Long Live the Mistress! (太太万岁)

A Wenhua Film Company Production

LONG LIVE THE WIFE

Starring: Shangguan Yunzhu, Shi Hui, Wang Yi,

Zhang Fa, Lu Shan, Jiang Tianliu, Han Fei

Director of Photography: Huang Shaofen Cinematography: Xu Qi, Ge Weiqing

Sound: Shen Yimin, Zhu Weigang Set Design: Wang Yuebai

Music: Zhang Zhengjiu Props: Wu Jianhuang

Printing: Xu Hexiang, Du Zhenkun

Costumes: Qi Qiuming Script Supervisor: Xu Jin

Cast :

Chen Sizhen: Jiang Tianliu Mama Zhang: Sun Yi

Old Mrs Tang: Lu Shan Tang Zhiqin: Wang Yi

Chen Sirui: Han Fei Old Mrs Chen: Lin Zhen

Old Mr Chen: Shi Hui Shopkeeper: Jin Gang

Lawyer Yang: Cui Chaoming Tang Zhiyuan: Zhang Fa

Old Zhou: Tian Zhendong Ma Linlin: Su Yunzhu

Shi Mimi: Shangguan Yunzhu Deputy Manager: Xue Caowei

Shi's Elder Brother: Cheng Zhi New Friend: Gao Xiao'ou

Screenplay: Zhang Ailing

Director: Sang Hu

Maid Zhang! Maid Zhang!

Yes, coming!

Yes, young miss?

Ask madam to come down. Tell her that the candles are lit.

Oh no, what a disaster!

Didn't I already tell you that it's madam's birthday today

and to be extra careful not to break anything?

Young miss, I don't know what happened.

It just slipped out of my hand -

That's enough. Just hurry and pick it up.

But whatever you do, don't let madam find out!

Yes.

I cut my finger!

What is it with you today?

It's no big deal.

Don't do that! There's some medicine in my room and gauze in the drawer.

Put a bandage on it.

Oh, hello, madam.

What broke just now?

Just now... it -

It wasn't our house.

Some child kicked a ball and broke a window in the alley.

Children these days are like little thugs. I can't stand it.

Daughter-in-law, if you have children of your own someday,

you'd better not let them run wild like that.

Mother-in-law, where's my sister-in-law?

She's upstairs.

Didn't she say she was going to take you

to see a Shaoxing play for your birthday?

Some friends wanted to come to play mahjong. I'll go another day.

Say, what play is Yuan Xuefen appearing in these days?

Let me look in the newspaper.

Ah, I can't see clearly without my glasses.

Mother-in-law, you don't need to read the ads. I know.

Yuan is appearing in "Xianglin's Wife".

"Xianglin's Wife"? Never heard of it.

I hear it's a new play, a real weepie.

A tragedy? The more tragic the better! I simply adore tragedies!

Maid Zhang, what happened to your hand?

My hand...

Just a touch of rheumatism.

I put some ointment on it and wrapped it up for her.

Mother-in-law, let me kowtow my birthday respects to you.

Hold on. I haven't even kowtowed myself.

Perhaps if I kowtow sincerely enough twice,

I'll have a grandson by next year.

Who did this?

Maid Zhang, was it you?

Yes, it was me, madam.

So, that sound of something breaking just now, was this?

Yes.

Daughter-in-law, you just told me it was a window in the alley.

Maid Zhang, you've broken many things

in the few days since you arrived here.

Don't you realise these things cost money?

Maid Zhang, be more careful in the future.

You hear me?

Daughter-in-law, you can't be so polite with stubborn wretches like her.

Madam, you'd better hire someone else. I can't do all this stuff.

What? One little comment, and you want to quit?

In this house, I do everything. It's just me.

Maids in other households work less hard, but get paid more.

Maid Zhang, if you need more money, you should ask in the right way.

Daughter-in-law, why should we raise her wages?

We cover her board and lodging.

Madam, are you saying that servants should pay for their board and lodging?

Enough, enough! Drop this now!

Come on, take out this broken bowl.

Quit, if you're going to quit. You won't be missed!

Fancy acting up today, of all days!

Mother-in-law, don't let her ruin your day.

