Chapter 27: Casting Criteria

The original lead actors of "Love on Mount Lu" were Zhang Yu and Guo Kaimin, both from the Shanghai Film Studio. Actually, Zhang Yu wasn’t the first choice. Another actress had been selected initially, but she was caught by the police for sleeping with foreigners at an international hotel.

Both Zhang Yu and Guo Kaimin were in their early twenties. Their acting was just passable, marked by the distinctive stylized manner of the era, but their youthful charm and the fact that they landed a great film catapulted them to instant fame. Zhang Yu went on to star in films like "Night Rain in Bashan" and "Little Street," becoming wildly popular. Within a year, she swept the Golden Rooster, Hundred Flowers, and government awards—a grand slam at a very young age.

Then she left the country.

At that time, a rather amusing phenomenon occurred: whoever won the Best Actress at the Golden Rooster would promptly emigrate. It happened so often that director Xie Jin was furious, saying, “Don’t give awards to young actresses. If they win big so early, they’ll run off abroad…”

“When casting actors, we usually look within our studio first. If none fit, then we look outside,” Wang Haowei said, suddenly sighing when the topic came up. “To be honest, I’ve been racking my brain over those girls—whether Liu Xiaoqing, Li Xiuming, or that little Cai Ming—none are suitable. It’s quite challenging!”

“What qualities should the female lead have then?” Chen Qi asked.

“Firstly, she must be pure and innocent. Secondly, stylish and sophisticated! We can’t pick someone gaudy; she must have a delicate charm. Also, since she’s an overseas Chinese from America, she has to be different from us. We need to show that difference through makeup, hairstyle, clothing, every gesture—everything must be carefully considered, but not exaggerated.”

“So, she should maintain a certain distance from ordinary people, but not be unattainable?” Chen Qi suggested.

“Exactly!” Wang Haowei tapped the table, enjoying the conversation. “I heard actors usually experience life before filming. How do you experience that kind of stylishness?”

“We try to arrange it. For example, staying a week at an overseas Chinese hotel to observe how real overseas Chinese speak and behave.”

“That’s quite an investment.”

“It’s tradition! Totally normal.” Wang Haowei shrugged. “What’s your take, Chen?”

“I agree with your view on the female lead. As for the male lead, I think he should be more handsome.”

“Handsome?” Wang Haowei laughed. “Why ‘handsome’ and not ‘dashing’?”

“The male lead’s personality is shy and passive in this relationship. He blushes easily. So he can’t be a rugged, macho type like Takakura Ken. He should be softer, leaning toward pretty.”

“Prettier…” Wang Haowei pondered and jotted down a note. “Anything else?”

“The timeline spans five years. At the start, the leads are innocent and naive, but five years later, they can’t still be that way. Their look should mature a bit, and their personalities should grow too.”

“Good point, very good!”

“The male lead’s sister is a traditional woman. I don’t have special thoughts on that; there should be plenty of actresses for that role.”

They chatted for a while, and Wang Haowei was very pleased. “I thought we’d have many disagreements but didn’t expect such alignment. We’ll start official preparations soon. If there are script issues, I’ll come to you.”

“So my job is almost done?”

“No, no. You can give input on all aspects. Scenes might be changed on the fly during shooting, so you’ll be needed. Filming should start in the second half of the year, finish within the year, and release next year.”

Wang Haowei paused and emphasized, “Meaning you can participate until filming is complete.”

“So I can stay in the guesthouse all along?”

“Haha!” Wang Haowei laughed heartily. “Don’t be shy. For the studio, it’s just one more salary to pay. If it results in a good film, Director Wang would be thrilled!”

...

Back at the guesthouse, room 302 was familiar.

Chen Qi washed his face and, with nothing pressing, lay down for a nap.

They say Shanxi people love naps the most—it’s ingrained in their bones, like Shandong folk and their obsession with civil service exams, Tianjin people with their witty banter and singing, or Sichuan women with their spirited mountain spirit...

He woke to find it was already four in the afternoon.

After washing up again, feeling refreshed, he found himself with free time after finishing the script. Despite looking lazy, he was far from idle—he was thinking about his career.

“Knock, knock, knock!”

“Come in!”

Liang Xiaosheng entered as Chen Qi was reading a book titled "English 900 Sentences," provided by Yu Xiuli.

English wasn’t sensitive now; a craze for learning it had swept the country. For instance, in "Love on Mount Lu," the female lead even taught the male lead to say “I love my motherland”—a reflection of the times.

Chen Qi pretended to study often, hiding his increasingly fluent English.

“Finished talking with Teacher Wang?”

“Yeah, good chat. Progress is fast.”

“Only you move fast. You don’t know, the director and screenwriter nearly fought during discussions. It’s like the saying goes, scholars belittle each other—filmmaking is no different. Everyone thinks they’re the best.”

Liang Xiaosheng sat down, crossed his legs. Room 302 was his second dorm by now. “Oh, Ge You has an exam tomorrow. He’s practicing hard at home, with his old man personally accompanying him. The National Federation’s Art Troupe is recruiting. If he fails again, there’s really no hope left.”

“He’ll make it. For the sake of those big and small pigs, he has to.”

Liang Xiaosheng stayed a while, then got up to leave.

Chen Qi thought for a moment and followed him out.

Walking through the courtyard, they hadn’t reached the main building when Chen Qi suddenly smiled, quickening his pace. Ahead, Jiang Shan’s eyes widened in surprise before she bolted away.

“Why are you running?”

“Don’t come near! You’re so annoying!”

“You didn’t greet me properly. That’s rude. I’ll tell your father!”

“Ah! Bad guy!”

“Ha!”

He delighted in teasing the girl. Liang Xiaosheng sighed, noting that although Chen Qi usually acted mature, he clearly had a childish side.

Once at the main building, Chen Qi went to find Jiang Huaiyan—not to tattle, but to borrow the phone. Phones were still rare then; personal homes didn’t have them, only large institutions.

He freeloaded not only food and drink but everything.

Boldly, he dialed the China Youth Daily. “Hello, is this China Youth Daily? Oh, I’m looking for reporter Yu Jiajia.”

After a short wait, a female voice answered.

“Comrade Chen Qi? Why are you calling me?”

“I want to ask— I heard the Tianjin Daily started accepting ads. Has the Beijing newspaper begun advertising?”

“No. Tianjin is Tianjin, Beijing is Beijing. What do you want?”

“There are more and more tea stalls lately; the competition is fierce. I want to promote our tea stall more... How about we collaborate and make a news story?”

(Thanks to the alliance leader of Life’s Tea Table...)

End.