Lion City – first Chinese film by Cathay-Keris

Lion City (狮子城 in Chinese and “Bandar Raya Singapura” in Malay) is the first Chinese film produced by Cathay-Keris in postwar Singapore.^[1] The film is highly valued today for its scenic panoramic shots of Singapore in the 1960s as well as references to the political conditions of the time. It is one of the few Chinese films shot from a Chinese perspective during a time when Malay films dominated the industry.^[2]

The film tells of the love between Shao Ming, the son of a factory owner, and factory worker Feng Ling.^[3] The roles were played by Pan En and Orchid Wong, whose actual names were Lian Tong Seng and Wong Ting Ming respectively.^[4] It was directed by Yi Sui, whose full name is Tang Bo Qi (also referred to as Tang Pak Chee).^[5] It was reported that hundreds had turned up to audition for roles in Lion City, which was produced by the newly formed Chinese section of Cathay-Keris Studio.^[6] A number of the cast for the film was recruited from the director’s acting school, which was set up with funding from Cathay Organisation.^[7]

The film premiered at 9.15 pm on 6 December 1960 at Cathay Organisation’s Odeon Theatre. Among the guests of honour were then Yang di-Pertuan Negara Yusof bin Ishak and his wife. The premiere was held in aid of the National Theatre Fund.^[8] Forty underprivileged girls from the York Hill Girls’ Home Craft Centre were sponsored by the Lee Foundation to attend the premiere.^[9] Prior to the screening were three live performances: a comic skit by Ng Biao; song items by singers Kong Yeh Lin and Ruby Wah accompanied by the Singapore Radio Orchestra; and appearances by the main leads. Tickets were priced at $2, $3 and $5.^[10] The film continued to be screened as late as March 1961.^[11]

The film, which cost $100,000 to produce, enjoyed success. However, this may be attributed to it being the first postwar Chinese film rather than its intrinsic value as a film.^[12] Two years later, in 1962, Tang produced another film, Black Gold, with the same leads – Orchid Wong and Pan En.^[13] In fact, up to three other Chinese films were in the works, including College Student, set in  Nanyang University; Green Cameron Highlands, filmed in colour; and Cantonese comedy Thong San Ah Shook (“China Uncle”).^[14] Altogether, six films were produced by Tang under Cathay-Keris, but these failed because he was unable to develop clear storylines nor handle the large-scale productions.^[15]

In March 2008, Lion City was screened along with four other favourites produced  during Singapore’s “golden era of movie-making in the 1950s and 1960s”. These films were shown at the Perspectives Film Festival – an annual event organised by undergraduates from the Nanyang Technological University’s Wee Kim Wee School of Communication and Information as their practicum.^[16]

References
1. Wee, M. (1959, December 21). Two new names. The Singapore Free Press, p. 7.; Melayu dlm filem China? (1959, June 26).  Berita Harian, p. 7.; Pelakun rupawan dari ibu kota persekutuan.  (1959, December 18). Berita Harian, p. 7. Retrieved from NewspaperSG; Millet, R. (2006). Singapore cinema (p. 56). Singapore: Editions Didier Millet. Call no.: RSING q791.43095957 MIL.
2. Millet, 2006, p. 56.; Abdul Majid.  (1959, July 24). ‘Dandan Setia’ mula di-bikin.  Berita Harian, p. 7. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
3. Cathay-Keris Film Productions. (1960). 狮子城 (Lion City). [Hand bill]. Retrieved from Asian Film Archive. Note: The hanyu pinyin versions of the characters' names are used here, in keeping with the subtitles of the restored film.
4. The Singapore Free Press, 21 Dec 1959, p. 7; Rising star Orchid acts in a new Malayan film. (1962, July 15). The Straits Times, p. 5. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
5. Cheah, P. (1984, July 2). Can S’pore build a film industry? Singapore Monitor, p. 16. Retrieved from NewspaperSG; Millet, 2006, p. 56.
6. 800 seek roles in four S’pore films. (1959, July 19). The Straits Times, p. 5. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
7. Millet, 2006, p. 56; The Straits Times, 19 Jul 1959, p. 5.
8. Film premiere. (1960, November 26). The Straits Times, p. 4; Che Yusof at ‘Lion City’ premiere. (1960, December 7). The Straits Times, p. 4. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
9. Cinema treat for 40 York Hill girls. (1960, November 28). The Straits Times, p. 4. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
10. The Straits Times, 28 Nov 1960, p. 4.
11. Page 4 Advertisements Column 3. (1961, March 1). The Straits Times, p. 4. Retrieved from NewspaperSG.
12. Singapore Monitor, 2 Jul 1984, p. 16.
13. The Straits Times, 15 Jul 1962, p. 5.
14. The Straits Times, 19 Jul 1959, p. 5; Berita Harian, 24 Jul 1959, p. 7.
15. Singapore Monitor, 2 Jul 1984, p. 16.
16. Neubronner, E. (2008, March 24). Film fest is part of school work. The Straits Times, p. 31. Retrieved from NewspaperSG; The Straits Times, 26 Mar 2008, p. 66; Perspectives Film Festival. (n.d.). About. Retrieved November 19, 2014, from Perspectives Film Festival website: http://perspectivesfilmfestival.com/about