In 1981, the movie "Midnight" directed by Sang Arc finally came out, putting Mao Dun's namesake ** on the screen, which was Sang Arc's wish for 20 years. As early as 1961, when the young director Sang Arc read Mao Dun's long story "Midnight" for the first time, he was deeply impressed by its ideological connotation and character portrayal. An idea came to him - one day, he must adapt this masterpiece into a movie. 
However, the environment of the 1960s did not make this dream come true. It wasn't until 1979 that the 58-year-old Sang Arc put the film project of "Midnight" back on the agenda with the support of all parties. In order to faithfully present the social outlook of Shanghai in the 30s, he devoted himself to research and collected a large amount of information. He repeatedly scrutinized the script, deleted characters and integrated the plot, and integrated the essence of the original book into the film. He searched everywhere for suitable star actors, hoping to condense the brightest stars of the time. Although the process was tortuous, Sang Arc did not give up. He's like a stubborn hunter who has nothing but the cunning prey in his eyes – the movie called Midnight. After two years of careful preparation, this movie was finally born perfectly in 1981, and Sang Arc used 20 years of time and sweat to realize his film dream. 
When the film premiered in cinemas, Sang was thrilled because it was one of the most important achievements of his life. As an outstanding writer, Mao Dun naturally fully supports the release of his excellent works on the screen. When he learned that Sang Arc planned to shoot "Midnight", Mao Dun immediately agreed. During the production of the film, he had several detailed discussions with Sang Arc and proposed revisions to the details of the script to ensure that the film faithfully restored the spiritual core of the film. For Mao Dun, "Midnight" is the crystallization of his hard work, and it is his wish to become a ***. Therefore, he worked tirelessly to provide guidance to Sang Arc, and the two worked together to create this masterpiece. 
When the movie was finally finished, Mao Dun was excited, but he couldn't witness the movie with his own eyes. Just before the release of "Midnight", Mao Dun passed away due to illness, which is undoubtedly a great regret. He couldn't see his characters come to life on the screen, nor could he smell the audience's praise for his penmanship, leaving him with eternal regrets. "Midnight" sparked a craze immediately upon its release, mainly thanks to the superb performances of the older generation of actors. Zhang Fa, Han Fei, and Cheng Zhi played their acting skills and perfectly interpreted Mao Dun's characters on the screen. The image of Mrs. Wu portrayed by Zhang Fa is vivid, showing the frame of a stubborn feudal lord in every gesture. Han Fei and Cheng Zhi are difficult brothers and sisters for each other, you come and go, compete with each other, and portray the faces of the two philistines vividly. 
These veteran artists only need a small movement or expression to tell the complex inner activities, which can be described as perfect acting skills. Of course, the most impressive is the villain Zhao Botao played by Qiao Qi. By carefully adjusting his tone and demeanor, Qiao Qi interpreted Zhao Botao's insidious cunning and nouveau riche temperament just right. This old artist has a thorough understanding of the role, and his acting skills are even more proficient, so that the audience can't wait to catch Zhao Botao and teach him a hard lesson after watching it. It can be said that it is the expressive performances of these older generation actors that really attract the audience's attention and make "Midnight" shine. They use their rich acting experience to present a screen life, which is difficult for young actors to replace. 
Compared with the steady acting skills of the older generation of actors, the performances of some popular students in "Midnight" are still a little green. As first-line stars, Guo Kaimin and Mao Yongming have undoubtedly won the love of many boys and girls by their appearance. But when they need to convey the complex inner world of the characters through their performances, the inexperience is exposed. Guo Kaimin's Fan Bowen is a little dull and single, and does not show the passionate and unrestrained side of this typical progressive youth. And the Jin monk played by Mao Yongming did not show enough vitality and rebellion. On the other hand, some veterans often only need a few expressions and movements to portray their characters well. For example, Tu Weiyue played by Zhang Xianheng only has a few close-ups and a few lines, but he has portrayed the image of a deep and deliberate bureaucrat in the city government extremely realistically. 
