Happy Times
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Happy Times (Chinese: 幸福时光; pinyin: Xìngfú Shíguāng; 2000) is a tragicomedy film directed by the famed Chinese filmmaker Zhang Yimou.
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[edit] Plot
In a big city, an old and laid-out factory worker (played by Zhao Benshan) seeks to marry an obese and divorced middle-aged woman (played by Dong Lifan), who he hopes will bring him warmth and comfort in life. So he sets out desperately to find a way to make money for the rich wedding he promised to present. The hapless man decides to renovate a broken bus on top of a hill, popular for romantic couples. This small bus he turned into a small dwelling he named Happy Times Hotel, which will be rented to willing couples that visit the hill. As he brags about his newly opened "hotel" and how much money he is making, he found himself entrusted with the care of the woman's thin and blind stepdaughter Wu Ying (played by Dong Jie), who is unwanted in the house. Not willing to expose his scheme and ruin his attempt to get married, the man enlists the help of his retired co-workers, who agree to do all they can to make the lonely girl happy at her new job as a masseur in the "hotel". As the story unfolds, a touching friendship between the childless man and the dejected, orphaned girl under his care develops, leading to a moving and surprising conclusion.
[edit] Awards
- 2002 Berlin International Film Festival official selection.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
The Films of Zhang Yimou |
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Red Sorghum • Codename Cougar • Ju Dou • Raise the Red Lantern • The Story of Qiu Ju • To Live • Shanghai Triad • Lumière and Company Keep Cool • Not One Less • The Road Home • Happy Times • Hero • House of Flying Daggers Riding Alone for Thousands of Miles • Curse of the Golden Flower |