The True Colors of a Great Hero

I was having a meeting at the Bayi Film Studio around 30 years ago,where we were talking about how to write scripts on revolutionary history and military topics.

We have all readRed Star Over Chinaby Edgar Parks Snow,in which a large paragraph was dedicated to describing his interview with Chairman Mao Zedong in the cave dwelling in Yan’an.

According to the book,Chairman Mao talked with him for three whole days.During their conversation they spent stretches,Mao stood on his feet or lay down,in this case in a heatable brick bed common in Northern China.He smoked cigarettes and even searched over his body for ticks,which he threw into the fire or squeezed to death when caught.

These details have revealed to me greatness,sacredness,genius,and romance.

It was such big and broad topics the man was talking about,from the magnificent revolutionary history to his own thrilling and legendary experiences.From the situation in the border regions to the realities of China.From European and Pacific battlefields of World War II to the great vision of a new China about to be founded.

Yet what was he doing while talking about these complex and topics? Rolling up his pants to look for parasites.

Wouldn’t it be great to show a character and plot play out like this on the screen? A movie showing such a Mao Zedong in such vulnerable and intimate moments would just serve to humanize him,making his greatness all the real and striking.

(FromOn Poverty,Wealthiness and Desire,Zhejiang Literature and Art Publishing House.Translation:Lu Qiongyao)

Mao Zedong chatting with a vendor on the street毛澤東和街邊小販聊家常

三十多年前，八一電影制片廠召集我們開會，討論革命歷史、軍事題材電影劇本的創作問題。

我們都讀過斯諾的《西行漫記》，這本書里用了一大段來描寫他在延安窯洞里采訪毛澤東主席的經過。

書里寫道，毛澤東主席跟他談了三天三夜，一會兒站著說，一會兒躺在炕上說，一會兒抽著煙說，一會兒從身上捉著寄生蟲說。那些被捉的寄生蟲，有的扔到爐子里，有的用指甲擠死。

我從這個細節里，讀到了偉大，讀到了神圣，讀到了天才，讀到了浪漫。

他談的是波瀾壯闊的革命歷史，談的是他個人驚險傳奇的親身經歷，談的是邊區的形勢，談的是中國的形勢，談的是第二次世界大戰的歐洲戰場、太平洋戰場，談的是建立新中國的偉大憧憬，全是高大上的話題。

在什么情況下談？是在拉著褲腰捉著虱子的情況下談的，這就是大英雄的本色。

這樣的人物，這樣的情節，如果在銀幕上展現，不就是偉大的作品嗎？這樣的電影，這樣的毛澤東，會讓我們感覺到無比的親切。

（摘自《貧富與欲望》浙江文藝出版社 圖/沈堯伊）