1950s Chinese Movies

This war film tells the story of a martyr who gave his life in order to save his comrades. It pays tribute to Dong at the same time as it glorifies the communist revolution and provides a model hero for the audience to emulate.

Set in 1953, spies plan to set off a explosion on the National Day.

The life and death of Zhao Yi-Man, a female member of the Chinese resistance

Underground CPC outwit enemies and steal military information in Beiping city.

Financial and political pressures bankrupt a Chinese store owner.

A general depiction of the famous 1930's Long March of the Chinese Red Army.

Detectives investigate the death of a clerk, murdered before his wedding

Adapted from a novel of the same title, this film depicts a young woman’s transformation from housewife to loyal Communist. This process is presented as “natural” – possessed of inherent logic rather than merely “incidental”. Hence, the film is really about Communist revolution that won over the hearts and minds of Chinese youth.

Yang Bailao, a tenant farmer, lives with his daughter Xi'er. The despotic landlord, Huang Shiren, attempts to forcibly take Xi'er for himself. On the eve of the Chinese Spring Festival, Huang forces Yang to sell his daughter as repayment of the debt Yang owes him.

Lin Jin, a solider of the New Fourth Army, stayed in Liubao village with his Army. During Lin Jin's stay, he fell in love with a local girl, Ermeizi. However, he had to leave Liubao with his troops for several years. Lin Jin and Ermeizi lost contact during the war after Lin Jin had left Liubao. Years later, Jin returns to Liubao where he finds Ermeizi again.

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The passenger ship Haiyan, with more than a thousand people aboard, sails through a thick fog at night. Despite having the knowledge that there are reefs nearby, the captain refuses to stop or slow down.

In 1947, the Chinese Red Army sets a trap for the Nationalist forces in Jiangsu province.

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No overview available

Five soldiers of the Eighth Route Army fight heroically to cover the evacuation of local people from border area between Shanxi and Hebei provinces as the Japanese attack.

Two famous comedians from pre-Revolution days perform a series of sketches in a theatre for a group of Party cadres. The stage performances blend over into absurdist, self-contained fantasy episodes where the two comics allegorically parody Party propaganda and ideological orthodoxy.

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Political intrigue by the Nationalists among the Jingpo people after the liberation of China.

Lu Ban, the father of carpentry of China, lived in the Warring States Period more than two thousand years ago. During his travel through the land, he has solved many architectural problems and befriends a young builder. Under the guidance of Lu, the young man slowly turns from an arrogant and imprudent builder into a responsible craftsman able to take on a daunting task assigned by the king.

The film follows a group of Chinese People's Volunteer Army soldiers who are holding Triangle Hill for several days against US forces. Short of both food and water, they hold their ground until the relief troops arrive. The movie portray the battle as a Chinese victory over an American invasion, and the People's Volunteer Army soldiers were shown as Chinese war heroes."

During the war against Japan, a young woman fell into the enemy's spy organization, and engaged in a series of espionage activities, before being inspired by members of the Communist Pary.

1930s, Jiangxi Soviet Area. Jiang Mengzi bids farewell to his newlywed wife Xiang Wu'er and joins the main force of the Red Army on the Long March. Xiao Zhenkui, the leader of the "Communist Removal Group", took the opportunity to return to the countryside to launch a white terror. Mengzi's father, chairman of the Township Soviet, and his sister were killed at the same time. The pregnant Wu'er gave birth to a child on the way to escape. Wu'er is found out hiding and forced to work as a wet nurse. Will Mengzi return in time to save his family?

A guerrilla group led by Li Xiangyang are ambushed by the Japanese invasion army during the War of Resistance.

This movie is based on the true story, which happened in Shan-Dong Province of China during World War II. It is based on a collection of memoirs of the guerrilla members. Due to the fact that it happened during World War II and there was not much secrets, this movie is that it was more realistic than other movies in that many real names were used, and the actual site was not changed either like other war movies of the time. The drawback of the movie was that in the latter stage of World War II, the guerrilla force was developed into an impressive 400 plus members from its original beginning of 3, and it launched many major offensives against the enemy, but this part was not shown. The movie only concentrated on the time there were only several dozen members.

The story of Yu Mei, a female communist who sacrifices her life for the good of her people.

Steelworker Ding Da-gan suffered severe burns in an accident. The victim's condition was almost hopeless, but people from all over the country rallied to save Ding Da-gan's life, and death receded.

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A small Chinese village. For centuries, here, as throughout the country, the working peasantry lived with the dream of owning land. They rose up against the landlords many times, but never achieved victory. And then the dream came true... Dramatic episodes from the life of this village show us how land reform was carried out.

Ah Peng meets a girl named Jinhua at a festival and they agree to meet the next year but she fails to turn up. He searches for her and finds other girls named Jinhua.

Dr. Gu finds a fly, but he didn't recognize it, thinking it was a newly discovered bug in the world.

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In a mountain hamlet in eastern China, a poor woman faces trial after trial. Sold into marriage as a child, she is left a young widow and enslaved by her mother-in-law, who sells her to a poor peasant. Her second marriage turns out to be happy until fate takes away her husband and son. Now seen as a bearer of bad luck, she becomes a social outcast.

During the civil war, the counterintelligence agencies of the Chinese People's Liberation Army fought against Kuomintang spies and saboteurs. Battles are already taking place in the suburbs of the city. Zhang Go-zhong, head of Kuomintang intelligence, following orders from his command, leaves a large group of saboteurs in the city. He hands over the lists of this sabotage group to the remaining resident, the major merchant Cui Xizheng. The PLA enters the city and establishes people's power. But the hidden enemy immediately begins to act.

The government sends caravans to Miao villages periodically to provide goods which facilitate the folks. A detachment protects the caravans from robbery.

After graduating from maritime college, a group of girls arrive to undergo practical training on a ship and, as future navigators, are greeted in different ways.

In the late 1950s, during China’s Great Leap Forward, Shanghai housewives participated, supported by Dai Mama from the neighbourhood committee. Liu Mama opposed her daughter-in-law Wang Caifeng’s involvement, wanting her to stay home, but her son Liu Genfa supported Caifeng. Zheng Baoqing also opposed his wife Cai Guizhen joining the production group, but Cai ignored him, organised her household, and led the sewing group. Dai Mama helped persuade Zheng Baoqing to change his mind. Lu Afeng joined the sewing group out of fear they would borrow her machine but felt ashamed when they made coats for the children’s welfare home.

The story of village children in the 1930s who do their part to help overthrow the White forces in semi-feudal China and bring the Reds to power.

Twelve-year-old Hai Wa sends a secret letter containing Japanese military information to the Eight Route Army during the anti-Japanese war.

This biography film is based on the life of the real historical figure Li Shizhen.The story focuses on the social injustices suffered by Li as well as the difficulties he overcame in writing the famous Encyclopedia of Herbs.