Chapter 00092: The Review
# The Review
Chapter 92
Novel: 1979 Golden Age
Chapter 92: The Review
At night, in the guesthouse.
Gong Xue finished her evening routine and sat at the desk, reviewing the notes she had taken during the day's class.
She always listened attentively during each session, but Chen Qi had not given her a strict template to follow, allowing her to explore freely.
With the experience from two previous films and Chen Qi's guidance, she had begun to develop her own understanding of acting.
For instance, she knew that what Chen Qi had taught Li Lianjie and others was just the basics.
She had already learned those during her time at Mount Lu.
So, what was the more advanced stuff?
She thought it might be the crying scene she had performed on the last day of filming Mount Lu Romance.
"Should I add something to it? Chen Shaomei is physically weak, but she is the daughter of a martial arts master. She grew up surrounded by that world. She can't engage in intense physical activity, but could she play with a slingshot or throw stones?"
As Gong Xue pondered, an idea struck her, and she quickly jotted it down.
She then stood up and walked to the mirror, practicing various expressions to see which one felt most like Chen Shaomei.
She began to walk around the room, her movements delicate and graceful, like a willow swaying in the wind.
After a few laps, she suddenly planted her left foot firmly on the ground and lifted her right leg in a high, elegant kick.
Her body was flexible, and her movements were clean and precise.
After completing the move, Gong Xue couldn't help but smile.
Despite her delicate appearance, she was actually quite fit.
She had studied dance and even practiced martial arts for a year, though not professionally—just for health and fitness.
Historically, Xie Jin had initially chosen her for the role of Qiu Jin in Autumn Gem.
Qiu Jin was a female knight-errant who knew swordsmanship! Unfortunately, Gong Xue was replaced before filming began because many people felt her image was too soft and didn't fit the role of a fighter.
Chen Qi had also been influenced by this perception and had deliberately given her a role that didn't involve martial arts.
Gong Xue felt a bit of regret but didn't bring it up with him, letting him make the arrangements.
Everyone's personality is a mix of contradictions, and she was no exception.
She had both a competitive side and a compliant, obedient side, and these traits didn't conflict with each other.
Every night, she practiced diligently in her room, studying every scene in the script and figuring out how she would perform it.
This was what was called "desk work."
In China, the actress who was most renowned for her desk work was Qin Hailu.
Before filming even began, she would have the entire script memorized and every detail planned out, so when she stood in front of the camera, she could deliver flawlessly.
In contrast, Zhou Xun was more of a feel-based actress.
If she didn't feel it, she couldn't act it out.
"Knock, knock, knock!"
"Xiao Gong!"
At that moment, Wang Haowei's voice came from outside.
Gong Xue quickly opened the door, surprised.
"Director Wang, why are you here so late?"
"I just finished a busy day!" Wang Haowei walked in without ceremony and sat on the bed, smiling.
"I came to bring you good news—two pieces of good news, in fact. Which one do you want to hear first?"
"Good news?" Gong Xue thought for a moment, then exclaimed, "Has the post-production for Mount Lu Romance been completed?"
"You're such a clever girl! Yes, it's done. We had an internal review today, and the studio leaders were very satisfied. They gave it high praise, and they were especially impressed with your performance."
"That's wonderful! Does that mean we'll be able to see Mount Lu Romance in theaters soon?"
"After our review, it still has to go through several departments for approval. If it passes all of them, it will be submitted to China Film Group. They hold a screening every quarter, where representatives from local film companies come to watch and purchase copies."
Wang Haowei explained the process.
"We're in the second quarter now, so it will likely be released in the third quarter, probably around July."
These screenings were entirely based on the personal judgment of the representatives, so there was a lot of room for error.
Gong Xue wasn't familiar with these details, but she was thrilled.
Wang Haowei continued, "The second piece of good news is about you. Director Wang thinks you have a lot of potential and wants to transfer you to Beijing Film Studio. What do you think?"
"Ah!" Gong Xue covered her mouth, nearly losing her composure.
