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Subtitles taken from Andrew F. Jones: http://mclc.osu.edu/rc/pubs/angel/default.htm
Edited by SocraticTruths
Mingxing (Star) Production
Street Angel Mingxing (Star) Film Company Production
Cinematographer Wu Yinxian
Scenery Ma Shouhong
Sound Lu Yinkeng
Stage Manager Liu Tuotian
Script Jian Banli
Film Developing Gu Youmin
Film Developing Chen Futing
Film Editing Jian Xiaozhang
Music Tian Han
Additional Music He Luting
Musician Lin Zhiyin
Musician Huang Hejun
Musician Qin Pengzhang
Musician Chen Zhong
Cast In order of appearance
Musician Zhao Dan
Newspaper seller Wei Heling
Singing Girl Zhou Xuan
Qin Player *** Jiting
Gangster Feng Zhicheng
Henchman Chen Yiting
Barbershop Worker Qian Qianli
Barbershop Owner Tang Chaofu
Young Peddler Shen Jun
Unemployed Person Qiu Yuanyuan
Young Widow Yuan Shaomei
*** Zhao Huishen
Brothel Madam Liu Jinyu
Lawyer Sun Jing
Misfortunate Man Xie Jun
Misfortunate Woman Liu Liying
Police Officer Han Yun
Rent Collector Li Dizhi
Dandy Yao Ping
Car Driver Yuan Aye
Writer and Director Yuan Muzhi
Autumn 1935
Autumn 1935 In the world of Shanghai's underclass.
Xiaohong. Come here.
Where have you been?
Such a big girl, and still so wild!
- What should she sing? - Sing whatever you like.
How about the "Song of the Seasons?"
- Fine
Spring comes, and the window fills with green.
A maiden sits by the window embroidering a pair of mandarin ducks.
Suddenly, a heartless blow
Splits the ducks in two
Summer comes and the willow fronds grow long
The maiden has been blown south of the river
The scenery's lovely all over the land
But how can it compare to the green gauzy sorghum at home?
Autumn comes and the lotus flowers are sweet
The maiden dreams of home night after night
When she wakes up she doesn't see the faces of her mom and dad
Just the moonlight shining at the foot of the bed
Winter comes and snow flurries down
When winter clothes are ready I'll send them to my man
The great wall built of blood and flesh is long
Would that I could be the ancient Meng Jiang
This girl sings pretty well.
You really like her?
- Sure do. - I know the musician...Old ***!
Oh! Old Chen.
- When did you get here? - Please sit down.
- Let me introduce you to Mr. Gu. You know, the Mr. Gu.
- Oh! The Mr. Gu.
I've been wanting to meet Mr. Gu for a long time.
Mr. Gu likes your sing-song girl.
Oh, really? I'll call her over here. Xiao Hong, come here!
- Say hello to Mr. Gu. - Mr. Gu.
Not bad!
Sit, take a seat.
- Hey, Lu. - Hey, you scared me there.
- Whats up? - You're such a scaredy pants!
- You're half done? - Yeah, half done.
Nice smell, nice smell
- Hey boss, how's business? - Just so-so.
OK, OK, enough shaving heads already. Let's go to my place and have some fun.
OK, OK.
I'm going out for a while. Do a good, careful job on him.
You don't want to mess up his whole head.
Peaceful Lane
- Monster, you scared him! - Don't be afraid, don't be afraid.
The little darling heard your trumpet from far off in the distance, so he knew you were on your way home.
Oh? What a good baby!
Are Uncle's Chen's foreign clothes nice-looking?
Ugly, aren't they?
Does Uncle Chen look like a foreign soldier?
What do you think, baby? I'll do some military drills for you to see, OK?
Just watch me! A one and a two and a one and a two.
Halt!
Little darling, let Uncle Chen hold you.
I won't hold him... I won't. Let me kiss him instead.
Don't let him kiss you.
Don't let him kiss you. Don't let him do it. He's got bad breath, isn't that right?
She's gone downstairs.
The landlady seems to have a little thing for you.
'He's got bad breath, don't let him kiss you, don't let him do it.' ha ha ha
Ugh, lots of little hairs.
- So Chen, how does she know if you have bad breath or not? - Get out of here!
