a song. She reluctantly sings him the song, "The Wandering Songstress," but he leaves angrily before she is able to finish. Soon after, Xiao Hong overhears that her “parents” are scheming to sell her off to Mr. Gu. Unsure of what to do, Xiao Hong beseeches her sister for advice, who convinces her to seek help from Chen Shaoping.
Although initially still upset, Chen Shaoping comes to realize that Xiao Hong only has eyes for him, and after mending their relationship, he agrees to let her seek refuge with him and Wang. After hearing of the impending transaction involving Xiao Hong, Chen Shaoping and Wang go to consult Lawyer Zhang (Sun Jing) to see if they can do anything to stop it. However, they realize that they cannot afford the costly legal fees.
Without this legal help, the group flees to another district of Shanghai to hide from Xiao Hong's “parents” and Mr. Gu. Xiao Yun also escapes the teahouse to reunite with the others, and plans to start a new life with Wang, as they are in love. Xiao Hong and Chen Shaoping have a common law marriage in their apartment, but they also face eviction as they cannot pay rent. The barbershop, three months behind on rent, is also forced to close down despite the workers holding a special promotion in an attempt to save the business.
Eventually, the owner of the tea house and Mr. Gu track down where Xiao Hong, Xiao Yun, Wang, and Chen Shaoping are living, although only Xiao Hong and Xiao Yun are present at the time. Xiao Hong manages to escape, but Xiao Yun stays behind and refuses to reveal her sister's whereabouts to her adoptive father. He heartlessly calls her a slut and throws her against the wall. Fed up with everything she has suffered at the hands of the tea house owner, Xiao Yun retaliates by throwing a knife at him. The knife misses and he picks it up and throws it back at her, striking her in the chest and dealing a fatal blow. Upon hearing the news of the attack, Wang rushes to recover Xiao Yun. While Wang is out searching for a doctor, Xiao Yun dies surrounded by her sister, Chen Shaoping, and his friends. Wang returns, stating that he did not have enough money for a doctor. The film ends with the small group mourning the loss of Xiao Yun together.
Cast
In Order of Appearance: Zhao Dan as Chen Shaoping, also known as Xiao Chen, a trumpet player and Xiao Hong's love interest Wei Heling as Wang, a newspaper seller and Chen's best friend Zhou Xuan as Xiao Hong, a teahouse songstress Zhao Huishen as Xiao Yun, a prostitute and Xiao Hong's older sister Wang Jiting as the fiddle player, the owner of the teahouse who takes in Xiao Hong and Xiao Yun Liu Jinyu as the wife of the teahouse owner Feng Zhicheng as Gu, a wealthy thug Chen Yiting as Parasite, a henchman Qian Qianli as the barber, a friend of Xiao Chen Tang Chaofu as the barber shop owner Shen Jun as Ah Bing, a young peddler and friend of Xiao Chen Qiu Yuanyuan as the unemployed man, a mute and friend of Xiao Chen Yuan Shaomei as the young widow Sun Jing as Zhang, a lawyer Xie Jun as Young Man Fallen on Hard Times Liu Liying as Young Woman Fallen on Hard Times Han Yun as the policeman Li Dizhi as the rent collector Yao Ping as the playboy Yuan Afa as the driver Xie Tian is uncreditied.
Production Produced by Mingxing Company, the film was framed and photographed in Shanghai. Director Yuan Muzhi used much of the city of Shanghai itself, such as Shanghai's grand colonial buildings, as well as the neon street lights of the 1930s. These visual features serve to contrast the succeeding display of areas of Shanghai marked by narrow streets and neighbourhood poverty. Street Angel was released during a time of increasing censorship by the Nationalist government, and general conservatism in films. The Central Film Censorship Committee (CFCC) and more restrictive censorship laws instituted by the KMT, forced many left-wing films to either ‘fix’ certain lines of dialogue and plot elements or be banned. Subsequently, films like Street Angel borrowed "acceptable" elements from Hollywood in order to circumvent censorship.
Music During the 1930s, Chinese filmmakers were inclined to view cinema as a Western invention; consequently, filmmakers in China felt the need to incorporate indigenous and cultural elements that would be deemed more appropriate for Chinese audiences, which they achieved primarily through the inclusion of Chinese soundtracks.
As one of the early sound films in China, Street Angel is often praised for its innovative use of music, as well as its unique mix of melodrama and comedy. One sequence in particular, where Xiao Chen and his friends attempt to act as barbers, reveals a moment of slapstick or physical comedy in the otherwise dolorous third act.
The film also features several significant musical interludes. Two original songs featured in Street Angel are "Song of the Four Seasons" (四季歌) and "The Wandering Songstress" (天涯歌女), both composed by He Luting, with lyrics by Tian Han. He Luting adapted the scores from two urban folk ballads from Suzhou, "Crying on the Seventh Seven Day Cycle" (哭七七) and "One Who Knows Me Well" (知心客) respectively. Like the character of Xiao Hong, Zhou Xuan herself had barely escaped being sold: at the age of ten, she managed to avoid being sold to a brothel, and was instead apprenticed to a song and dance troupe based in Shanghai. She became known as the "golden voice", and after she performed the two aforementioned songs in the film, they became popularized and have come to be recognized as musical expressions of turbulent 1930s-era life in China. These two songs continue to be considered two of the most famous songs in modern Chinese culture, and amongst other popular songs at the time, were used to express and emphasize national Chinese characteristics, distinguishing Chinese culture from that of the West.
"The Wandering Songstress" was derived from tanci (a traditional story–telling performance originating in Suzhou). It combined traditional elements and was accompanied by Chinese music instruments, including Erhu (a two–string bowed instrument), Pipa, and Sanxian.Chen, S. (2005). The rise and generic features of Shanghai popular songs in the 1930s and 1940s. Popular Music, 24(1), 107-125. doi:10.1017/s0261143004000297
While both songs were essential to the film's success, “Song of the Four Seasons” proved pivotal since it was performed alongside pseudo-documentary war footage. “Song of the Four Seasons” offers an insight into the Chinese situation of the 1930s, especially the suffering of people: it entrances the audience with its lyrical description of a maiden driven away from her home, the musical tale accompanied by a montage of war images that evoked Japan's invasion of Manchuria.Ma, Jean. Sounding the modern woman: the songstress in Chinese cinema. Duke University, 2015. Because the footage was played alongside the performance of a love song, the film was able to deliver a message condemning the Japanese invasion without falling foul of censorship restrictions. In late 1930s Shanghai, the National Party exercised strict control over cultural production, meaning that any reference to the Japanese invasion was prohibited, to avoid provoking the masses into rising up against Japan's military aggression.
According to scholar Jean Ma, the differences in the two songs present two separate fates for Xiao Hong: she could either become the possession of the wealthy teahouse client, Mr. Gu, or the lover of the poor musician, Xiao Chen. There are also differences in the film's thematic articulation of the songs, as Xiao Hong demonstrates her values and affection in her performance of "The Wandering Songstress," but shows more resistance in her performance of "Song of the Four Seasons".
Theatrical elements