Three Actors

Li Xuejian was twenty-eight years old this year. His ancestral home was Juye County in Heze, Shandong, right next to Song Jiang's Yuncheng County—a connection one could only call destined. In 1977, he was admitted to the Air Force Political Department Cultural Work Troupe, and in 1978, he joined the Central Experimental Drama Theatre. He made a huge name for himself playing "101" in the stage play *The September 13 Incident*. Though only in his twenties, he portrayed the elderly "101" with uncanny verisimilitude. "101" was bald, rail-thin, with a sharp, pointed chin. Li Xuejian starved himself down by dozens of jin and shaved his head. He gave a hundred consecutive performances in the capital, becoming the talk of the town. A critic remarked at the time, "If you stood this kid up on Tiananmen, he'd scare people half to death!" Afterward, he filmed the first movie of his career, stepping into the world of cinema. "Halt!" Early that morning, at the gates of Beijing Film Studio, the elderly guard at the reception office flagged him down. Sizing him up with a few glances, the old man asked, "What are you here for? Who're you looking for?" "I'm looking for Comrade Chen Qi to talk about a film." "Guesthouse inside. Go ask around yourself!" "Right, thank you, sir!" Li Xuejian did not dare ride his bicycle anymore. Wheeling it by hand into the courtyard, he located the guesthouse. His visit was arranged through Tian Zhuangzhuang's introduction. Li Xuejian's girlfriend happened to be Tian Zhuangzhuang's maternal cousin; when the two married later on, Li Xuejian and Tian Zhuangzhuang would become relatives by marriage. Tian Zhuangzhuang had said this production was exceptional—an opportunity that came around once in decades—so he had come. *Knock, knock, knock!* He tapped on the door of Room 302, feeling as though he were knocking upon the great gates of the Loyalty Hall on Mount Liang. "Come in!" He pushed the door open and stepped inside, finding a young man seated within. Seeing him enter, the young man came forward to shake hands, greeting him with a warm smile. "Comrade Xuejian?" "You are Comrade Chen Qi?" "Yes, that's me. Come, have a seat!" The perennial squatter of Beijing Film Studio was back in his faithful Room 302. Chen Qi invited him to sit and brewed a pot of gaosui. "Old Tian spoke to me. He said you're a tremendous actor. I've seen your stage work, and it's truly first-rate. "However, let's get the unpleasant realities out of the way first. The male lead for this film has to go through multiple tiers of assessment. I won't be casting anyone directly. "I'll hand you the script. Take it back, study it thoroughly, and then head down to Shanghai for a month to immerse yourself in local life. There may be other candidates as well. Once you return, we'll hold an audition before making the final decision. "If you can accept these terms, we can proceed with the discussion." "..." Li Xuejian was already a star in the theatre world, but he had virtually no standing in cinema. Well aware of the man's stature, he did not dare act self-important, yet he did not commit himself completely either. "May I look at the script first?" "Of course. It's a two-way street." After some casual conversation, Chen Qi saw his guest out. Regarding the two leads of *Life Is Beautiful*, the male protagonist was an ordinary man whose appeal lay in his humor, his courage and sense of responsibility, and his earnest heart. The female lead, by contrast, came from an illustrious family and possessed social status of her own. It could not be called a story of a poor boy; it was a romance between an everyday urban resident and a princess. Later, when the female lead was taken away to a concentration camp, the male lead followed along purely as a family member. In terms of character design, the protagonist was not meant to be tall or handsome. He was plain, slender, and frail, but the more ordinary he appeared, the more his greatness and sacrifice would shine as the plot unfolded. Chen Qi had not originally intended to look for Li Xuejian. The actor was a bit too young; what Chen Qi needed was the image of an ordinary, middle-aged little man. Still, since Tian Zhuangzhuang had recommended him, there was no harm in giving him a shot. As for other actors, Ge You had not yet matured. Chen Peisi's comedic style was far too outward, and his looks were unsuited—they too readily called to mind petty thieves, black-market peddlers, and scoundrels, the sort of rogue seen once in thousands of years. Xie Yuan could handle comedy, but like Li Xuejian, he was young and could not carry a film of this weight. Chen Qi kept himself busy in the room. Half a day slipped by before another knock sounded at the door. "Come in!" The door swung open to reveal a short man with thick eyebrows and a face brimming with stories. Li Baotian, thirty-six years old, a native of Jiangsu. He had started out studying clown roles in a Bangzi opera troupe before joining a cultural work troupe. In 1978, he was