Happy Times
Brief Synopsis
Cast & Crew
Zhang Yimou
Zhao Benshan
Jie Dong
Li Xuejian
Gong Jinghua
Dong Lihua
Film Details
Technical Specs
Synopsis
Zhao is an aging bachelor who hasn't been lucky in love. While good-hearted, Zhao has a tendency to fib--it's not that he's a compulsive liar, it's just that his dreams always seem to surpass his reality, and he tries to fill in the gap. Thinking he has finally met the woman of his dreams, Zhao leads her to believe he is wealthy and agrees to a wedding far beyond his means. Desperate for funds, he turns to to his friends, who are weary of his fanciful schemes. Zhao's best friend Li hatches the idea to raise the money by refurbishing an abandoned bus which they will rent out by the hour--the "Happy Times Hotel"--to young couples starved for privacy. But this plan goes awry when Zhao is too old fashioned to allow the couples to leave the bus door closed. While dining with his intended spouse, Zhao is introduced to her spoiled son and her beautiful blind stepdaughter Wu Ying. The stepmother sees Wu as nothing but a burden after she and her father divorced. To be rid of the girl, the stepmother insists that Zhao take her to the "Happy Times Hotel" and give her a job. Zhao reluctantly agrees. When Wu is unable to return to her stepmother's apartment, Zhao creates a series of deceptions to keep the girl occupied, including setting her up as a masseuse in one of his "hotels" and enlists his friends to pretend to be her customers. While everything that is happening between Zhao and Wu is superficially about trickery, gradually a very real empathy grows between the young woman and the old man, as together they find an unexpected haven from the loneliness they both feel. Soon, Zhao and Wu take actions that demonstrate the strong bond that they have developed for each other.
Director
Zhang Yimou
Cast
Zhao Benshan
Jie Dong
Li Xuejian
Gong Jinghua
Dong Lihua
Fu Biao
Niu Ben
Dong Lifan
Leng Qibin
Zhang Hongjie
Zhao Bingkun
Crew
San Bao
San Bao
Wang Bin
Yuan Bin
Wang Dong
Xie Dong
Li Guang
Liu Guonan
Tong Huamio
Li Jing
Cao Jiuping
Wu Lala
Huang Lijie
Qiao Lizhong
Terrence Malick
Erin O'rourke
Zhou Ping
Edward Pressman
Lin Qian
Yang Qinglong
Zhai Ru
Wang Wei
Zhou Wei
Zhang Weiping
Zhao Wenxia
Hu Xiaofeng
Mo Yan
Liu Yanjuan
Sun Yieping
Miao Ying
Hou Yong
Chen Yu
Zhao Yu
Yu Yuxi
Zhang Zhenyan
Chen Zhigang
Gui Zi
Film Details
Technical Specs
Quotes
Trivia
Miscellaneous Notes
Limited Release in United States July 26, 2002
Released in United States Summer July 26, 2002
Released in United States on Video December 3, 2002
Released in United States February 2002
Released in United States May 2002
Shown at Berlin International Film Festival (in competition) February 6-17, 2002.
Shown at Tribeca Film Festival, May 8-12, 2002.
Completed shooting September 2000.
Began shooting July 25, 2000.
Limited Release in United States July 26, 2002
Released in United States Summer July 26, 2002
Released in United States on Video December 3, 2002
Released in United States February 2002 (Shown at Berlin International Film Festival (in competition) February 6-17, 2002.)
Released in United States May 2002 (Shown at Tribeca Film Festival, May 8-12, 2002.)
