Watch unlimited films online for $6.99.
Try MUBI for FREE.
 

Farewell My Concubine

Ba wang bie ji

Hong Kong, China

1993

171 Min
Color, Black and White
1.85:1
Mandarin
  • Currently 3.9/5 Stars.
  • 1
  • 2
  • 3
  • 4
  • 5

   |   

DIR Chen Kaige

EXEC Bin Hsu, Jade Hsu

PROD Feng Hsu

SCR Lillian Lee, Bik-Wa Lei, Lu Wei

DP Gu Changwei

CAST Leslie Cheung, Zhang Fengyi, Gong Li, Qi Lü, Ying Da, Ge You, Chun Li, Han Lei, Di Tong, Mingwei Ma, Yang Fei

ED Pei Xiaonan

PROD DES Yuhe Yang, Zhanjia Yang

MUSIC Zhao Jiping

Cannes (In Competition): Palme d'Or, FIPRESCI Prize, New York, Telluride, Toronto (Special Presentation)

Synopsis

From the twenties to the seventies the Warlord era to the cultural Revolution, from the japanese invasion to the communists ruling… The story of two actors from the Pekin Opera, and a concubine, in th e fifty years that changed China. —Cannes Film Festival

Director

Original

Chen Kaige

Chen Kaige is one of China’s most prominent and influential directors, and perhaps the central figure in China’s Fifth Generation of filmmakers. Born Chen Aige in Beijing, he was the son of noted director Chen Huaiai, who directed a number of popular films during the 1950s and 1960s. As the chaos of Mao Zedong’s Cultural Revolution was gathering steam, Chen, a 15-year-old member of the notorious Red Guard, publicly denounced his father. He later partially reenacted that day during the heartbreaking climax of Farewell, My Concubine (1989). During the late ‘60s, he was sent to labor in a rubber plantation in southwestern Yunnan province. Later, he served in the army but remained in the area. In 1975, as Mao’s reign was drawing to a close, Chen returned to his hometown to work at the Beijing Film Processing Laboratory. Mao’s successor, Deng Xiaopeng, set about undoing much of the destruction of Mao’s bloody final decade, which included opening the nation’s schools and academies. In 1978… read more

Wall

Displaying 4 of 14 wall posts.
Picture of Mathieu Langlois

Mathieu Langlois

26May12

Sweet corpse paint.

Picture of Judicial Joe

Judicial Joe

21Apr12

A sumptuous visual feast that doubles as a crash course in Chinese culture, traditions and recent history. The acting is superb and Chen's direction is deeply personal. Worth watching for the scenes about the destruction of traditional Chinese culture under Mao alone.

Picture of SALESK

SALESK

31Mar12

It takes its time to get cooking, but once we get to the cultural revolution, things really pick up. Stylistically, it was hard for me to get into. Obviously, costumes and sets are top-notch. Leslie Cheung goes for the jugular, and it pays off. Not gay enough, but that's a minor gripe. Sometimes the direction is so staid, I was imagining what Wong Kar Wai would have done with the material.

Picture of ramosbarajas

ramosbarajas

12Feb12

Obviously epic. The three-hour film is shot fantastically, in terms of images and style. I found the backdrop of modern China to be spectacular since it creates such a paradox of tradition vs change. And, in spite of it all, it manages to be a very personal film- with emphasis on the characters at all times. It provides an look on the issues of art when real life threatens to tear it down. It is indeed very nice.

Related Films

Fans

Displaying 5 of 310 fans.

Lists

Displaying 5 of 110 lists.

Reviews

Displaying 2 of 2

Untitled

By jimmylo​running on November 15, 2009

Rewatch. The first time I watched it in a theater I missed something or another and couldn’t follow it after the halfway point. This time I was paying more attention and I got all of it except a little…  read review

UN DRAMA PODEROSO

By VENIMOS LOS JODIMOS Y NOS FUIMOS on November 1, 2009

Uno de los mas impresionantes espectaculos audiovisuales de los 90´s. Ganadora de la Palma de Oro en el festival de Cannes, la cinta ofrece, durante casi tres horas de duración que transcurren sorprendentemente…  read review

Forum

Displaying 0 discussion topics.