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Lai Man-Wai is a Actor, Director, Scriptwriter and Producer Hongkongais born on 25 september 1893
Lai Man-Wai (Chinese: 黎民偉; pinyin: Li Minwei; 1893–1953), considered the "Father of Hong Kong Cinema", was the director of the first Hong Kong film Zhuangzi Tests His Wife in 1913. In the film, Lai played the role of the wife, partly due to the reluctance of women to participate in show business at the time.
He was married to Florence Lim, a Vancouver-born Hong Kong actress. His daughter Lai Suen and granddaughter Gigi Lai are both actresses.
Source : Wikidata
Lai Man-Wai
Nationality Hong kong
Birth 25 september 1893
Death 26 october 1953 (at 60 years) at Hong Kong (Chine)
Birth 25 september 1893
Death 26 october 1953 (at 60 years) at Hong Kong (Chine)
Biography
Born in Japan, of Xinhui, Guangdong origin and raised in Hong Kong, he joined Sun Yat-sen's Kuomintang party in 1911 and helped make anti-warlord movies. He was an active director during the golden years of the Shanghai movie industry from 1921 to 1928. In 1923, he founded the Minxin (China Sun) Film Company with his brother, Lai Pak-Hoi, in Hong Kong which later relocated to Shanghai. In 1930, he co-founded one of the "Big Three" studios of the 1930s, Lianhua Film Company, with Law Ming-yau. Lianhua, together with other leading Shanghai studios, was destroyed when the Empire of Japan attacked Shanghai in 1937. Lai returned to Hong Kong in 1938 and retired.He was married to Florence Lim, a Vancouver-born Hong Kong actress. His daughter Lai Suen and granddaughter Gigi Lai are both actresses.
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Filmography of Lai Man-Wai (7 films)
Actor
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The Witty Sorcerer (1931)
Directed by Lai Man-Wai
Origin Hong kong
Genres Drama, Comedy
Themes Films based on mythology
Actors Lai Man-Wai
Zhuangzi Tests His Wife (1913)
Directed by Lai Man-Wai
Origin Hong kong
Genres Drama
Actors Lai Man-Wai
Roles Chuang Tsi's Wife
Rating56%
Philosopher Zhuangzi meets a woman fanning the newly built grave of her dead husband because she desires to marry again. On returning home, Zhuangzi decides to put his wife to the test by faking his own death. His wife is grief-stricken and goes into mourning. While funeral arrangements are in progress, a handsome young man come to call on Zhuangzi. Later, there is talk of marriage between Zhuangzi's wife and the man. However, the young man falls ill; his servant says that taking his brain is the only way to cure him.
Director
The Witty Sorcerer (1931)
Directed by Lai Man-Wai
Origin Hong kong
Genres Drama, Comedy
Themes Films based on mythology
Actors Lai Man-Wai
Way Down West (1927)
, 42minutesDirected by Lai Man-Wai
Genres Drama, Romance
Themes Films based on plays
Rating60%
Zhuangzi Tests His Wife (1913)
Directed by Lai Man-Wai
Origin Hong kong
Genres Drama
Actors Lai Man-Wai
Rating56%
Philosopher Zhuangzi meets a woman fanning the newly built grave of her dead husband because she desires to marry again. On returning home, Zhuangzi decides to put his wife to the test by faking his own death. His wife is grief-stricken and goes into mourning. While funeral arrangements are in progress, a handsome young man come to call on Zhuangzi. Later, there is talk of marriage between Zhuangzi's wife and the man. However, the young man falls ill; his servant says that taking his brain is the only way to cure him.
Scriptwriter
Zhuangzi Tests His Wife (1913)
Directed by Lai Man-Wai
Origin Hong kong
Genres Drama
Actors Lai Man-Wai
Roles Writer
Rating56%
Philosopher Zhuangzi meets a woman fanning the newly built grave of her dead husband because she desires to marry again. On returning home, Zhuangzi decides to put his wife to the test by faking his own death. His wife is grief-stricken and goes into mourning. While funeral arrangements are in progress, a handsome young man come to call on Zhuangzi. Later, there is talk of marriage between Zhuangzi's wife and the man. However, the young man falls ill; his servant says that taking his brain is the only way to cure him.
Producer
Waves Washing the Sand (1936)
, 1h8Directed by Wu Yonggang
Genres Drama, Crime
Actors Jin Yan
Roles Producer
Rating66%
National Customs (1935)
, 1h34Actors Li Lili, Ruan Lingyu, Zheng Junli
Roles Production Manager
Rating59%
Love and Duty (1931)
, 2h32Directed by Bu Wancang
Genres Drama
Actors Ruan Lingyu, Jin Yan
Roles Production Manager
Rating71%
The film tells the story of Yang Naifan (Ruan Lingyu) who runs from her arranged marriage to be with her true love, Li Zuyi (Jin Yan). The film details the poverty she must endure for breaking with tradition.
A Spray of Plum Blossoms (1931)
, 1h40Directed by Bu Wancang
Genres Romance
Themes Films based on plays, Films based on works by William Shakespeare
Actors Ruan Lingyu, Jin Yan, Li Lili, Mei Lanfang
Roles Production Manager
Rating59%
The film tells the story of Bai Lede (Wang Chilong) and Hu Luting (Jin Yan), two military cadets who have been friends since they were children. After graduating, Hu, a playboy uninterested in love, is appointed as a captain in Guangdong and leaves his home town in Shanghai. Bai however, deeply in love with Hu's sister, Hu Zhuli (Ruan Lingyu) stays behind. At Guangdong, Hu falls in love with the local general's daughter, Shi Luohua (Lin Chuchu), although the general, Shi (Wang Guilin), is unaware of the relationship, and instead wants his daughter to marry the foolish Liao Di'ao (Gao Zhanfei). Meanwhile, Bai's father uses his influence to get Bai posted to Guangdong, and after a sorrowful farewell between himself and Zhuli, he arrives at his new post and instantly falls in love with Luohua. In an effort to have her for himself, Bai betrays his friend, by informing General Shi of his daughter's plans to elope with Hu, leading to Shi dishonourably discharging Hu. Bai tries to win Luohua over, but she is uninterested, only concerned with lamenting the loss of Hu. In the meantime, Hu encounters a group of bandits who ask him to be their leader, to which he agrees, planning on returning for Luohua at some point in the future. Some time passes, and one day, as Luohua, Bai and Liao are passing through the forest, they are attacked. Luohua manages to flee, and Bai pursues her into the forest. They engage in an argument, but just as Bai seems about to lose his temper, Hu intervenes, and he and Luohua are reunited. General Shi arrives in time to see Liao flee the scene, and he now realises that he was wrong to get in the way of the relationship between Hu and his daughter. Hu then forgives Bai his betrayal, and Bai reveals that he has discovered that his only true love is in fact Zhuli back in Shanghai.
Way Down West (1927)
, 42minutesDirected by Lai Man-Wai
Genres Drama, Romance
Themes Films based on plays
Roles Producer
Rating60%
Zhuangzi Tests His Wife (1913)
Directed by Lai Man-Wai
Origin Hong kong
Genres Drama
Actors Lai Man-Wai
Roles Producer
Rating56%
Philosopher Zhuangzi meets a woman fanning the newly built grave of her dead husband because she desires to marry again. On returning home, Zhuangzi decides to put his wife to the test by faking his own death. His wife is grief-stricken and goes into mourning. While funeral arrangements are in progress, a handsome young man come to call on Zhuangzi. Later, there is talk of marriage between Zhuangzi's wife and the man. However, the young man falls ill; his servant says that taking his brain is the only way to cure him.