Like a foreign soldier indeed! Would a foreign soldier have only this much left of his shirt?
OK, enough already. If you can't talk, then try not to talk so much, OK?
- He found that picture - Let's hang it up
- OK, but let me write something on it as a commemoration first. - I'll write.
Bring me a brush.
Chen, how do you write the character for "difficulty" in the phrase "Sharing prosperity and difficulty together?"
Idiot! Can't even write the character for 'difficult'. I'm on my way.
One, two, three. Three idiots!
- Let me do it. - OK, You do it.
together...
shared.
Have...
difficulty
Difficulty...difficulty...difficulty...
Difficulty...difficulty...
***, how do you write the character for difficult?
Isn't 'difficulty' easy? It's about the same as the character for chicken.
One side looks like the character 'beauty', as in talented scholar and beautiful maiden...
and the other side is like the "hai" in Shanghai. Oh, no...
like the "jin" in Tianjin... no, that's not right either.
Slow down...
'Difficult'...'Difficult'
It's on the tip of my tongue.
That's right, I remember.
It was in yesterday's paper.
"The nation faces difficulties, so everyone must stand up and take responsibility."
See, look here, isn't this half of the character beauty in 'talented scholar and beauty'?
But, that's not half of the 'jin' in Tianjin and it isn't half of the 'hai' in Shanghai.
It's the 'Han' half of Hankou.
It's like a place name alright, but you got the wrong place.
Great. Here, take it.
Hey, look, telegram for you!
Be quiet. Hide. Time for some tricks!
Xiao Hong!
[pointing to a bird house]
Look how dirty it is
Such a big girl and you can't even do something as simple as that.
All you know how to do is eat!
What do you think of what I was just telling you? What do you think?
Haven't I told you already? I don't have any money.
That's what you always... oh, oh, a little temper, huh?
You know as well as I do how Gu gets around Shanghai.
It wasn't easy to get a chance to meet him,
now that I have, I better have a drink with him and talk things over.
Come on, quick, give me the money.
Skulking around,
just like a ghost!
Not even a simple 3 tile straight! Old Liu, you go ahead and play for me.
I might as well go home to sleep.
Why do you run away whenever you see me? I did nothing wrong.
It was just that we weren't careful enough and the old lady found about us.
She was jealous, she beat you, but what could I say about it, don't you think...
Oh! You two are up to your tricks again. No wonder I lost money last night.
Shameless ***!
You leave with an empty pocketbook and come back empty too!
Shameless ***! Get lost!
"Sing-song Girl at the Ends of the Earth"
To the ends of the earth, oh, to the edge of the sea
I seek, oh, seek the soulmate who understands my song
This little sister sings
and her man plays along
You and I are of the same heart
Aiya aiyo...
You and I are of one heart
Toward the mountains of home, oh, I gaze to the north
>Tears, oh, tears wet my robe
I long for my lover man even now
My man, oh, through hard times our love runs deep
My man, oh through hard times our love runs deep
In life, oh, who doesn't...
treasure their youth?
This little sister is like a thread, and you are the needle
We're threaded together and we'll never part
Aiya aiyo...
We're threaded together and we'll never part
Hey, hey, we're here.
Hey, you look very handsome. Like a young man under twenty.
- Oh, come on. - Really. All done yet?
- Finished? - Finished.
- Any tip? - No.
***.
One dan of rice for one yuan!
Two dan of rice for one yuan!
One dan of rice for one yuan! Do you want to buy?
Will you buy if I drop the price? Two dan of rice for one yuan!
What else will you have?
Bring a sauteed tripe, A deep-fried kidney, and some stir-fried shrimp.
Anything else?
- We'll see if it's enough after it comes. - Very good!
[Waiter shoos the eavesdropping fruit seller away]
I saw it. I saw it with my own eyes.
they bought the fabric, and then went to a restaurant for some snacks.
I followed them up there too, until the waiter made me go downstairs.
I saw Xiao Hong. She looked really happy.
She was really happy when that fat guy bought her the fabric too.
I knew that fat guy was up to no good the minute I saw him.
That's why I had Ah Bing [the fruit seller] tail him... Wasn't I right?
