Great Wall Movie Enterprises Limited (Chinese: 長城電影製片有限公司) was Hong Kong's leading left-wing studio and one committed to making progressive Mandarin films with social content as well as entertainment value.
Unusual for Hong Kong films, some of their films were publicly shown in Maoist-era China. For the same reason, their films were banned in Taiwan.
Overview
In 1948, Zhang Shankun co-founded with Yuan Yang'an the Great Wall Pictures Corporation. The momentum for developing a Mandarin film industry was established but Zhang and Yuan departed company when the finances and administration of Great Wall became influenced by events happening in China. Yuan stayed in the reorganised Great Wall Movie Enterprises Ltd, which became identified with left-wing tendencies.
Well known for their patriotism towards mainland China, Great Wall often collaborated with Feng Huang (Phoenix) Motion Picture Co and it was the pioneer studio in the early 1950s.
Notable directors and actors
There are many veterans and talents from China who joined the studio. Meanwhile, many acting talents and directors are cultivated, too.
Directors:
- Li Pingqian
- Cheng Bugao
- Yuan Yang'an
- Cheung Yam Yin
- Huang Yu
- Wong Su Chen
- Hu Hsiao Fung
- Wen Yi Min
- Jin Yong
Actors:
- Fu Che (also known as Fu Qi, also director and producer)
- Hsia Moon (also known as Xia Meng, Miranda Yang, also producer)
- Shi Hui (石慧, also known as Shek Hwei)
- Chen Sisi
- Jiang Han
- Zhang Zheng
- Guan Shan
- Gao Yuan
- Li Tziang
- Wei Wei
- Paw Hee Jing
- Bao Fong
- Zhu Hong
- Wang Baozhen
- Ping Fan
- Gong Qiuxia
- Feng Lin
- Fang Ping
- Yu Wanfei
- Qiu Ping
- Chen Juanjuan
- Liang Shan
- Lan Qing
- Zhang Bingqian
- Betty Loh Ti
Present
In 1982, Great Wall merged with Feng Huang, Chung Yuen and Sun Luen Film Co. as Sil-Metropole Organisation.