THE ORPHAN OF THE STORM (1929) Podcast |Cinema Gem

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Xue Zhong Gu Chu (English: An Orphan in the Snow) is a 1929 Chinese silent drama film directed and written by Zhang Huimin, produced by the Shanghai Shadow Play Company. The film tells the story of Hu Chunmei, a young woman trapped in an arranged marriage to a mentally challenged husband and subjected to cruelty by her in-laws. Escaping into the winter night, she is rescued by a wealthy young man, Yang Dapeng, but soon finds herself cast out again and ultimately imprisoned by her former in-laws—until Yang rescues her in a dramatic snowy climax.

Blending melodrama with social commentary, the film reflects late-1920s Shanghai cinema’s focus on the struggles of women in a rigidly patriarchal society. Its emotional storytelling, popular cast—including Wang Renmei and Zhang Zhiyun—and snowy rural settings made it a standout among Chinese silent features of the time.