Enough already! If you can't speak, then shut up already.
- What do you want? - Aaah... Look.
Stand still!
- Xiao Hong, I hate you! - I hate you too!
- You shouldn't have... - Who says I should have or shouldn't have.
- Let me go! - I won't let you go!
- I'm going anyway! - Ok, then just make sure never to come back!
Let go of me! Let go! Let go!
What are you doing?
Put that down. You can't drink anymore!
Just let me be.
I'm too upset now. Just let me be.
No way. You aren't much of a drinker in the first place and you've already had more than enough. Put it down!
Let me be. If you don't want to drink then don't drink, but leave me alone....
Look at you. You're drunk already.
Come down here. Come on!
Xiao Hong, there's a customer calling. What's wrong with you?
Come down! You're ignoring us?
Hey Chen...
I told her to come down, so why won't she come down?
- Chen... - I want her to come down.
- I want her to sing one for us. - Chen...
Right, right, right.
Xiao Hong, didn't you hear what the customer said? Why don't you come down and sing one?
What should we sing?
How about "Sing-song Girl at the Ends of the Earth?"
Come down quick!
To the ends of the earth, oh, to the edge of the sea
I seek, oh, seek the soulmate who understands my song
This little sister sings, and her man plays along
You and I are of the same heart
Aiya aiyo... you and I are of one heart
The mountains of home, oh, I gaze to the north
Tears, oh, tears wet my robe
This little sister longs for her lover man even now.
My man, oh, through hard times our love runs deep... (more song)
He's upset. It's nothing to do with you.
I'm sorry.
- No need to see me out - That's OK
- Farewell - Come back anytime and we'll have more fun...
- Go back in - Go back in, I'll escort him out
There's something I forgot to ask your madam about just now.
Come on in!
Madam...
There's something I want to talk about with you, but it's awkward.
But since I just had some wine, here goes.
Since you've shown me so much respect, here's a little money for you to go shopping with.
- Stay a while, sit down. - No hurry.
I need to go to the Carefree Palace. [a wine house or brothel]
- You stay. Bye-bye - Goodbye
Sister, what can we do?
Ask him?
I don't want to.
No, I don't want to...
Which *** is at the door?
You?
Lucky for us you still have time to look us up.
Or are you looking for that piece of pretty fabric?
OK, OK, Xiao Hong, I'm sorry. Xiao Hong, forgive me.
OK, OK, Xiao Hong. Don't cry, Xiao Hong, don't cry.
I'm sorry. It's all my fault.
Please take it out on me, OK? Xiao Hong.
It's all my fault.
Xiao Hong, don't cry. Xiao Hong.
Don't cry, Xiao Hong.
Xiao Hong. Xiao Hong.
Xiao Hong, answer me! ...
You don't hate me, do you Xiao Hong?
I don't...
If my sister hadn't made me come, I would have never come to see you again.
Your sister?
Was it your sister who sent you over here?
Yeah. That man who took me to buy fabric and eat out that time, he came to our place again today.
He was talking about me in mom's room. I heard them.
I saw him give some money to ma. They're selling me for sure.
- He gave her money? - Money? - Yes!
Don't worry, Xiao Hong. There's still time to figure a way out.
Come on.
Sit down here. We'll help you think up a solution, OK?
But will you treat me a little better?
- Give me a smile... - Hmmph.
Give me a smile. You won't smile? OK then...
Hey, come look!
[They look at newspaper headline which reads: Madam tried in court. 'Daughter' sues madam, with client as backer.]
So we could sue too!
That's just what I mean.
But how do you go about suing someone?
I'm not too sure about the details either.
That makes it harder.
Hey, look!
[tears another newspaper from the wall, with an ad for a lawyer's office]
- What do you say we go see this one? - OK, let's go right away.
Are you feeling better?
- That wasn't much of an illness anyway. - OK, then. Let's go together.
But how can we go like this? [indicates their tattered clothing]
No problem. I can wear my nice uniform.
I'll say that I work at the Customs House. What do you say?
And me...?
You? Hmmm.
You can be my chauffeur! You be my chauffeur!
Look, she's laughing.
- Laugh, laugh, laugh - I did not laugh
You didn't laugh? Does he look like my chauffeur or not?