admitted to the cadre advanced training class at the Central Academy of Drama, graduating this year with plans to stay on as faculty. His acting chops went without saying. His touch on comedy was remarkably natural. In later years, his representative works would include *Prime Minister Liu Luoguo* and *Miraculous Doctor Xi Laile*, after which he rarely filmed and gradually stepped away from the industry. "Hello, hello!" Chen Qi poured another cup of broken tea leaves and began with some pleasantries. "You're from Jiangsu?" "Yes, Xuzhou." "Xuzhou? The local culture there is closer to Shandong. Do you speak Shanghainese?" "I've had a bit of exposure to it. I can learn!" Li Baotian replied at once. "Here's the script. Take it back and look through it first..." Chen Qi laid out the exact same requirements. Without a single objection, Li Baotian agreed on the spot. The Central Academy of Drama had well-informed channels. The instructors were already buzzing with rumors that the Eastern Depot was preparing a unique production and searching for a male lead. Thus, when Chen Qi came looking for Li Baotian, the academy had endorsed him wholeheartedly. *** Evening arrived in the blink of an eye, bringing with it a light drizzle. A gentle spring rain brushed through the willow branches outside the window, swaying them in the nocturnal mist. Foot traffic across the studio grounds thinned until only the amber streetlamps illuminated the hazy drizzle. *He probably won't make it at this hour, will he?* *Seeing him tomorrow would work just the same.* Chen Qi stood by the window lost in thought when he suddenly spotted a bicycle pedaling into view below. A figure draped in a raincoat was pumping the pedals vigorously, looking in a tremendous rush, nearly tumbling over while dismounting. After finally parking the bicycle, the figure came bounding up the stairs. Chen Qi turned around. Before long, two sharp knocks rattled the door, and he went over to open it himself. "I'm so sorry, truly terribly sorry!" The man outside was panting hard, apologizing the moment he opened his mouth. "I just arrived in Beijing, and then the rain started. I borrowed a bike and rushed straight over, but I'm still late!" "Don't worry about it at all. Quick, come on in! If you catch a cold and run a fever, I'd feel awful." Chen Qi handed over a towel. The man stripped off the raincoat, revealing a face that looked comical at first glance: a slight frame, a small head, small eyes, slanting eight-shaped eyebrows, and large ears, bearing a naturally aggrieved, pitiful expression... Yan Shunkai, forty-five years old, a native of Shanghai. An actor with the Shanghai Farce Troupe, he had made his silver screen debut just last year, starring in the film *The True Story of Ah Q*! Ever since CCTV's Spring Festival Gala came into being, northern comedic performers had dominated the stage. Yan Shunkai was one of the rare southern performers capable of securing a firm foothold there, with his sketch *A Man Named Zhang San* creating a truly classic persona. He had also been specifically invited by Chen Qi, making the trip from Shanghai to Beijing for this meeting. Seeing that the man had traveled such a distance, Chen Qi had revealed a bit more beforehand, writing a letter that outlined the premise of *Life Is Beautiful*. Yan Shunkai grew lively as they talked, eagerly sharing his thoughts. Chen Qi listened attentively, eventually handing him a copy of the script. "I have complete confidence in your acting ability, and I'm deeply moved that you came all the way from Shanghai. "However, we cannot be careless with casting..." He repeated the requirements once more. Yan Shunkai patted his chest. "Fine by me, no objections at all! Never mind experiencing life for a month, never mind an audition—as long as the drama is good, whatever it takes!" They chatted a while longer. Seeing that it was late and pouring outside, Chen Qi worried about sending him back into the night, so he arranged another room for Yan Shunkai to stay overnight. Among the three, to be frank, Li Xuejian was slightly less suited. Chen Qi was quite fond of the latter two, though the final choice would depend on their performance. *** While Chen Qi was busy with preparations, the domestic film world kept its own steady rhythm, indifferent to the shifting seasons. At China Film, the second-quarter screening conference was underway. A film had just finished screening, leaving the entire hall in tears. Eyes were red, and people were blowing their noses into handkerchiefs. "Next, please fill out your print orders!" Pens scratched across paper. Still immersed in the lingering sorrow, representatives from the provincial film companies picked up their pens. Their decisions came even more decisively than for *Romance on Mount Lu* or *Tai Chi*. This film carried no controversy and touched upon no sensitive themes; even a fool knew it was destined to be a massive hit. Before long, the forms were collected and tallied. "*Mama, Love Me Once More*: 468 35mm prints!"