Ba wang bie ji (1993)

Director:

Kaige Chen

Writers:

Lillian Lee (novel)
Lillian Lee (screenplay)

Release Date:

15 octubre 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Frase comercial:

The passionate story of two lifelong friends and the woman who comes between them.

Plot:

The story of two men, who met as apprentices in the Peking Opera, and stayed friends for over 50 years.

Plot Keywords:

Bathing Scene | Drug Addict | Spanking | Opium Addiction | Art Teacher

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 13 wins & 2 nominations

Comentarios de los usuarios:

One of the best Chinese films... ever!

Cast

Leslie Cheung	...	Cheng Dieyi (segment "Douzi")
Fengyi Zhang	...	Duan Xiaolou (segment "Shitou")
Li Gong	...	Juxian
Qi Lu	...	Master Guan
Da Ying	...	Manager
You Ge	...	Master Yuan
Chun Li	...	Xiao Si (in his teens)
Han Lei	...	Xiao Si (adult)
Di Tong	...	Zhang the Eunuch
Mingwei Ma	...	Douzi as a Child
Yang Fei	...	Shitou as a Child
Zhi Yin	...	Douzi as a Teenager
Hailong Zhao	...	Shitou as a Teenager
Dan Li	...	Laizi / Peking Opera schoolboy
Wenli Jiang	...	Douzi's Mother

También conocida como:

Ba wong bit gei (Hong Kong: Cantonese title)
Farewell My Concubine (International: English title)
Adiós a mi concubina (Spain) [es]
Adiós mi concubina (Argentina) [es]

MPAA:

Rated R for language and strong depiction of thematic material.

Duración:

171 min

País:

China | Hong Kong

Idioma:

Mandarin

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sonido:

Dolby

Clasificación:

South Korea:15 | Iceland:12 | Brazil:14 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Chile:18 | Finland:K-14 | Germany:12 | Peru:18 | Spain:18 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R | Singapore:PG

Company:

Beijing Film Studio

Trivialidades:

The very first film from the People's Republic of China to win the Palme d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival.

Goofs:

Continuity: When Douzi is first examined by the owner of the opera troupe, his extra finger is on his right hand below the thumb. When he withdraws the hand from the opera troupe owner, he pulls back his left arm. When his mother cuts the extra finger off a few moments later, it is now on his left hand, next to his pinkie.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "American Dad!: Failure Is Not a Factory-installed Option (#2.3)" (2006)

One of the best Chinese films... ever!

One of the best Chinese films...ever!

The story was touching and brilliant, packed with unforgettable scenes: The Dickens-like portrayal of the young Peking opera performers undergoing training was heart-breaking. The presence of Japanese, Nationalist and Communnist troops were powerful reminders of Modern China's torrential times. The class struggle scene was a painfully poignant reference to the inhumanity of Maoist China (especially for those Chinese old-timers who vividly remember the days of the Cultural Revolution). And off course, the last scene was nothing short of stunning. It begs the viewer to open another box of tissues.

One scene that particularly had me in tears was when Douzi was going through his opium withdrawal and he starts shivering, "It's so cold. Mother, the water's frozen." It was clearly a heart-breaking reference to the earlier days of his arduous youth.

The acting was also superb. Leslie Cheung's portrayal of the effeminate Douzi was hynoptically convincing. (Especially compared to his usual roles in HK action flicks). Gong Li constantly demands our attention with her stunning beauty and charm. Last but not least, Zhang Fengyi's portrayal of the masculine Shitou was excellent. I can't imagine anyone else taking his role.

It's refreshing to see such an intelligent and historic Chinese epic (especially after watching all those deadbrain gun-toting HK action flicks) Director Chen Kaige did a wonderful job portraying the complex and often uneasy love affair between the two stage brothers. He also managed to skillfully express profound themes that resonated throughout the film. Fate, loyalty, class struggle, the parallels between Opera and Life, and other ideas leave the viewer dazed in deep thoughts for hours after the film.

Because of the heavy references to modern Chinese events, some viewers may be confused by this film. While modern Chinese history is not a pre-requisite, I believe knowing the basics would definitely enhance the experience of this film. But nonetheless, this is quite possibly one of the best Chinese films... ever. Take it from me: Rent this one NOW!

Trivia Note: The "struggle scene" (where the Red Guards dragged out Douzi and Shitou in front of the mob for confession) was based upon the real-life experience of Director Chen Kaige. Chen suffered the same fate when he was purged during the Cultural Revolution. In fact, he denounced his own father, an act which he later regretted.