[In a lawyer's office in a skyscraper] Look, we're already standing above the clouds!
- This is really heaven. - That's for sure...
Heaven seems hotter than it was at home.
Warm alright. ...
Mr Fang is in.
Please have a seat.
What do you have to say? Have you come to file a complaint?
No, we've come to sue.
Filing a complaint means to sue.
Yes, yes, we've come to file a complaint.
So what do you have to tell me?
He's my chauffeur. His, his...
There's someone in his family...
Not my family!
Oh, yes, right, right,
one of his relatives, who...
Not one of my relatives either!
Well, then who is it?
It's about a, a neighbor.
I'm sorry but according our established practice, we charge five ounces of silver for an hour of consultation,
fifteen for a legal document,
one hundred to arrange for a hearing in court,
and five hundred for an appearance in court to represent a case.
I think perhaps you need to reconsider.
- How much money is five hundred ounces of silver? - So it costs money to bring a lawsuit! Damn!
So what do we do now?
Don't panic. We'll think of something eventually. ...
[*** finds a newspaper headline that reads, "Escaped Criminal Apprehended," and tears off the character for escape]
What about this idea? ...
Xiao Hong, come here.
- No, no, that's not a good way.
Silly, you have us, so what are you worried about?
- And we have lots of friends willing to help out. - That's right. We have lots of 'brothers-in-arms.'
Quick. You go back first, and a little later, we'll help you escape across the 'bridge' across the alley.
Go back.
It's no good.
Don't worry. If anything goes wrong, we can find our 'brothers' to help us out.
- They'll help us out for sure. - Shhh!
Escaping...
...means she'll be living together with me!
Don't cry.
Go along with them.
They're all good people and they'll never treat you bad.
But what about you, sister?
Me?
They all dislike me. They look down on me. I know.
Why don't you come with us?
No.
You're the one who's always out gambling and now you want to blame me?
Do you really want a man to take care of domestic affairs?
Don't put on airs with me. You think you could live on music alone?
The money I gamble with is my own.
And you're the one who's been teaching that girl to sing and taking her around to the wine houses.
She's your responsibility!
Fine, fine, let's not waste our breath on this anymore.
Are you thinking about moving over to my side?
Our place is better, you know. We face south and the rooms are bigger.
It's strange but last night those two scoundrels moved out on the sly.
No conscience, them. But that trumpet player is a nice man!
What trumpet player? I've never seen him.
Don't pay any attention to that. You ought to be asking Xiao Yun about this. She must know.
Otherwise why would she want to go across the lane.
Ask her. You'll see if I'm right or not.
- And you...? [Catching sight of Xiao Yun] - Cheap ***!
No wonder you... Stop right there!
Where do you think you're going? Get in here!
Then I'll be off to tell Old Gu...
Close the door!
Come here!
If you don't tell me the truth, I'll kill you right here and now.
Take off your clothes.
Did you hear me?
Take off all your clothes.
Quicker!
Old Gu, would you like to eat a snack after your bath or have something to eat now?
Hungry again, huh?
- Is Mr. Gu here? - He's here. Just arrived.
Mr. Gu. So you're here.
I've been looking all over for you. It's terrible! Something terrible happened to our family.
That little girl of mine, Xiao Hong. Last night, she suddenly ran away.
She ran away?
- Is it almost done? - Just about, almost done.
- Forget it! I can't stand sitting here anymore! - But I'm almost finished...
Xiao Hong, look what I bought you. I know you'll like it, look!
Give it to me! Don't curl my hair!
- When did you get this? Why didn't you tell me? - I've been carrying it for the last few days.
***, how come you're always pasting newspaper on the wall?
This broken down old wall, I can't stand looking at it.
What do you think we should give to Xiao Hong?
I think, I think I'll give her a comb.
- What about us? - I hadn't thought of that.
Xiao Hong, here's a comb for you.
- I don't want this broken old comb. - Hey, why don't you give her your earring instead.
- OK - I don't want this earring.
But it's not intended for your ears. Put out your hand.
This is our engagement ring!
Congratulations! Look, look, here's our engagement ring.
Let's have a drink to celebrate!
It's not done yet. Why don't you drink it all.
