The Soul of the Sea
| The Soul of the Sea | |
|---|---|
 poster | |
| Chinese | 海之魂 |
| Mandarin | Hǎi Zhī Hún |
| Directed by | Wu Yigong |
| Produced by |
|
| Screenplay by | Wu Yigong |
| Based on |
The Soul of the Sea by Li Yunliang |
| Starring |
|
| Music by | Jin Fuzai |
| Cinematography | Gao Ziyi |
| Edited by | Zhou Dingwen |
Production company |
Shanghai Paradise Film & Television |
Release dates | 1998 |
Running time | 104 minutes |
| Country | China |
| Language | Mandarin |
The Soul of the Sea is a 1998 Chinese drama film directed by Wu Yigong, based on Li Yunliang's novel about life in a semi-fictional People's Liberation Army Navy fleet during peaceful times.
Story
The film began in 1983. Nicknamed the "Three Musketeers" of the "Tuji Duiyuan" destroyer, Lu Tao (He Lin), Ma Chi (Chen Rui) and Zhong Yuanhang (Zhou Guobin) had all joined the PLA Navy in the late 1960s, when they made a vow together. Ma Chi and Zhong Yuanhang both loved the same woman Ge Lan (Wu Jing), but Ge chose Zhong. They got married and retired from the navy. At the same time Lu Tao was devastated after losing his wife and daughter in an air crash.
Years have passed. A soprano from the arts troupe Xia Yun (Liu Jie) loved Lu Tao, but he repeated rejected her out of guilt. Ma Chi had married Dong Xian (Wu Mian), but not spending enough time in the family made the marriage difficult. Meanwhile, Zhong Yuanhang had become a successful but morally corrupt businessman who cheated on Ge Lan. Throughout the story, Lu and Ma continued to work out their personal relationships while remaining steadfast to the navy. The film ends with the destroyer making a goodwill tour in the United States, Mexico, Peru and Chile in 1997 (which is a real event done by the destroyers Zhuhai and Harbin, and real footage is used in the film).
Cast and characters
- He Lin as Lu Tao
- Chen Rui as Ma Chi
- Zhou Guobin as Zhong Yuanhang
- Zhang Yongshou as Vice Admiral Peng Zeyuan, Lu and Ma's mentor. Peng devoted his entire life to the navy and was diagnosed with a terminal disease at the end.
- Zhao Shengsheng as Petty Officer Hong Axiang, a kitchen worker unafraid to voice complaints. He was killed by a shark rescuing a drowning child.
- Liu Jie as Xia Yun
- Wu Mian as Dong Xian
- Wu Jing as Ge Lan
- Xu Zheng as Xiaoman, a quirky seaman.
References
- Ye, Tan; Zhu, Yun (2012). Historical Dictionary of Chinese Cinema. The Scarecrow Press. p. 233. ISBN 978-0-8108-7913-3.