Rent Spring in a Small Town (1948)
3.8 of 5 from 72 ratings
1h 34min
- General info
- Available formats
- Synopsis:
Regarded as the finest work from the first great era of Chinese filmmaking, Fei Mu's quiet, piercingly poignant study of adulterous desire and guilt-ridden despair is a remarkable rediscovery, often compared to David Lean's Brief Encounter. After eight years of marriage to Liyan - once rich but now a shadow of his former self following a long, ruinous war - Yuwen does little except deliver his daily medication. A surprise visit from Liyan's friend Zhang re-energises the household, but also stirs up dangerously suppressed longings and resentments. Director Fei Mu's deft use of locations, dissolves and camera movements makes for a fraught, febrile mood of hesitant passion, entrapment and ennui. - Actors:
- Chaoming Cui, Wei Li, Yu Shi, Wei Wei, Hongmei Zhang
- Directors:
- Mu Fei
- Writers:
- Tianji Li
- Aka:
- Xiao cheng zhi chun
- Studio:
- BFI Video
- Genres:
- Classics, Drama, Romance
- Countries:
- China, Classics, Drama, Romance
- BBFC:
- Release Date:
- 23/02/2015
- Run Time:
- 94 minutes
- Aspect Ratio:
- Full Screen 1.33:1 / 4:3
- Colour:
- B & W
- Languages:
- English, Mandarin
- Subtitles:
- English
- Bonus:
- BFI re-release trailer
- A Small Town in China (1933, 9 mins): an intimate portrait of community life in an unidentified Chinese town
- This is China (1946, 9 mins): a fascinating compilation of scenes showing diversity and disparity in 1940s China
