If you think silent films are only corny slap-stick physical comedies or overly dramatic theatrical fare, have I got a treat for you!

The Peach Girl aka Peach Blossom Weeps Tears of Blood (1931) stars Ruan Lingyu (billed here as Lily Yuen; also known/billed as Ruan Ling-Yu, Lingyu Ruan, & Lily Yuan), an incredible Chinese silent film star whose works are not very well known here in the US — but once you see her in a film, I don’t think you can ever forget her. (Stay tunned for a complete bio post on her!)

Ruan Lingyu As Lim

In the film, Lingyu plays Miss Lim, a poor peasant girl who falls in love with the son of the landowner, Teh-en. He returns her love, but because of the classism, the couple are not permitted to marry.

While the tragic love story could be reduced to an intellectual discourse of classist societies, gender roles, etc., or worse yet, dismissed as “typical old movie fare,” it’s best to (at least the first few times), simply enjoy the film for the joy of film.

Director Bu Wancang masters the medium, using it to tell a harsh, sad story, with all the style of poetry.

Ruan Lingyu, The Peach Girl

The film’s title — and much of its poetry — comes from the peach tree Lim’s parents planted for her when she was a baby, saying that the tree would come to symbolize her life: If she grew up to be good, the tree would blossom and flourish; if she grew up to be evil of heart, the tree would surely wither and die. Cinematically, the tree not only marks the passage of time, illustrates the differences between country girl and city boy, but actually weeps for Lim.

And it should.

The couple meet as small children, and, as the title cards state, they do note notice such things as “class difference” — but the parents do. Years later, the couple meets again — and the differences may make for apparent awkwardness, both are more enamored of each other’s perceived glamour. When he finds her sitting & working at a spinning wheel, he exclaims, “A city girl’s beauty depends on powder and rouge. But this is true beauty!”

From then on, the couple is clearly in love, but, as I said, the parents are fixed on tradition & forbid the couple to marry — even after Lim gives birth to Teh-en’s daughter.

The Peach Girl, A Tragic Silent Film Love Story

Watching Teh-en’s weakness to stand up to his mother (who goes so far as to lock him up) is perhaps the most infuriating (and that includes watching Lim rebuff lewd men) — but the most agonizing things to watch are the scenes involving Lingyu’s beautiful & emotive face.

If you’ve been looking for a beautiful film to begin your foray into silent film, give The Peach Girl a try. And if you already love silent film, don’t miss it!

Tags: Films, reviews, silent film, vintage