The Black Cannon Incident (1985): Cast & Plot
The Black Cannon Incident is a 1985 comedy drama directed by Huang Jianxin, starring Liu Zifeng as Zhao Shuxin, Yang Yazhou and Gerhard Olschewski. It runs 1 hour 39 minutes.
- Released
- Runtime
- 1h 39m (99 min)
- Director
- Huang Jianxin
- Original language
-
Chinese - Studio
- Xi'an Film Studio
- After the credits
- No No extra scene
What Is The Black Cannon Incident About?
The premise of The Black Cannon Incident without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.
A mining engineer who doubles as a technical translator becomes the target of an espionage accusation when a telegram he sends is intercepted by a militant snoop. He is placed under investigation, demoted to a less sensitive department without explanation, and petitions to regain his post, sparking a series of absurd Party meetings.
The Black Cannon Incident Themes & Keywords
· 28 tags- business
- directorial debut
- narrow mindedness
- suspicion
- china
- telegram
- business trip
- misunderstanding
- translation mistake
- farce comedy
- translator
- chess the game
+16 more Show fewer
- fired from a job
- communism
- communist party official
- bureaucracy
- chess player
- xenophobe
- chess piece
- chinese
- travel service employee
- losing a chess piece
- evil of foreigners
- black cannon chess piece
- chinese politics
- suspicion of being a spy
- bureaucrat
- engineer
The Black Cannon Incident Cast & Characters
Liu Zifeng leads the cast as Zhao Shuxin, with Yang Yazhou as Feng Liangcai and Gerhard Olschewski as Hans Schmidt. Directed by Huang Jianxin; 10 actors are credited in all.
- Director Huang Jianxin
- Liu Zifeng as Zhao Shuxin
- Yang Yazhou as Feng Liangcai
- Gerhard Olschewski as Hans Schmidt
- Gao Ming as Li Renzhong
Also Starring in The Black Cannon Incident
· 6 more- Wang Yi Zhou Yuzhen
- Yang Fengliang Chen Hao-xiang
- Ge Hui Wu Kegong
- Wang Beilong Wang Hongye
- Xie Wei Liu Yumei
- Zhao Xiuling Zhao's Girlfriend
The Black Cannon Incident Plot Summary
What happens in The Black Cannon Incident from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 12 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 4-minute read.
Spoilers ahead
Zhao Shuxin, Liu Zifeng, is a capable engineer and German language interpreter working for a mining company. He leads a quiet, solitary life, and his favorite hobby is playing Chinese chess alone. The chessboard, with its familiar pieces, is more than a game to him—it’s a trusted companion that has stayed with him for years. One day, after returning from a business trip, Zhao discovers that one of his chess pieces—the black cannon—has vanished. Despite the heavy rain, he acts quickly, sending a telegram to the hotel he stayed at before, requesting help to locate the missing piece in Room 301: Missing black cannon. 301. Searching. Zhao. This cryptic message is meant to summon assistance, but its ambiguous wording triggers concern among the authorities.
Full summary
The whole story of The Black Cannon Incident, scene by scene
How Well Do You Know The Black Cannon Incident?
9 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.
Question 1 of 9
- Question 1: not answered
- Question 2: not answered
- Question 3: not answered
- Question 4: not answered
- Question 5: not answered
- Question 6: not answered
- Question 7: not answered
- Question 8: not answered
- Question 9: not answered
What hobby does Zhao Shuxin practice alone that reflects his methodical personality?
The Black Cannon Incident Also Known As
2 alternative titles: “Hei pao shi jian” and “黑砲事件”.
- Also known as
-
- Hei pao shi jian
- 黑砲事件
Seen The Black Cannon Incident?
Movies Like The Black Cannon Incident
Films with a similar story, tone or audience, including They Say I’m a Communist, The Chairman and Black Sheep.
The Black Cannon Incident FAQ: Cast & Runtime
Runtime, release date, director, cast, post-credit scenes and language of The Black Cannon Incident, each answered in a sentence.
How long is The Black Cannon Incident?
The Black Cannon Incident runs 1 hour 39 minutes (99 minutes).
When was The Black Cannon Incident released?
The Black Cannon Incident was released on January 2, 1985.
Who directed The Black Cannon Incident?
The Black Cannon Incident was directed by Huang Jianxin.
More films by Huang Jianxin Who is in the cast of The Black Cannon Incident?
The Black Cannon Incident stars Liu Zifeng as Zhao Shuxin, Yang Yazhou as Feng Liangcai and Gerhard Olschewski as Hans Schmidt, among 10 credited actors.
Does The Black Cannon Incident have a post-credit scene?
No. The Black Cannon Incident has no extra scene during or after the credits.
What language is The Black Cannon Incident in?
The original language of The Black Cannon Incident is Chinese.
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