Come on, drink up! ...
- Xiao Hong, you drink more too! - Oh. But I'm dizzy...
No matter. Who'll drink for Xiao Hong? Who's going to drink with Xiao Hong?
Old ***, why don't you have a drink with her?
Well, why don't you say something?
- I've already drank a lot. - That's right. Old *** is so happy tonight.
I've never seen him drink as much wine as he has tonight.
- Let's all be happy! - This...this...this...
- OK, enough already. If you can't talk, don't say anything at all. - Don't stop him. Everyone's so happy tonight.
Let him finish his sentence.
Ah...ah...Xiao...Xiao...Hong...
sing...something...sing a song.
That's the best thing you've said in your life!
Xiao Hong, go on, sing.
No, I'm dizzy. I don't want to sing.
- No, you just have to sing tonight. I'll go get my instrument. - Slow down. I won't sing unless you do a magic trick for me.
- Good idea, bravo! - Alright then, sure
Good.
This is the real stuff, no fooling around.
Here's another one.
It goes in this eye, it comes out from here. Now, go in!
Is that the real stuff or fooling around?
That one was called 'Silver Flying Away'
Do another one! Do another one!
OK, I'll do another one.
- What's that one called? - Shhh
- That was called 'Silver...' - I know, I know, I saw this in the paper yesterday.
[He points to a headline that reads: "Massive exports of silver [baiyin chukou] this past month"
It's called 'silver coming out of the mouth'
Correct.
"Massive export of silver!" Hey, get your Daily News, hey, get your Shanghai News, hey, get your Public Record, hey...
There's no business. What am I supposed to do?
We don't care if you don't have any business
You still ought to give us what you owe. I even pawned my earring.
If you don't pay, how will my children eat?
Look, I even pawned my earring.
We could certainly feed another mouth.
And Xiao Hong misses you a lot.
Why don't you run away too?
I think you should run away too.
I don't understand you.
And when night came and it was so quiet you couldn't hear a sound,
except the wind outside the windows sighing,
and the candle light flickered.
It was just then that
- the ghost came downstairs - Aiya!
All you could hear from the stairwell was a series of thumps...Listen!
Sister!
Did they send you here?
No.... Sister, here's some cool water.
- Chen, how could you... - Shut up!
She wasn't-
I don't care why she's here, but she shouldn't come sneaking over here in the middle of the night.
She shouldn't be sneaking over here where we live.
How did she know we live here anyway. Who told her?
You must have told her.
Does this woman live here?
Does this woman live here?
Yes she does.
I wasn't asking you!
What do you say?
Yes.
Sister, I'm going to go cook some rice. They should be coming home soon.
Oh? You're home already? Look, my new dress is finished.
Oh. It's pretty. Very nice.
What? You're going upstairs?
Oh, well, the wall up there is broken, so I wanted to cover it up with newspapers.
- Do we have any paste? - Yes.
I bought you some medicine.
From now on, you don't have to live the kind of life you've been living.
- Xiao Hong! - Shhh.
I can do that trick too.
Hey... I made up a new trick. Do you want me to show it to you?
This cup is full of red wine
and that one is full of green wine.
How about your rent?
Oh, right. I still have a dollar on me, why don't you take that?
- One dollar isn't enough. - Well, then, take this today and I'll give you more tomorrow.
OK.
Did you get their rent?
Yeah, he gave me one dollar.
Why did you take his dollar? Idiot!
Don't you know that foreign dollars aren't any good anymore?
Foreign dollars aren't any good? You must be joking.
You don't get it. From today forward, anyone who uses foreign dollars could be prosecuted.
- Prosecuted? - Give it to me. I'll give it back to him.
Mr. Chen, can you exchange this for a paper bill?
What for? It's not as if foreign dollars are made of bronze.
No, foreign dollars aren't any good anymore. Didn't you hear about it?
No good anymore? You're joking. Then give it back to me.
- Do you have paper money? - No.
Well, OK then.
Let me go, I can't move.
I need to cook the rice.
Don't worry. I'll make the rice appear in the glass.
- I don't believe it. - You don't believe it? Then close your eyes.
What was that noise?
Uh...uh...uh... It was the landlord.
