Ren Pengnian 任彭年(1894-1968.2.23) . Director. Native of Shanghai. Trained at the Anglo-Chinese Book Guild, then joined the Shanghai Commercial Press at age 16. In 1918, transferred to the
Commercial Press's new Motion Picture Division. Directed first film in 1919, a two-reel comedy titled "The Gambler." In 1921, Ren directed his first feature film, the highly successful "Yan Ruisheng" for the China Shadow Play Research Society. In 1926, started the Orient Film Company, to direct "The Worker's Wife." Became one of China's first generation of swordsman film directors in 1928, when he formed the Bright Moon film studio and directed its 13 part serial "Northeast Hero." (His future wife and business partner Wu Lizhu, had the female lead, becoming one of the first swordswomen heroines.) In 1935, directed the anti-Japanese film "Dark Violence," after which he returned to directing such martial arts epics as the six-part "Mistress of the Spear." As did many in the Chinese film community, Ren and Wu left Shanghai after the Japanese invasion, arriving eventually in Hong Kong, where they remained after the war. In Hong Kong, Ren became known for making Cantonese dialect martial arts and sword films in both classical and modern settings and usually featuring the martial exploits of heroines, with Wu Lizhu often cast in the lead role. After being semi-retired in the 1950s, Ren and Wu in 1960 resurrected the Bright Moon studio to make such movies as " Three Covert Female Investigators" and "Flying Heroine Huang Yingqiao Cracks the Diamond Theft Case." Their working partnership usually took the form of Ren Pengnian producing and directing the movie, with Wu Lizhu editing and often starring. Wu Lizhu retired after making her final screen appearance in 1961 and Ren Pengnian's last directing effort was in 1963, after which he also retired.
[Further information, with clips, at Kung Fu Cinema's Electric Shadows blog]
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Ren Pengnian's Filmography:
1919:
The Gambler
A Dilemma
1920:
The Li Family's Young Master
Railway Robbers
Look Back in Anger
Mining Gold in Barren Hills
1921:
Winning First Prize
He's No Fool
Servant Girl
The Fool Catches the Thief
Yan Ruisheng (also actor)
1922:
Fallen Lotus
The Loser
Dream of a Taoist Priest
Filial Woman
The Good Brother
1923:
Patriotic Umbrella
For Righteousness
The Predestined
1925:
A Fatal Love
Stepmother's Tears
1926:
The Worker's Wife
1927:
Eight Beauties of Jiaxing [place in Zhejiang province] (co-directed)
1928:
Zhu Ziguo [a personal name]
Di Qing Disturbs the Multicolored Building
Fang Shiyu's [i.e. Fong Sai Yuk's] Battle in the Boxing Ring
1928-1931:
Northeast Hero (pts. 1-13)
1929:
Violence on Mount Wutai
Wandering Swordsman of Mount Wan
Tongtian River
1930:
We Met in the Bandits' Lair
1931:
The Flying General
Heroine Black Peony
1931-32:
Mistress of the Spear (pts.1-6)
1933:
Ruffian Husband
Her Heart
Bloody Text
A Secret Chart
Vicious Neighbors (aka Greedy Neighbors)
1934:
The Man Behind the Curtain
1935:
Dark Violence
1939:
Millions of People all of one Mind
1940:
The Fantastic Knight
Flying Tiger (also writer)
1941:
Woman Bodyguard (also writer)
Women in Combat (aka The Filial Daughters' Revenge)
Songstress Red Peony (actor)
1947:
Woman Bodyguard, pt.2 (also writer)
Female Spy No. 76 (also writer)
Lady Robin Hood (also writer)
1948:
The Inner World of Secret Agents
The Heroine
A Fortress Besieged (aka: United as One)
Heroic Copper Hammer Battles Madame Nine Flowers, pts.1,2 (also writer)
1949:
New Northeast Hero
The Woman Bodyguard's Three Battles with the Whip-Master
Mysterious Heroine (also writer)
1956:
Madam Yong Chunsan and Hong Heiguan
1958:
Huang Feihong [i.e. Wong Fei Hong] and his Wife Overcome Three Villains
1960:
Three Covert Female Investigators
1961：
Flying Heroine Huang Yingqiao Cracks the Diamond Theft Case
Three Northeast Heroines
Flower-Strewing Heroine, pts.1,2
Three Kunlun Mountain Heroines Battle Night Raiders for the People
1962:
The Snake-Girl and the Flying Monster (also writer)
The Reincarnated Beauty
1963:
The Tigress' Adventures in the Capital, pts.1,2
