殖邊外史 (1926): Besetzung, Handlung & Streaming

Released in 1926, 殖邊外史 is a drama film directed by Wang Yuan-Long, running about 80 minutes.

What it’s about. This partially-extant silent film focuses on the lives of people in rural China during the early twentieth century. Wang Guisheng (played by Wang Yuanlong) is an orphan who grew up at his uncle's, working as a farmhand. Since childhood, he has been close with his female cousin, Li Ah Zhen (played by Li Minghui), and they expect to marry. But when her mother dies of illness and overwork, Ah Zhen's father re-marries, and the evil stepmother connives to marry Ah Zhen off to the stepmother's nephew. Then a government representative comes to the village recruiting peasants to establish a new settlement on the borderlands, she persuades the despondent Guisheng to sign up. Guisheng leaves his love behind, only to find hardship on the frontier. Ah Zhen, who has fallen ill, is set upon by her groom on her wedding night...BUT the next morning his stabbed corpse is found in the bridal chamber and a body in a bridal gown is found down a well. WHAT HAS HAPPENED?!?!?!?!!

Who’s in it. 殖邊外史 stars Minghui Li, Wang Yuan-Long, Wenzhu Zhou and Cilong Wang, among others.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch 殖邊外史 page.

If you liked it. Fans of 殖邊外史 tend to enjoy Die Verurteilten, Der Pate, Schindlers Liste and Der Pate - Teil II.