The lyrical epic of Vietnamese cinema

Referring to the film “The Wild Field”, Dr. Ngo Phuong Lan, President of the Vietnam Association for the Promotion of Cinema Development, said that this is one of the rare Vietnamese films that shows the almost perfect beauty from the screenwriter to the director, cinematographer and music; most notably the excellent acting of two former movie stars: People's Artist Lam Toi (as Ba Do), actress Thuy An (as Sau Xoa, Ba Do's wife). The film was written by writer Nguyen Quang Sang, directed by People's Artist Nguyen Hong Sen, and composed by musician Trinh Cong Son. The film “The Wild Field” premiered on April 30, 1979, and later won many prestigious awards such as the Golden Lotus Award at the Vietnam Film Festival in 1980, and the gold medal at the Moscow International Film Festival in 1981.

For nearly half a century, every time the movie "Wild Field" is shown, the audience seems to once again contemplate the heroic times of the nation and the love for their homeland and country.

An impressive image in the movie "The Wild Field". Photo archive

Behind the success of "The Wild Field" are the silent contributions of the film crew with many untold stories. The film was made over half a year, in the middle of the immense flood waters of Dong Thap Muoi . The production crew of more than 100 people worked hard day and night to create footage that will last forever. Mr. Duong Minh Hoang, Deputy Director of the film, shared: "The Wild Field" was made in extremely difficult and deprived circumstances, with an estimated budget of less than 300,000 VND but had to spend on everything, such as renting a helicopter, food, actor expenses, and props. The crew ate and slept temporarily in abandoned houses, or a little "happier" in schools for months, but everyone was still happy and optimistic."

Meritorious Artist, cinematographer Bang Phong, assistant cinematographer of “The Wild Field”, said: “At that time, there was only one camera, there was no walkie-talkie, to film many scenes at the same time, the crew had to make an appointment with the actors in advance and rely on signs or symbols to mark, only then would the scenes take place at the same time”. Talking about memories, cinematographer Bang Phong remembers most the classic scene when two helicopters were hovering in the sky, Ba Do and his wife had to put their child in a plastic bag, tie the bag’s mouth and submerge it in water to hide it. “This scene was rehearsed on the shore, in a dry place, to calculate the shot in advance. Then, when they actually went into the water, the cameraman set up the camera exactly the same and only did it once, not repeatedly like other scenes because this was a special scene, the child was only over 10 months old at that time”, Meritorious Artist Bang Phong said.

The “child actor” who made his film debut at that time was Nguyen Van Thuan, the nephew of director Hong Sen. This is also a classic scene in the film, making the audience’s heart skip a beat and haunted every time they watch it. This image was inspired by real life material by the filmmakers.

In the flow of classic works, “The Wild Field” stands out as a lyrical epic of the Vietnamese screen. The couple Ba Do-Sau Xoa only have a small boat, live in a hut in the middle of a wild field, and face daily raids by enemy planes, with the iron and steel forces symbolizing the civilized, modern world . However, there is still a sparkling lyricism because of the simple life, in harmony with nature of the people, the love between husband and wife, family and love for homeland and country. Like a slice of Vietnamese history, the film not only recreates the fierce war but also vividly depicts the simple but resilient life of the people. Each frame, each sound is imbued with the breath of the river region - where the richness of nature blends with lurking dangers, creating a realistic picture that is both poetic and tragic.

To celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee organized a vote for 50 outstanding literary and artistic works. The cinema category had 10 nominations, including the classic film "The Wild Field" and 9 other outstanding films.

( According to www.qdnd.vn )

Source: https://baoapbac.vn/van-hoa-nghe-thuat/202505/ban-hung-ca-tru-tinh-cua-dien-anh-viet-1041508/