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New Friend
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Wikipedia article
'New Friend' was the first Singaporean film shot entirely in Singapore and Malaya. It was produced by Nanyang Low Pui-kim's Self-made 'Motion Picture Company' (), in association with Low Pui-kim (, 1902 to 1959), who served as the producer and Kwok Chiu-man (), who was both the director and cinematographer. The film production company originally planned to produced its second film production , silent movie "()", however, as the film production company was closed on 10 May 1927, this film is pending.Singapore "Nanyang Siang Pau ()", 10 May 1927, Tuesday, page 3 ().
The silent film 'New Friend' ('') is a melodrama about a newly arrived Chinese immigrant to Singapore. It was first screened in Singapore at the Victoria Theatre () on 4 March for a public test,Singapore "Nanyang Siang Pau ()", 1 March 1927, Tuesday, page 21 (). entertained more than 500 guests, just showed 6 reels of film, two erotic dances (Chinese sword dance and Malay butterfly dancer) were also shown in the showed film.Singapore "Nanyang Siang Pau ()", 7 March 1927, Monday, page 3 (). Its official premiere was at Marlborough Pub and Theatre () on Beach Road (), and Gaiety Picture Place (), the cinema was located in front of a Chinese temple - "()", the junction between Albert Street () and Bencoolen Street (), Singapore. After public showing in Singapore, it was reported that it used another Chinese film title as "()", released in the "Chung Wo Cinema ()" in Kau U Fong (), Hong Kong, from 29 April 1927, Friday to 2 May 1927, Monday, totally four days, so it is the first film production of Singapore, and the first export film production too.Singapore "Nanyang Sin-Chew Lianhe Zaobao ()", 9 April 2017, Sunday, a Chinese article "90 years of local movie (90)" by Professor Foo Tee Tuan (), Singapore University of Social Sciences (SUSS).
Erotic dances in the film
the film has two erotic dances:
* 17 years old Shanghai sexy actress Ms. Chen Meng-ju () wore ancient Chinese dress to perform Chinese sword dance. Taiwanese scholar believed that she is the principal actor Mr. Cheng Chao-jen ()'s real wife Ms. Chou Tsing Hwa ();Taiwan "Republican Literature and Cultural Studies ()", volume 3 (), December, page 218,
* Singapore Cantonese actress Ms. Wee Mong-may (), she was dishevelled, and showed off her neck and arms, performed Malay style butterfly dance.Nangaen Chearavanont "Movie Stories" (January 2014), , page 47.
Cast
* Cheng Chao-jen ( ()) as a new immigrant Sham Hwa-kueng () who is a poor orphan from Republic of China;
* Tan Chee-eng () as Tiew Tin-shek (), the owner of the "Sin Teik Seng () rubber firm" in Malaya, and the father of two children: unruly Tiew Wai-ching () and naughty son Tiew Sinh-min ();
* Wo Ying () as Er (), she is Tiew Tin-shek ()s wife, the parent of two children, unruly Tiew Wai-ching () and naughty Tiew Sinh-min ();
* Luk Chao-yuk () as Tiew Wai-ching ();
* child actor Tan Ping-fan () as Tiew Sinh-min (), a naughty prepubescent child;
* Wan Tuan-nam () as Low Pak-tin (), the owner of "Chun Yuan () rubber plantation" in Singapore;
* Wan Cheng () as Ngai (), Low Pak-tin ()s wife, they have an only daughter Low Kit-yuk ();
* Wee Mong-may () as Low Kit-yuk (), she is Low Pak-tin ()s daughter, she performed a provocative Malay dance with disheveled hair and naked elbows;
* Tam Min-hing () as native hooligan Kim Fook-sing (), he is an English clerk of Tiew Tin-shek ()s rubber firm;
* I Chih () as Chao () as Kim Fook-sing ()s mother;
* Hong Siu-pak () as Hong Tsz-ming (), he is the Chinese clerk of Tiew Tin-shek ()s rubber firm;
* Hsiao Chien () as prostitute Yuk-kuen (), an abandoned sexual partner of Kim Fook-sing ();
* Fong Chee-tam () as Chao Ping (), a known hooligan who is also good friends with Kim Fook-sing ();
* Tan Chong-eng () as an old farmer Chew Ah ();
* Chen Meng-ju () as a social butterfly Hua Ai-hung (), she performed a swords dance with an ancient costume in the film;
* Chew Chee-peng () as guest A.