This is still a certain distance from Guo Kaimin and Mao Yongming. It can be seen that the young students with outstanding appearance and high popularity still need more tempering and accumulation in acting skills in order to deduce fuller and more three-dimensional screen characters. In contrast, the old actors are obviously better at controlling the language and non-verbal details of the shot. This also reflects that although external conditions are important, internal cultivation is the decisive factor for the growth of actors. The immaturity in the performances of these students has also become a small flaw in the film. "Midnight" not only gathered popular students, but also gathered many beautiful and moving actresses. They have their own style, beauty and talent. A series of actresses such as Gong Xue, Zhang Min, and Liu Jia have given full play to their strengths and created a number of screen women with different personalities. Feng Meiqing played by Gong Xue is beautiful and moving, and Zhu Guiying played by Zhang Min is youthful and energetic. 
And Liu Jia's Lin Peishan is the most outstanding, the image of a pure and lovely girl is in strong contrast with Fan Bowen played by Guo Kaimin, which makes the audience unforgettable. Some of these actresses show mature charm, and some show youth and vitality, each with their own style. They vividly interpret the three-dimensional images of Chinese women from different walks of life and different eras. For example, Lin Peiyao and Lin Peishan sisters live in a capitalist environment, so they naturally show a dignified and elegant side; And the happiness and unrestrainedness of the worker Zhu Guiying are in labor. It can be said that "Midnight" brought together the most powerful and potential new generation of actresses at that time. They have their own strengths and together compose a group portrait of women in this era. 
Under their glorious interpretation, the seemingly flat female characters in the original book have become three-dimensional, plump and lifelike. Without their wonderful performances, there would be no classic that immediately burst onto the screen. Time flies, and the actors who have participated in "Midnight" have also experienced various life changes, and their fates are very different. The older generation of actors such as Zhang Fa and Han Fei have passed away one after another, and the new generation of actors are developing in different fields. For example, Guo Kaimin had directorial ambitions, and later went south to Hainan to develop, but his career did not reproduce the glory of the year. Mao Yongming chose to go into business, no longer limited to the entertainment industry. Actresses such as Gong Xue and Zhang Min have faded out of the screen one after another, choosing a double harvest of family and career. Liu Jia insisted on moving forward on the road of acting, successfully transformed into a senior actor, and starred in many popular film and television dramas. 
Although Liang Polo is gray-haired, he is still active on the stage and has become a big man in the theater industry. These actors have each chosen a different path in life, and they have also left wonderful memories of this era. Although the years are unforgiving, the group of actor resources gathered in "Midnight" has become a treasure in the history of Chinese films. When we turn over this period of history, we can vaguely see the brilliance of their youthful faces. Looking back many years later, "Midnight", as a screen adaptation of a literary masterpiece, undoubtedly contains rich historical and artistic value. First of all, it shows the social appearance of old Shanghai in the 30s of the last century. The scene of Shanghai with busy traffic and singing and dancing carefully reproduced in the film vividly restores the picture scroll of that era. 
The audience can not only witness the prosperity under the neon lights of the past, but also feel the hidden suffering of the laborers behind the money and desire. Secondly, "Midnight" brought together the most outstanding talents in the Chinese film industry at that time. Whether it is the director Sang Arc or a group of star actors, they are the best representatives of that era. It can be said that "Midnight" concentrates on the most dazzling stars of an era. The participation of these elite-level talents makes it shine. In the end, even if the film itself has some flaws, it is still a rare masterpiece in the historical context of the time. The precipitation of time may give it a higher artistic value and gain wider recognition.
Midnight undoubtedly occupies an important place in the history of Chinese film development. It can be said that "Midnight" records the changes in modern Chinese society and the development of film in a unique way, and will provide a valuable historical witness for future generations. This visual feast also makes people full of respect and nostalgia for the film creation feelings of that era. February** Dynamic Incentive Program