COME SPEAK WITH ME: Revisiting a Shaw Brothers classic with Cheng Pei Pei.
I first met the ageless and charming Cheng Pei Pei shortly after I relocated to Hong Kong. I interviewed her as part of my research for my book Hong Kong Action Cinema, and was so impressed with her eloquence, grace and memory. Also, she spoke English (a big plus, at that time, for me). When we first met, I have to confess that I knew Pei Pei primarily from her Golden Harvest film Kung Fu Girl AKA The Heroine. Her Shaw Brothers classics, including Come Drink With Me, were still buried in a vault at the Clearwater Bay studios. She’s had an amazing career. Pei Pei went from swordplay actioners to hosting her own talk show, Pei Pei’s Time, on American television, going from Chinese opera to Chinese Oprah…
In 1971, after her 7 year Shaw Brothers contract expired, Pei Pei relocated to LA with her husband to raise her family. She also devoted a lot of time and energy attempting to revive the failing fortunes of her ‘shrfu’, the director King Hu. The bond between them remained very strong, right up until the director’s untimely demise. Amazingly, they only made one major film together. After Come Drink With Me, King Hu, perhaps unwisely, left Shaw Brothers to pursue opportunities in Taiwan. Pei Pei, still tied to her Shaw contract, was forbidden from working with him on such classics as Touch Of Zen and Dragon Inn. Her later commitment to King Hu put strains on the family finances, and contributed to Pei Pei’s divorce. She paid a high price for her loyalty to one of Chinese cinema’s true masters.
After her marriage ended, Pei Pei returned to Asia from the US, and pretty much had to start over, accepting supporting roles in a variety of Chinese films and TV series. It was at this time that I met her, and I was delighted when she landed the prestigious role of Silver Fox in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. I attended the film’s premiere in Cannes. From the crowd’s reaction, it was evident that mainstream audiences had never seen this kind of sophisticated martial art house film. The film had the same impact on international viewers that Come Drink With Me had with Hong Kong moviegoers. Ironically, I only got to see the latter after watching Crouching Tiger, though circumstances made it worth the wait…
Cannes has always been kind to both King Hu and Pei Pei. The director’s A Touch Of Zen won the Technical Grand Prize at the 1975 festival. After Celestial Pictures restored Come Drink With Me, they screened a flawless new print at Cannes, and I got to see the film, for the first time, with Pei Pei and her daughter, Marsha Yuan, in attendance. I watched it with my friends Mabel Cheung and Alex Law. They had directed Pei Pei in Painted Faces, a drama depicting the youthful experiences of Jackie Chan, Sammo Hung and the other ‘Little Fortunes’. (Due to rights issues, this remains a ‘lost classic’ for now, but we’re doing our best to acquire it.) Watching Come Drink With Me, it was evident from Mabel’s reactions that the film had lost none of its impact, as she winced at every sword strike!
Every time I meet Pei Pei, she has that same bright twinkle in her eye. Once, I was working through the evening with her and her daughter Marsha, and Marsha expressed concern about how late it was getting. You’re worried your mum will get tired? She shook her head. “No, I’m worried she’ll get crazy!” I remember protesting once when I heard she was taking the MTR (the Hong Kong subway). You can’t take the MTR! I insisted. “Why not?” she retorted. “They still let me on!” She has a great memory, and many anecdotes to share from her long and varied experiences. Prior to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, she and Michelle Yeoh had both been in another film, Wing Chun. However, she told me, they never actually met, because Michelle was injured, and Pei Pei shot all her scenes with Yeoh’s double. “And the only reason I agreed to do the part was because I wanted to meet Michelle!”
When we met to record our commentary for Come Drink With Me, Pei Pei had just flown in from Shanghai. She was afflicted with a slight cold, so any sniffling you hear is from that, rather than my being overcome with emotion. (I was overcome, but quietly…) It’s a rare opportunity to be able to relive a 1966 Hong Kong film with its star (Pei Pei was only 19 when she made the movie) and I’m sure all fans of Asian action cinema will enjoy it as much as I did.
Comments
- christina, SF | 2008-01-23 23:18:50
- Terence Lee, Penang Island, Malaysia | 2008-01-30 06:18:14
- Jeffrey, Newport, UK | 2008-02-02 09:57:41
- Travis, D.C. | 2008-02-13 20:16:09
- James Ramirez, 84101 | 2008-02-20 16:02:38
- Donovan, Florida, USA | 2008-02-22 21:41:00
- justin, suffolk, va | 2008-03-09 10:54:54
- Joe, Singapore | 2008-01-22 07:54:43