I'll deal with her later.

Sister-in-law! Sister-in-law!

What is it?

Come here. I need to talk to you.

Coming.

- Hey, sister-in-law. - Hello.

- I want to ask your advice. - All right.

Just now I paid my birthday respects to mother, and she gave me $50,000.

I want to buy her something to eat.

What should I get her?

I don't know what she likes to eat.

Oh, ma.

Daughter-in-law, this was just sent by Zhiqin's godmother.

I don't feel right accepting so much.

Then just accept one gift, and send back the ham.

Then, how much should I tip her?

You can decide that yourself!

I'm old and the price of everything is going up these days.

If I get it wrong and give too little, she'll say bad things behind my back!

These two boxes of oranges and apples probably weren't cheap.

I'd say... give her about $20,000 would be about right.

But I don't like either of these.

My favourite is pineapple.

- Oh, pineapple's your favourite? - Yes.

Daughter-in-law, does Zhiyuan have business cards?

Yes. They're in my room. I'll go and get them.

What's this? You're going out?

Yes. I'm going shopping.

Maid Zhang, give this namecard to madam.

Oh, Maid Zhang, come here.

In the future, don't talk back to madam like that.

I know you have a lot of work, but if you do it conscientiously -

Young miss, I'm not just saying this.

The price of everything is going up. But servants get paid less and less.

Maid Zhang, from now on just take what madam pays you,

and I'll give you a little extra every month.

Take this. Here's $50,000.

But whatever you do, don't let madam find out!

Thank you, young miss. You're so understanding.

Now go and apologise to her, right?

- Got it. - Off you go.

Hello?

Younger brother, is that you? When did you get back?

How could I not recognise your voice?

It's hasn't even been two years since you went to Taiwan.

Big sis, I missed your wedding and I haven't met your husband yet.

How about I come to visit you now?

Hang on.

Today is her mother-in-law's birthday. You can wish her a happy birthday.

What? That was ma talking to me.

She says to wish your mother-in-law a happy birthday.

I'll see you soon.

Wait a minute. Did you come back by boat or by plane?

Plane?

Then you wouldn't have been able to bring much luggage, right?

I was just thinking that since it's your first visit...

How about this. Why don't you go to an import shop,

and see if they have any Taiwan produce.

You can say that you brought it back from Taiwan.

Pineapple would be best.

Pineapple? Right, got it.

What? Oh.

Ma, she wants to know if you're coming.

I won't go.

Ma says she's not coming.

Huh? She's asking whether pa wants to come.

Go and ask him yourself.

Hello? Hold on a sec.

Papa.

Come here. Come here. Eh?

Sister wants to know if you'll be going to the Tangs.

- It's her mother-in-law's birthday. - Ah. No.

You go.

Hey, Sizhen, pa's not coming either.

You wish her a happy birthday for us. All right. Goodbye.

Ma, I'm off.

Be careful what you say at their house.

- Old Mrs Tang is very strict! - I know.

Ma, you think I'm still a child, don't you?

HUA NAN GROCERY COMPANY

Do you have fresh pineapple?

Yes, yes.

Have you any bigger ones?

We're almost sold out. This is all we have. They're hard to come by.

In that case, I'll take the lot.

All right.

I'm here for pineapple too.

I'm sorry, we're all sold out.

Could you let me have a couple?

Couldn't you just buy a couple fewer? I came here just for this.

So did I. These are for a gift. If there aren't enough it won't look good.

You're so unreasonable.

I... I... I'm unreasonable?

Why would I give you the stuff I've just bought?

- Brother, you're here! - Sister!

Mother-in-law, this is my younger brother. He's just back from Taiwan today.

Many happy returns!

Don't be so polite.

Let me introduce you.

This is Mrs Yang, and this is Mr Yang, a lawyer.

Lawyer Yang is a good friend of my husband.

Please, sit back down.

This is a local product I brought back from Taiwan.

Really! You can bring such a big thing on an aeroplane!

What is it?

Pineapple. I don't know whether you like to eat pineapple or not.

What a coincidence, I love pineapple!

If I had known, I'd have brought a few more.

This is more than enough!