A natural
In 1972, she worked with Alan Tang on the beautifully poetic Love in a Cabin, a film that marked the start of her decade-long turn to romantic films, the works of Chiung Yao in particular.
Hou Hsiao-hsien, the current chairman of the Golden Horse executive committee, served as an assistant on the set of The Heart with a Million Knots. Hou recalls Chen being incredibly charming, and says that there were always groups of people hanging around the studio hoping to sign her on to films.
Lee Hsing, who directed The Young Ones and Where the Seagull Flies, also praised Chen for her talent, grasp of film, and work ethic, which he says made her a model for other stars.
In her personal life, Chen has been married twice, both times to prominent film-industry personages. She met Hong Kong actor Patrick Tse while shooting The Story of Ti-Ying. Previously focused entirely on her career, Chen found herself moved by Tse’s ardent pursuit of her affections. The couple married in 1974, but separated after just two years together in Hong Kong. They divorced in 1978.
Chen fell in love with another “monster talent” after returning to Taiwan: creative powerhouse Liu Chia-chang. When they married in 1978, Chen began withdrawing from film work. The couple later moved to the US.
Movies were near and dear to the hearts of Taiwanese in the 1970s, and Chen’s performances provided audiences of the day with immeasurable joy. Even more importantly, her acting skill and star power sparked a Taiwanese love affair with romantic films that counterbalanced the enormous popularity of Hong Kong martial arts films and enabled the Taiwanese film industry to develop.
Stars attract audiences. Chen’s award, coming on the 50th anniversary of her entry into film, is symbolic of the ongoing resurgence of Taiwan’s film industry.
Director Richard Li frequently cast Chen in his films. She is seen here on set with Li (left) and with Hong Kong star Patrick Tse, who was then in pursuit of her affections.
For The Story of Ti-Ying (1970), Chen played a young woman who puts her life at risk by demanding justice for her father. The role earned her a best actress award from the Asia-Pacific Film Festival. It was through this film that she met Hong Kong star Patrick Tse (left).
Chen Chen made her film debut at the age of 16. With her stunning good looks, she went on to become the queen of 1970s Taiwanese cinema.