The King of Masks (1996, China)

A moving drama about an old street performer and a waif whom he takes on as an apprentice in the 1930's. Wang (Zhu Xu) is an aging magician who specialises in quick changes of mask -- you see this done on screen and they seem to be instantaneous -- and impossible. While he is performing, a sort of religious procession is passing, with this goddess as the honoured figure. A young woman comments, "I've heard the living Bodhisatva is really a man." Her friend replies, "Silly girl; that's the famous Liang Sulan -- the hottest female impersonator in Sichuan opera."

Well, it seems the procession was really advertising a performance, but Liang Sulan is so impressed by Wang's street act, that he stops to express his admiration; in fact he suggests that Wang should come into partnership with him, but Wang refuses.

Liang appears in male mode in case we didn't believe it was a man. But his life is playing female parts as was the custom in Chinese opera -- "As for me I'm a minor character -- half a woman."

Liang proceeds with his performance in the opera, still congratulating Wang on his skills.

Wang is getting old and he has no heir to whom he can pass on his skills. This area is evidently very poor, and many parents are trying to sell a child for a small sum of money; Wang repeatedly refuses but eventually accepts a boy and takes him on as an assistant. He calls the boy Doggie (played by Zhou Ren-ying).

Doggie is very hardworking and skilful, and all seems to be going well, until one day someone is trying to make a cleaning solution with ash and urine; Wang tells Doggie to pee on the flames, and Doggie refuses; it quickly emerges that Doggie is really a girl -- told to conceal the fact to persuade Wang to keep her.

Wang is angered, but finds it difficult to be stern with the winsome waif he has acquired; and the only cloud on the horizon is the law forbidding women from appearing in public performances. Wang is later accused of kidnapping on a trumped-up charge, and when everyone is against him, only Liang is on his side.

I found this a most entertaining and pleasing story, and it is easy for Western viewers to appreciate this Chinese tale. The film is also known as Bian lian.

HF August 2008

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