Rethinking the Popularity of Li Shuangshuang

This article examines the fate of Li Shuangshuang (1962), a film about rural collectivization in China and arguably the most impactful film made in the Mao era (1949–1976). It reveals that Li Shuangshuang’s spectacular success resulted from its capacity to appeal to average film viewers across China rather than the endorsement of the higher political authorities. In fact, China’s film administrators showed their disdain for the movie immediately after it was produced. By highlighting the triumph of this film’s box office records in spite of some Party officials’ disapproval, the article argues that viewers in Mao’s China had some autonomy—albeit limited—to choose whether to watch a film or not. Furthermore, their preferences were impactful, as government officials had to adjust their politico-cultural agendas in accordance with filmgoers’ choices. This finding departs from the existing scholarship on film in Mao’s China, which emphasizes how the newly fashioned film industry manipulated audiences and thereby fostered a new collectivity. We argue that the efficacy of the Party-state’s propaganda depended on its recipients’ willingness to accept it. As a result, filmgoers were entitled to decide what kind of propaganda or entertainment they consumed.