Friday, August 10, 2012

Farewell My Concubine (1993)

Farewell My Concubine • Ba wang bie ji • 霸王别姬 (1993)
Farewell My Concubine • Ba wang bie ji • 霸王别姬 (1993)
Genre: Drama | Epic
Director: Chen Kaige
Starring: Leslie Cheung, Zhang Fengyi, Gong Li
Language: Mandarin
Duration: 171 min.
Rating: 7.8
Summary:
The passionate story of two lifelong friends, trained from childhood to become stars of the Beijing Opera.
Farewell My Concubine is a film directed by Chen Kaige, adapted from a novel by Lilian Lee. The title is based on a traditional Chinese tale about a loyal concubine and her defeated king. It screened at the 1993 Cannes Film Festival where it was co-awarded the Palme d'Or, tied with Jane Campion's The Piano. It is the first and only Chinese film to win it to date.

The film follows the lives of two members of the Beijing Opera, starting from the grueling training regimen they had to endure as children in the mid 1920s, until shortly after the end of the Cultural Revolution some 50 years later. The delicate Douzi (Leslie Cheung), son of a prostitute who abandons him to the opera when he grows too old to stay at her brothel, and the tough Shitou (Zhang Fengyi), who immediately bonds with and looks out for the younger boy. The film also stars Gong Li as the woman who comes between them.

It's a beautifully crafted picture that makes use of its large budget for some impressive set pieces, elegant costumes, and outstanding cinematography. There are also two layers at work in this ambitious epic. The personal story of the two men, their lifelong friendship and their complicated relationship as it evolves throughout the years; and also a sweeping retelling of the tumultuous history of China from 1924 to 1976.

The first works extremely well. Anchored by an incredible central performance by Leslie Cheung, who at times so completely disappears into the role of the concubine, that you easily forget that it isn't really a woman. The three leads also share some brilliant chemistry, and it's a rather daring and unusual love triangle to see displayed in a Chinese film.

The second, however, doesn't succeed quite as well, and its a complaint I have with most films of this scale; the subject is better suited for a miniseries because there isn't enough time, even with its generous three hour length, to really tell the whole story properly. I know it's unrealistic to expect a 12 plus hour film, but it's also impossible to keep a strong dramatic and emotional flow when so much material is glanced over so quickly. You also have to wonder how much better the story could be dramatized if they didn't have to worry about the censors. Still I do praise the filmmaker for doing the best he could within the strict limitations.
Bonjour Tristesse
Farewell My Concubine • Ba wang bie ji • 霸王别姬 (1993)

Farewell My Concubine • Ba wang bie ji • 霸王别姬 (1993)

Farewell My Concubine • Ba wang bie ji • 霸王别姬 (1993)

Farewell My Concubine • Ba wang bie ji • 霸王别姬 (1993)

Farewell My Concubine • Ba wang bie ji • 霸王别姬 (1993)

Farewell My Concubine • Ba wang bie ji • 霸王别姬 (1993)

Farewell My Concubine • Ba wang bie ji • 霸王别姬 (1993)

Farewell My Concubine • Ba wang bie ji • 霸王别姬 (1993)

2 comments:

SJHoneywell said...

I ignored that second story when I watched this--to me that was nothing more than a backdrop for the relationship(s) that were front and center.

d_4 said...

Sounds interesting. I really don't have an idea what reaction this will bring me, but I am curious to find out.

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