Famous Chinese comedian Ge You will show off the English skills he recently learned in his latest film, "Gasp," or "Qi Chuan Xu Xu" in Chinese, to be released on August 21, according to Zheng Zhong, the film's director.

A poster for the Chinese comedy film "Gasp" ("Qi Chuan Xu Xu"). [baidu.com]

The actor spoke English mixed with Chinese words to make audiences laugh in the 2001 blockbuster "Big Shot's Funeral." Some popular quotes from that film include "no money, no woman, jiu shi (that's) Beijing," and "wo ye love you," meaning "I love you too."

However, according to director Zheng, this time Ge will speak pure English without mixing in Chinese words. His thick Chinese accent will add to the comedy and go very well with his character, whose spoken English is still not very good despite going abroad in the 1990s.

Ge has an English teacher to go over the plot and scenes and help him memorize the English lines.

Director Zheng said he admires Ge's ability to get the intonations right even though he has only learned English for a few days. John Savage, an American actor who appeared in "The Godfather: Part III" and co-stars in the new movie, said he thinks Ge can speak English well, only with a strange accent.

(CRI July 17, 2009)