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Nationally Produced Female Stars and Foreign Female Stars
Ling long. Vol.3, issue 91(1933), page 450
English translation
In foreign cinema circles, anyone who wants to be a female star must fulfill the following conditions: She must know how to dance, ride a horse, shoot, drive a car, swim, etc. Her goal is to be vigorous and graceful, therefore the majority of these requirements focus on action. This fully demonstrates that Westerners like action.
What about in nationally produced cinema circles? No matter what kind of girl, anyone can be a movie star; she just has to meet the following list of criteria:
- Have a face like Lin Daiyu¹ not only beautiful, but also able to project anxiety, benevolence, and illness, and to move her body in subtle ways.
- She does not necessarily have to know how to ride a horse, but she must know how to drive the director's heart.
- Swimming is also not so important, but given the opportunity, she must wear a 1934 swimsuit showing off her curved beauty to arouse desire.
- Most women should learn how to drive a car, because if a fan or admirer gives her a car, she herself can personally drive it and can seek publicity 24 hours a day.
These represent the ethical values of Eastern women. Getting entangled with men harms their gentleness and coyness.
The dividing line between Chinese and foreigners can also be seen from these points. Those who seek to preserve the national essence can refer to them.
¹ Lin Daiyu is a character in the Chinese classic novel Dream of the Red Chamber.