Street Angel

Summary

Street Angel, written and directed by Muzhi Yuan, was produced in 1937 and tells the story of Xiao Hong and her older sister Xiao Yun who are orphans from Manchuria. They came to Shanghai after the Japanese takeover in 1931 in hopes of a better life. Unfortunately, they are adopted by a selfish and unkind couple of Shanghai’s under class. Xiao Yun is forced to work as a prostitute and Xiao Hong sings at her adopted parent’s tea house until they decide to sell her to the local gangster Gu. She escapes this bad situation and marries her trumpet playing boyfriend Chen Xiaoping. Chen loves Xiao Hong but looks down on her prostitute sister. In the end, however, Xiao Yun makes a sacrifice that allows her inner goodness to be revealed. (Berry,86).

Essay

Street Angel features Zhou Xuan the 1930s singing sensation as Xiao Hong and

Zhao Dan as Chen Shaoping

Muzhi Yuan's classic film Street Angel, produced in 1937, is a dark comedy that continues to entertain and enlighten its viewers today. Yuan, through irony, gives a voice to the struggling class of Shanghai and contrasts Shanghai's abundance with the harsh reality of daily life for those who live in the city's "lower depths" (Street Angel).

The film opens by depicting Shanghai as a glamorous and "glittering playground" (Palmer 189). Fireworks and neon signs light up the night sky, fast paced music along with "a chaotic sea of rushing traffic"(Palmer 190) lend an air of excitement to the city. Elegantly dressed people strolling in parks and dancing in fancy buildings seem to suggest a life of leisure. But, then the camera scans down a tall skyscraper, which becomes a symbol of the great "economic divide" (Palmer 187) that exists in Shanghai. Finally, the camera settles on the "lower depths" of the city to focus on the world and the people who live below the glitz and glamor-- to focus on the working class-- upon whose backs the wealth of Shanghai is built but who ironically are not able to enjoy its luxuries or leisures, upon who "despite their best efforts...are unable to get ahead"(Palmer 190). Thus the viewers learn that "if the [Shanghai] of the 1920s and 1930s was paradise for some...it was hell for many"(Palmer 191), and "exploitation...[was] at the root of all the hustle and bustle" (Palmer 191), exploitation of the poor and the rural immigrant who came to Shanghai hoping for a better life and are barred from achieving it.

The skyscraper

The oxymoron "dark comedy"(Deemer 1) which accurately describes this film hints of more irony. While the film does have dark scenes and the characters face many difficult circumstances there is still lots of comedy. Xiao Yun, who is forced to work as a prostitute is usually shown in dark rooms and dark street scenes; however, Xiao Hong, her younger sister, Chen Shaoping, and their other friends are still able to find simple pleasures in spite of their extreme poverty and harsh realities and the way they deal with their difficult situations is often comedic. One such example is when their friend, the barber, learns he is going to lose his job because the barber's shop is going to be shut down due to the fact that the owner can't afford to pay the rent. The friends band together and come up with a plan to save the barber shop. Chen plays his trumpet to attract attention and the rest enthusiastically call out and advertise "Two heads shaved for the price of one!" (Street Angel). Sadly, they are only able to attract bald monks. But, then the landlord comes to try to collect the rent and because he has hair he finds himself getting an unwanted cut and shave instead of any money. This scene and others like it are full of comedy and lighten the darker undertones and themes of the film illustrating that even though the characters have every reason to be miserable they rise above their harsh environments and still manage to enjoy friendship, help each other, and have some fun.

Xiao Yun standing on a dark street corner alone contrasted by Xiao Hong having some fun with her friends Chen and Wang

It becomes apparent in the film that Chen despises Xiao Yun because of her profession as a prostitute. He rebuffs her when he sees her in the street. He is not happy when she shows up at his door. He does not want her to come into his house. He will not allow her to drink water from one of his glasses. However, he finally realizes he is wrong. Xiao Yun, ironically, despite her profession a a prostitute is the "angel" in the film. She is the one who comforts Xiao Hong when she is unhappy and sends her to Chen for help when Xiao Hong learns she is going to be sold by her evil adopted parents to the gangster Gu. Ultimately, Xiao Yun sacrifices her life in order to protect Xiao Hong and just before Xiao Yun dies Chen begs her for forgiveness.

Images of Xiao Yun comforting Xiao Hong

Xiao Yun dies after redeeming herself. Her friends finally recognize her as an angel.

The tragedy of the film, the death of the angel Xiao Yun, is made even more tragic with the knowledge that maybe she could have been saved if only the doctor would have been willing to come. But alas, the irony of the situation is that over and over those who can easily help the struggling lower class don't. The rich people of Shanghai hustle and bustle about in prosperity and luxury without any thought for the suffering. The lawyer in the tall office building won't help Chen save Xiao Hong from the clutches of Gu. The doctor won't help Xiao Yun who is dying. Sadly, the poor are left alone without many resources to struggle to help themselves. As Xiao Yun dies, she makes a profound statement that shows she understands what goodness and virtue really are. She states of Xiao Wang who has gone for a doctor, "He's good, he helps the poor"(Berry 87). The redeeming sacrifice of Xiao Yun and the kind behavior of Xiao Wang indeed, do contrast with the neglectful behavior of the wealthy of Shanghai. Street Angel is a great film whose message, delivered to us through the voices of the "lower depths" of Shanghai of the 1930s, can still, after all of these years, teach us, the viewers, much of importance today.

Works Cited

Berry, Chris, and Mary Farquhar. China On Screen Cinema and Nation. New York: Columbia University Press, 2006. Print.

Deemer, Andy. "Street Angel." The World of Chinese.Issue (2010): 1-5. Print.

Street Angel. Dir. Yuan Muzhi. Mingxing , 1937. Film.

Palmer, Augusta. "Scaling the Skyscraper: Images of Cosmopolitan Consumption in Street Angel (1937) and Beautiful New World (1998)." In Zhen Zhang, ed., The Urban Generation: Chinese Cinema and Society at the Turn of the 21st Century. Durham: Duke UP, 2007, 181-204. Print.

My Feelings About Film

Before taking this class I knew very little about film. I grew up in a family that didn't watch films and as a mom to 8 kids I have had very little time to watch films as an adult. However, since taking this class I have discovered that film is a wonderful form of art that can teach me about history, cultures, love, and relationships...and give me many insights on living a better life. Through film the learning opportunities are endless, not to mention the entertainment value, and the additional benefit of film being a great media through which I can experience and appreciate art and beauty. Since taking this class I will never see film the same again. I'm going to continue to seek out opportunities to learn from and about film.

--Hollyspendlove 03:34, 3 March 2012 (UTC)