Peking Opera Blues () is a 1986 Hong Kong film directed by Tsui Hark. The movie combines comedy, Hong Kong action, and serious drama with scenes involving Peking Opera. Director Tsui Hark described the film as a satire on the "Chinese ignorance of democracy." The film was nominated for six awards at the Hong Kong Film Awards including Best Actress.
Synopsis
The film is set in 1913 Beijing, during Yuan Shikai's presidency of the country. It depicts the adventures of a team of unlikely heroines: Tsao Wan (Brigitte Lin), a patriotic rebel who dresses as a man; Sheung Hung (Cherie Chung), a woman in search of a missing box of jewels; and Bai Niu (Sally Yeh), the daughter of a Peking Opera impresario.
Title
The Chinese title translates as Knife Horse Actresses, a term used in Peking Opera to refer to male actors playing female warriors (See Dan article for details). It is sometimes erroneously translated as Knife Horse Dawn, because both words are represented by the same Chinese character.
Cast and roles
Brigitte Lin - Tsao Wan (曹雲), General Tsao's daughter
Cherie Chung - Sheung Hung (湘紅) Sally Yeh - Bai Niu (白妞) Kenneth Tsang - General Tsao Wu Ma - Mr. Wong Paul Chun - Fa Gum-Sao Mark Cheng - Ling Pak-Hoi Cheung Kwok Keung - Tung Man Ku Feng - Commander Liu Hoi Sang Lee - Soldier with moustache Leong Po-Chih Sandra Ng (cameo) Dean Shek Yin Szema Tien Ching David Wu
Responses
The film grossed HK$17,559,357 in Hong Kong.
In his Wrap Up video to the Region 1 DVD of Wong Kar-wai's Chungking Express, Quentin Tarantino refers to Peking Opera Blues as "one of the greatest films ever made" and "a blast––it's a lot of fun."