Star attraction

By Liu Wei (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-09-02 09:10

Also, it gives a detailed depiction of how in 1948 the Communists organized the first meeting of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), which today still serves as an important political advisory body.

Renowned director/actor Jiang Wen plays Mao Renfeng, leader of Chiang's secret service.

The first day Jiang arrived on set, Huang pointed out that his salute was different from the other actors playing the Nationalist officers.

Jiang refuted immediately: "No, most Nationalist officers studied in British or American military schools, but Mao went to a Japanese one. So his salute is a bit different."

Jiang also included other detailed body language for the role, such as bending over in a way Japanese officers did.

Many actors have only one take, but some prepared six or seven styles of performance when they came to the set, says Huang.

However, there was trouble working with so many stars.

Huang had no specific shooting plan at all and the schedule could change any time according to that of the busy stars.

Having produced many successful blockbusters such as Mummy III and The Warlords (Tou Ming Zhuang), Huang's coordination skills and planning experience helped a lot.

Even so, the veteran producer says making such a film is very challenging.

A big-name actor might only have two hours and the set had to be reserved until the star was free again. Huang remembers returning to one set nine times.

Many worry that too many famous faces may distract from the story, but Huang disagrees.

"If the stars can attract viewers, especially the young people, to cinemas, it is a victory itself," he says.

"It is like reading a book. At first, you may be attracted by the book's design but once you've finished reading, you learn something."

Moreover, he is confident of the power of the epic tale, which includes many little-known historical accounts.

For example, the Nationalists plant an undercover agent in Yan'an, Shaanxi province among Mao Zedong's entourage and bomb Mao's house with his information.

Mao takes some sleeping pills the previous night, so when soldiers come to save him he is still in a sleep.

They have to put him on a stretcher, on which the awakened Mao is shouting: "I am not leaving! I am a lucky guy! He cannot bomb me!"

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