Decisive Engagement: The Liaoxi-Shenyang Campaign (Chinese: 大决战之辽沈战役) is a 1991 Chinese epicwar film directed by Li Jun, Yang Guangyuan, Wei Lian, Cai Jiwei, Zhao Jilie, Zhai Junjie and Jing Mukui, written by Li Pingfen, Shi Chao and Wang Jun, and starring Gu Yue, Su Lin, Ma Shaoxin, Lu Jixian, Zhao Hengduo, and Wu Zhiyuan.[1] The film premiered in China on January 1, 1992. The film is about the Liaoshen Campaign of the Chinese Civil War.[2]
In 1950s, the August First Film Studio was planning films about the three major campaigns: Liaoshen campaign, Huaihai campaign and Pingjin campaign. But because of the limits of conditions, the project had been put on hold. In January 1986, the then General Secretary of the Chinese Communist PartyHu Yaobang ordered the relevant organizations to turn the three major campaigns into a feature. The Central Military Commission began to negotiate with the August First Film Studio to produce a film. In February 1986, Li Pingfen (李平分), Shi Chao (史超) and Wang Jun (王军) signed on to write the script for the film. They consulted a lot of data, including the memoirs of veterans, interviewed more than 300 campaign participants, and also surveyed the old battlefields. The then vice-chairman of Central Military Commission Yang Shangkun and the then director of the General Political DepartmentYang Baibing had repeatedly summoned the producers to discuss the film. At the end of 1987, the film finally finished writing. Li Jun (李俊) was signed to direct the film and Yang Qingwei (杨庆卫) served as general producer. At the end of 1989, the directors visited Nie Rongzhen, a commander in the Pingjin Campaign. The title of the film was written by Jiang Zemin, General Secretary of the Chinese Communist Party. After seeing the film, Deng Xiaoping said, "The film is very good. I watch it every year."[4][5]
Filming
Gu Yue, Lu Qi and Ma Shaoxin (马绍信) were cast in respective lead roles of Mao Zedong, Deng Xiaoping and Lin Biao for the film. Zhao Hengduo (赵恒多) was selected to cast as Chiang Kai-shek and Su Lin (苏林) was selected to cast as Zhou Enlai.[4][5]
Decisive Engagement: The Liaoxi-Shenyang Campaign premiered in the Great Hall of the People on August 1, 1991, with wide-release in China on January 1, 1992.[4][5]