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The Hong Kong Film Archive (HKFA) of the Leisure and Cultural Services Department (LCSD) will present the exhibition "The Legend of Elegance: Hsia Moon the All-Time Princess" from tomorrow (August 21) to November 2 at the 1/F foyer of the HKFA. The exhibition will showcase Hsia Moon's film stills and personal photos, as well as an interview with Hsia conducted in her early life and excerpts of relevant films.
Born Yang Meng in Shanghai, Hsia Moon moved with her family to Hong Kong in 1947 and was signed by Great Wall Movie Enterprises Ltd at the age of 17. Her stellar career spanned more than 17 years in 41 films. Hsia had a flawless face and an elegant physique, and embraced the cultures of the East and the West with great intelligence. She was named "The Crown Princess of Great Wall" and hailed as "God's masterpiece". Jin Yong custom-wrote the script of "The Peerless Beauty" (1953) for her, and the leading lady earned the same title for herself.
A prima donna exhibiting faith and inner strength, Hsia built up a diversity of screen personas and acting skills. Performing the role of a young married woman convincingly in her screen debut "A Night-Time Wife" (1951), Hsia proved her acting talent as a new actress. This film topped the box office in 1951 and brought her instant stardom in the 1950s. "A Widow's Tears" (1956) is one of the best works of Hsia. Already married at the time, Hsia once again showed her skills as a dramatic actress in a role that shifted from the joy of marriage to the grief of death. The film soon became an acclaimed work in Mainland China.
The 1950s saw the blooming of Yue opera cinema, and Hsia received dramatic training in postures, poses and other stage manoeuvres at the Shanghai Yue Opera Theater. Starring Hsia Moon and the prince of Yue opera, Ting Sai-chun, the three classic Yue opera films "The Princess Falls in Love" (1962), "My Darling Princess" (1964) and "A Heroic Romance" (1965) were hits for Great Wall at the box office. Having learned Peking opera since her youth, Hsia was gifted in acquiring the Yue opera acting skills. These titles have remained critically acclaimed since their rescreening in the 1970s.
Hsia later established Bluebird Movie Enterprise Ltd at the height of the Hong Kong New Wave and became a producer. A daring filmmaker with vision, she recruited a wealth of talents and good scripts to produce socially relevant works with great quality, including "Boat People" (1982) and "Homecoming" (1984) - two crowd-pleasing films that won multiple awards at the Hong Kong Film Awards.
On the 65th anniversary of Hsia Moon's film career, the exhibition gathers images and memorabilia of the much-loved screen goddess, who radiates charm and grace across time.
For enquiries about the exhibition, please call 2739 2139 or browse the website www.lcsd.gov.hk/CE/CulturalService/HKFA/en_US/web/hkfa/programmesandexhibitions/highlights/highlights27.html.
Ends/Thursday, August 20, 2015
Issued at HKT 18:00
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