Mingmei Yip is the author of six novels (the 7th coming out in 2015), including her new release Secret of a Thousand Beauties (the story of a former imperial embroiderer and her orphaned, supposedly celibate followers), The Nine fold Heaven (an ex-spy looking for her lost love and supposedly still born baby), Skeleton Women (story of three femmes fatales), Song of the Silk road (adventure on China’s ancient route with a three million dollar award), Petals from the Sky (inter-racial love story), and Peach Blossom Pavilion (story of the last Chinese geisha).Here the author dreamcasts an adaptation of Secret of a Thousand Beauties:
Secret of a Thousand Beauties is a novel set in China when it was just beginning to become modernized. While most characters are Chinese, there are two Americans – the missionaries Father Edwin and his young assistant Ryan McFarland.Visit Mingmei Yip's website, and view the book trailer for Secret of a Thousand Beauties.
First choice for the fiercely resourceful and independent protagonist Spring Swallow is Zhang Ziyi. She has played in Hollywood movies and is famous for her role in Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon. Zhang is perfect to play a young woman who is soft outside but tough inside.
Spring Swallow’s embroidery teacher Aunty Peony is a brilliant mentor but personally is cold-hearted and distant, due to the many tragedies she had to bear in her life. Joan Chen, who soared to fame in the West for her role in The Last Emperor would be perfect to play this seasoned, older woman.
In Secret of a Thousand Beauties, Father Edwin is the middle-aged missionary who takes the orphaned Spring Swallow under his wing and teaches her English, poetry and philosophy. An older actor best to play this character would be Tom Hanks -- mature, honest, and most important, compassionate looking.
I think Ryan Gosling would be perfect for the younger, naive, and enthusiastic missionary Ryan McFarland -- they even share the same first name!
--Marshal Zeringue
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