The article presents criticism on the film "Ruan Lingyu" ("Center Stage"), focusing on director Stanley Kwan's depiction of the female voice in terms of a feminist analysis of the body and voice of Ruan Lingyu, the silent film actress whose life is the focus of the film. Kwan's use of sound editing is highlighted, and special attention is paid to actress Maggie Cheung's portrayal of Ruan. Other topics include Ruan's suicide and China's transition to sound motion pictures.