
Iron and Silk
“As a student in America, he searched for ancient wisdom. As a teacher in China, he learned to find it within himself.”
Synopsis
Iron and Silk is a 1990 movie based on the eponymous book by American writer Mark Salzman. It details his journey to China after college to study Chinese wu shu, better known in the west as kung fu, and to teach English. Though not trained as an actor, Salzman starred as himself, as did Pan Qingfu, who claimed no one else could portray him on film. Salzman's experiences occurred in Changsha, Hunan, though the film was shot in Hangzhou, Zhejiang. (Wikipedia)
Top Cast
Explore Star Directory →Release History & Theatrical Window
Sundance Film Festival
Festival / Special Debut
February 15, 1991
Wide Cinema Exhibition
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- Shirley Sun
- Screenplay & Story
- Mark Salzman, Shirley Sun
- Original Score
- Michael Gibbs
- Original Title
- Iron and Silk
- Country of Origin
- Japan, United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 1h 32m
- Production Studios
- TBS, SUN-Productions
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
Shirley Sun
Mark Salzman, Shirley Sun
Michael Gibbs
James Hayman
Geraldine Peroni, James Y. Kwei
Shirley Sun
Department Leadership Roster
Mark Salzman
Writer
Shirley Sun
Director
Shirley Sun
Writer
Geraldine Peroni
Editor
Shirley Sun
Producer
James Hayman
Director of Photography
Michael Gibbs
Original Music Composer
Calvin Tsao
Production Design
James Y. Kwei
Editor
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
International Certification Matrix
Tous publics — Universal audience.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Iron and Silk.
Featured In Curated Collections
Editorial lists, community rankings, and cinematic collections featuring Iron and Silk.
Martial Arts
Auto-filled from Letterboxd lists
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Missing Mine
Movie Books
1990
MovieLens[:10K]
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Frequently Asked Questions About Iron and Silk
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Iron and Silk about?
Iron and Silk is a 1990 movie based on the eponymous book by American writer Mark Salzman. It details his journey to China after college to study Chinese wu shu, better known in the west as kung fu, and to teach English. Though not trained as an actor, Salzman starred as himself, as did Pan Qingfu, who claimed no one else could portray him on film. Salzman's experiences occurred in Changsha, Hunan, though the film was shot in Hangzhou, Zhejiang. (Wikipedia)
Who directed Iron and Silk?
Iron and Silk was directed by Shirley Sun.
Who stars in Iron and Silk?
The principal cast of Iron and Silk includes Mark Salzman, Qingfu Pan, Vivian Wu, Hangcheng Dong, Xihong Jiang.
When was Iron and Silk released and how long is it?
Iron and Silk was released in 1991 with a total runtime of 1h 32m.
Who composed the musical score for Iron and Silk?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Iron and Silk was composed by Michael Gibbs.
What is the age rating and content advisory for Iron and Silk?
Iron and Silk holds official age classifications: FR: U (Tous publics — Universal audience.).



