* Tiew Cheng-hwa () as guest B.
Synopsis
Sham Hwa-kueng () is a poor orphan from the Republic of China who moves to Malaysia hoping for a better life. He stays at his rich uncle Tiew Tin-shek ()s residence.
Tiew operated a rubber firm in Muar, Malaysia. His family is composed of his wife, Ngai (), eldest daughter Tiew Wai-ching () and a son Tan Ping-fan ().
Sham is appointed into the rubber firm as a trainee. Tiew 's children like to play tricks on Sham because he doesnt know Nanyang custom.
Meanwhile, the English clerk Kim Fook-sing (), the antagonist, is making trouble. He wants to marry Tiew's daughter for Tiew's family wealth. However, she prefers Sham.
One day, Kim finds Wai-ching playing the piano in the sitting room, harmonizing with Sham's Chinese flute. Kim becomes angry because of this, and decides to play a trick on Sham, so he tries to force him to resign his post, and move to Singapore. Wai-ching realizes that Kim is a playboy and hooligan, so she goes to Singapore, and studies in a girls high school with her local friend Low Kit-yuk (). Low falls in love with Sham.
Kim successfully persuades Tiew to let him marry Wai-ching. She refuses her dads decision, and escapes into the jungle, where Kim catches her with the help of his hooligan friend Chao Ping (). Sham enters the jungle to save her and fights a python and crocodile for her.
Eventually, Sham fought Kim and Chao and defeated them. In an attempt to escape but they end up driving off a cliff. Wai-ching marries Sham Hwa-kueng in the end.Nangaen Chearavanont "Film Stories (Bangkok, Hong Kong, Singapore, Canton, San Francisco.)" (April 2013), , page 33 to 34.
References
* Low Pui-kim (, 1902 to March 1959) "The stories of Low Pui-kim back to motherland ()" (December 1926), Shanghai: San Min Company () (Shanghai, Republic of China)
* Fang Hsiu (, 9 February 1922 to 4 March 2010) "The eighth collection of New Literacy in Malaysian Chinese Society (8)", volume one of "Theater movement ()" (April 1972), (Singapore)
* Raphael Millet "Singapore Cinema" (November 2006), (Singapore)
* Chong Tao-tao Pheona () "Discussions of the first Singapore Chinese-language film, Xinke (New Immigrant) ()" (2012), Singapore: Nanyang Technological University ()
* [https://books.google.com/books?id=hfiPLNqjQssC&hl=zh-TW&source=gbs_navlinks_s Nangaen Chearavanon t (Tse Yin) "Film Stories"] (April 2013), Chapter 4 (Page 29 to 36),
* [http://nthur.lib.nthu.edu.tw/retrieve/112643/201_JA06_2013_p5_p45.pdf Chinese academic article: Dr. Hee Wai-Siam () "New Immigrant: On the first locally produced film in Singapore and Malaya" from "Tsing Hua Journal of Chinese Literature ()" (June, 2013, Number 9)]
* [https://books.google.com/books?id=kE_eAgAAQBAJ&dq=Tse+Yin+Movie+Stories&hl=zh-TW&source=gbs_navlinks_s Nangaen Chearavanont (Tse Yin) "Movie Stories"] (January 2014), Chapter 3 (Page 22, 38 to 47),
* "Republican Literature and Cultural Studies ()", Taiwan "Showwe ()", volume 3 (), page 197 to 223 (December 2016).
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