Shanghai Chauffeurs and Barbers Fight Slurs on Their Good Name

In 1947 just about everybody in Shanghai went on strike – mill workers of course but also barmen, prosties, taxi-dancers and even chauffeurs. Chauffeurs felt insulted by a Hong Kong movie called Where is Lady? Apparently barbers had recently got so angry at their portrayal in as amorous in another movie, Phony Phoenix, that they trashed a cinema (an activity usually done by Italians or Russians in Shanghai – see here and here respectively). The Union spokesman said they were ready to basically beat up anyone to do with the film!!

So what were these movies that so angered these groups of workers. I can’t find a movie called Where is Lady? but there was a 1947 movie from Hong Kong called Where is the Lady’s Home? that sounds like it might be the one. That was directed by Li Tie and starred Cheung Ying and the beautiful Siu Yin Fei (below) though how exactly this offended chauffeurs I’m not entirely sure.

Phony Phoenix is more commonly known in English as Fake Phoenix – another Hong Kong movie – perhaps the movie poster indicates why the barbers were a bit riled up!