Uh, he says foreign dollars aren't any good anymore.
How could that be? Foreign dollars.
Hey, how did you get upstairs?
Why are you home so early?
Me? I...
Damn! That must mean that rents are going up again.
- Who was that talking? - That was the boss of the barber shop next door.
I was just looking for you.
What about your rent? Are you planning to pay or not?
- Who are you? - I am the rent collection agent.
- It used to be someone else. - There's been a change in management.
I'll be the collector from now on.
The new owner is concerned that you pay the three months of rent that you owe, within three days.
If not, we'll request that you vacate.
Within three days?
- Damn - Boss, what's the problem?
Why's he in such a temper this time?
OK, OK. You'll have to hurry up and find jobs elsewhere. We're closing up shop here!
Closing? Closing?
- Closing? - Closing?
Closing
Don't. Don't cry.
Take my hat. Don't cry.
I have a way to prevent your boss from having to close.
You two come with me!
Hey! Big sale going on here! Hey! Come quick! Quick! Big sale here!
Hey! Big sale!
Two heads shaved for the price of one!
Hey! Shave a big head and get a small one free!
Let me through. Let me through.
Here's one with hair!
- Make way! ... - ***!
I came to collect debts from the boss, not get my head shaved!
Help! Help!
You'll be done soon.
The way they shave people is just like catching a pig.
We'll be done in a moment.
Don't worry. With us three shaving, you'll be done in a flash.
Help! Help...
***! ...
I'm sorry, I'm sorry.
Damn...Damn.
I'm sorry!
Damn you! Damn You!
[For Rent]
I already found out where they live!
So have you seen that girl inside?
I haven't seen her exactly, but she has to be there.
It couldn't have been a coincidence that the moment she escaped,
that little devil moved out too.
And, I noticed a long time ago
how the two of them sometimes carried on.
What do you think we should do, Mr. Gu?
Just say the word and we'll take care of it.
OK, let's go have a look tomorrow.
Damn.
What should we do? Those two haven't come back yet either.
Oh-ho! I've finally found you out!
Tell me where Xiao Hong is.
Tell me!
Damn you! Say it! Quick. Tell me!
Cheap ***!
Hold on a second. Put that down.
You want to kill me huh?
Well, I'll kill you first!
Now tell me, where is she?
Right. We should go up and have a look.
Keep an eye on her, Old Gu.
She must have escaped that way.
Cheap ***!
Old Gu...Old Gu!
Old Gu?
Old Gu! Could it be that he's setting us up to take the fall?
Think about it. Am I right or am I wrong?
- Don't try to stop me! - Don't do it!
- Why not? - What are you going for?
- I'm going to fight. - Is it worth it?
- What do you mean by that? ... What are you saying? - Is it worth fighting for that kind of woman?
"Together through prosperity and difficulty"
Old ***, I'm sorry.
Chen!
Chen, where do you think you're going?
I'll go find her for you. I'll...
Calm down!
This isn't some kind of game.
Xiao Yun! Xiao Yun!
Are you injured? Xiao Yun! Aiya! Are you injured?
Old *** is back!
Quick! You all look after her and I'll go find a doctor.
Sister!
Xiao Yun. Xiao Yun, Xiao Yun...
Xiao Yun, I'm sorry. Can you forgive me?
We all share the same miserable fate.
What does forgiveness mean anyway?
Sister!
Don't be sad, Xiao Yun.
Rest easy.
*** has already gone to get you a doctor.
A doctor?
Old ***?
Old *** is a real friend...
Old ***...
Is that him coming back?
No, that's not him. That's just the policeman on the night beat.
- Old *** will be back any moment now. - Police?
Police? What's he coming here for?
To arrest people?
To arrest me?
To arrest him?
- Arrest him! ... Arrest him! - Xiao Yun
- Xiao Yun. - Let him go.
- Xiao Yun - Aiya!
Xiao Yun, it's OK, nothing is happening.
Your eyes are playing tricks on you, Xiao Yun. Xiao Yun...
Let him go!
Release him.
He's a good man.
He helps poor people.
Ants.
Ants... Ants.
Sister!
She's gone to sleep.
Are you tired? You...
Not enough money. The doctor wouldn't come.