Actor of "When Will October Come?" shares unforgettable memories after more than 4 decades

On the evening of April 19th, the Cine 7 - Vietnamese Film Memories program brought viewers back to one of Vietnam's classic films: " When Will October Come?" by director Dang Nhat Minh.

This film, which was selected as one of the top 18 best Asian films by CNN, not only portrays the pain of war but also touches the hearts of viewers with its profound humanistic values.

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"When Will October Come?" has been included in the list of 18 best Asian films of all time (Photo: Provided by VTV).

Meritorious Artist Huu Muoi almost lost his role because he ate loquats.

Meritorious Artist Huu Muoi, born in 1957 in Kim Dong, Hung Yen , is one of the prominent figures in Vietnamese cinema, known to many viewers through his role as teacher Khang in the film " When Will October Come?".

Growing up in a family with 11 siblings, none of whom pursued art, he was fascinated by films from a young age , such as "Rising Wind" and "The 17th Parallel Day and Night ," and idolized actors like Tra Giang, Lam Toi, and The Anh.

In 1973, Hữu Mười happened to see an advertisement for actors and submitted a six-line application, almost being rejected due to carelessness. Fortunately, a judge recognized his potential and helped him get into the second course at the Vietnam Film School, studying alongside People's Artist Bùi Bài Bình, Meritorious Artist Thanh Quý, and People's Artist Đào Bá Sơn.

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Meritorious Artist Huu Muoi in the role of teacher Khang in the film "When Will October Come?" (Photo: Provided by VTV).

After graduating, Huu Muoi joined the Vietnam Feature Film Studio, starting with supporting roles in films like "Wise and Foolish , " "That Day at the Lam River , " and "The Three Roses Plan ." In 1982, he shone with his role as Teacher Thu – a character modeled after the writer Nam Cao – in the film " The Village of Vu Dai in Those Days ."

Two years later, director Dang Nhat Minh gave Huu Muoi the script for "When Will October Come?" .

Few people know that, initially, he wasn't the first candidate for the role of teacher Khang because director Dang Nhat Minh wanted to avoid repeating the image of the teacher portrayed by Meritorious Artist Huu Muoi previously.

However, thanks to his talent, he impressed director Dang Nhat Minh and was chosen for this role.

The character of teacher Khang in "Until October " (1984) is considered one of the most memorable roles of Meritorious Artist Huu Muoi, bringing his name closer to the public and making him an icon in the hearts of Vietnamese film lovers.

In the program Cine 7 - Memories of Vietnamese Films , Meritorious Artist Huu Muoi revealed an unforgettable experience when he almost lost a role because he... ate loquats.

Hữu Mười recounted that while the film crew was shooting a scene with the traditional opera troupe and Meritorious Artist Lê Vân (playing the role of Duyên), he was busy chatting with locals in the village square. At that time, a woman offered him a bag of loquats. Because he was wearing his character's costume in preparation for the role, Hữu Mười didn't "grind the loquats" in the usual way but ate them directly. After eating two loquats, he got a stomach ache.

Afterward, Huu Muoi went to where the generator was operating, far from the stage, and then drank tea and chatted, losing track of time. The film crew couldn't find him, and the lighting technician reported that the machine had been shut down. Director Dang Nhat Minh was furious and announced that he would be cut from the role when Huu Muoi had already filmed half of the movie.

"If I had been kicked out of that role, my dream of becoming a 'state-owned star' would have been shattered," Huu Muoi recalled with a laugh.

The cameraman encouraged him to finish the scene, hoping the director would change his mind. Fortunately, People's Artist Dang Nhat Minh kept him on. This is both a sad memory and one he will never forget.

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Meritorious Artist Huu Muoi shared his thoughts in the program "Cine 7 - Memories of Vietnamese Films" (Photo: VTV).

Later, when he became a director, Meritorious Artist Huu Muoi finally understood the strictness of director Dang Nhat Minh.

He confided, "It's perfectly understandable for a director to have such outbursts of anger. As a director, when I'm on set, if an actor is late, not focused on their role, or not disciplined, I can't accept it either. That's when I realized how undisciplined I had been in my own role."

Recalling the time when filming " When Will October Come?", Meritorious Artist Huu Muoi shared: "Back then, we were poor and lacked everything. We often joked that 'state-sponsored artists' only knew how to collect salaries from the State and go act in films."

If we hadn't received the film yet, we had to go to the studio every day for professional discussions and to read documents. Before leaving with the film crew, we had to go to the rice shop to cut the rice stamps to give to the crew. Our luggage consisted only of a backpack. After completing a role, we only received a stipend; if it was a leading role, it was about 15-20 dong."

People's Artist Dang Nhat Minh: "Many foreigners who watch my films say they are very Vietnamese."

"When Will October Come? " is not only an outstanding film but also a "spiritual child" containing the dedication and passion of director and People's Artist Dang Nhat Minh.

The film's title, "When Will October Come?" , also carries profound meaning. Director Dang Nhat Minh drew inspiration from a folk verse in Vu Bang's work, " Remembering the Twelve Months ": "When will October come?/ We take our sickles out to our fields/ We harvest and bring them home/ We dry and winnow them clean, and that's the end of our work."

This folk verse is also the opening line of the poem that the character Teacher Khang reads in the film.

Speaking about Meritorious Artist Huu Muoi's portrayal of teacher Khang, director Dang Nhat Minh offered many words of praise: "Mr. Huu Muoi is a talented actor, fresh out of school at the time. Before that, he had already played the role of a teacher. In ' When Will October Come?' , I was impressed by the scene where teacher Khang watches traditional opera. His eyes were silent, not acting, but contained all the emotions. It's hard to find someone who can replace him."

With a vast creative career, director Dang Nhat Minh always believes that each film is a heartfelt message to the audience. " When Will It Be October?" is no exception. He is also one of the rare filmmakers who almost exclusively makes films based on scripts he himself wrote.

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Director, People's Artist Dang Nhat Minh (Photo: VTV).

Director Dang Nhat Minh said that when searching for a topic, he thought that the theme of combat mainly reflects the soldiers on the front lines, while there are countless people and their lives in rural areas, so he wanted the film to focus on that.

"I want to tell the story of the people on the home front. It's all based on my experiences living in the countryside during the evacuation," he said.

"When Will October Come?" clearly demonstrates the creative style, subtlety, and profoundness of director and People's Artist Dang Nhat Minh. The work is not only a memory of war but also a message to future generations, inspiring faith in happiness and peace .

Particularly in the scene depicting the Yin-Yang market and the haunting line spoken by Nam (Duyen's husband): "I only want those who live to be happy / Only those who are still alive can achieve that / I have done my part / What remains forever is something that can never be seen." This philosophical dialogue, emphasizing the value of life and sacrifice, is precisely what director and People's Artist Dang Nhat Minh wanted to convey.

People's Artist Dang Nhat Minh shared: "Watching my films, many foreigners say they are very Vietnamese. That's because Vietnam is in my blood and flesh."

It can be said that " When Will October Come?" is a classic of Vietnamese cinema, not only for its artistic value but also for its meaningful messages. The film is a testament to the talent of director, People's Artist Dang Nhat Minh, and the dedication of the artists, including Meritorious Artist Huu Muoi.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giai-tri/dien-vien-bao-gio-cho-den-thang-muoi-ke-ky-niem-nho-doi-sau-hon-4-thap-ky-20250420095115853.htm