Wild Flower (Yecao xianhua) dir. / sc. Sun Yu With Ruan Lingyu, Jin Yan, Liu Jiqun Shanghai: Lianhua Film, 1930.

The film condemns the practice of arranged marriage and shows the tragic consequences of parental interference in young people's romantic affairs. When the film begins, a young mother and her baby girl are dying from starvation. A carpenter and his wife happen to pass by. Too late to save the mother, they adopt the girl and name her Lilian. Sixteen years later, they settle in Shanghai. Lilian sells flowers to help support the family. One day, Lilian has an accident on the street. A young man named Huang Yun saves her life. Huang is a run-away musician who refuses to accept the marriage his parents have arranged for him. The carpenter offers Huang room and board. Huang in turn discovers Lilian's talents in singing and teaches her music. With the help of an old servant, Huang raises enough funds to stage his opera, which stars himself and Lilian. The show is well received, and Huang and Lilian become celebrity overnight. Without consulting their parents, the two are engaged. When Huang's father learns of this, he is upset and tries to interfere. On the eve of Huang and Lilian's wedding, Huang's father and other relatives come to Lilian's home, accusing her of being a gold digger. They say to Lilian that she will ruin Huang's future if she marries him. Deeply hurt by this, Lilian decides to break her engagement with Huang. Not knowing the true cause behind her sudden change of heart, Huang is greatly saddened and blames her in public. The theatre manager wants to continue the opera show because of its popularity and replaces Huang's role with someone else. When Lianlian sees Huang's substitute, she realises her loss and faints on the stage. Meanwhile, Huang has learned of the truth. He leaves his family again and goes to Lilian.

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