Her current life goal was to join a film studio.
She and her parents had planned to wait until Mount Lu Romance was released, then approach Shanghai Film Studio first before considering Beijing Film Studio.
But now, Beijing Film Studio had made the first move.
"This..."
Gong Xue hesitated for a moment, thinking about asking Wang Haowei to wait, but that might seem ungrateful.
Should she discuss it with her parents? But sending letters back and forth would take days...
Her decisive side kicked in—this was a rare opportunity, and she couldn't let it slip away.
So she said, "Thank you for your confidence in me. I would be honored to join!"
"Great! Tomorrow, take me to your military unit. I'll speak with your commanding officer first."
Wang Haowei was also pleased.
"Xiao Gong, from now on, we'll be colleagues. There will be plenty of opportunities for us to work together. I wasn't lying, was I?"
"Of course not! I'll still need your guidance."
After Wang Haowei left, Gong Xue lay on her bed, lost in the joy of becoming a professional actress.
She began to daydream, but then, as if remembering something, she quickly pulled the blanket over her head.
...
The next day arrived in the blink of an eye.
Gong Xue waited in her room as agreed, but Wang Haowei didn't show up.
She waited patiently until noon, but there was still no sign of her.
Worried, she went to the main building but couldn't find her there either.
A sense of unease began to creep in.
"Did something go wrong?"
She didn't have many friends at the studio, so she thought of asking Chen Qi.
Just then, she ran into Zhang Jinling.
"Sister Jinling, have you seen Director Wang?"
"Shh!" Zhang Jinling made a silencing gesture and whispered, "Director Wang is under review!"
"What happened?"
"Some idiot started a rumor that Mount Lu Romance promotes 'four connections' with Taiwan. The city's propaganda officials heard about it and demanded a review. Everyone's in the small auditorium now!"
In 1979, mainland China had issued the Message to Compatriots in Taiwan, advocating for postal, transportation, and trade connections between the two sides.
This was known as the "Three Connections."
The "four connections" added marriage to the list, which violated national policy.
"Ah? What do we do now?"
This was the first time Gong Xue had encountered such a situation, and she was immediately flustered.
Zhang Jinling didn't know either.
"I'm not sure. I was just about to look for Xiao Chen. He knows more about these things."
"Let's go together!"
The two of them hurried to the studio, where Chen Qi had just finished lunch and was telling a story to a group of people, including Li Lianjie and Ji Chunhua, who were listening intently.
"Xiao Chen! Xiao Chen!"
"What's wrong?"
They pulled him aside and explained the situation.
To their surprise, Chen Qi remained calm.
"A review is normal. Why are you so worried?"
"But what if they don't approve it?"
"They will. This... this is complicated, and it's hard to explain in a short time. But don't worry. I'll go find out more. Oh, Sister Xue, why weren't you in class this morning?"
He even called her "Sister Xue," imitating Li Lianjie.
Gong Xue glared at him.
How could he joke at a time like this? "Director Wang was supposed to meet me, but she didn't show up. I went looking for her and found out about this."
As she spoke, she began to worry again.
Would her chance to join the studio fall through?
Chen Qi reassured them and went to wait for news at the entrance of the small auditorium.
A review!
They had finally reached this hurdle.
When a film involved certain sensitive topics, it had to be reviewed by the relevant departments.
For example, if it involved women's rights, it would be reviewed by the Women's Federation; if it involved disabilities, by the Disabled Persons' Federation; if it involved healthcare, by the health department; if it involved the police, by the public security bureau...
The same was true in the United States.
For instance, in Windtalkers, there was a scene where a U.
S. soldier pulled gold teeth from the mouth of a dead enemy with pliers.
The military demanded it be removed—even though it was a true historical event.
American soldiers even used Japanese skulls as trophies.
Since Mount Lu Romance had been accused of promoting "four connections," it was only natural for the authorities to review it.
There was nothing wrong with that.
The real fear was that, even if the film didn't violate any rules, it could still be held up due to personal biases or opinions.
(End of Chapter)