Farewell My Concubine

  • China Ba wang bie ji (more)
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Drama / Romance / Music / War
China / Hong Kong, 1993, 171 min

Directed by:

Kaige Chen

Based on:

Lillian Lee (book)

Screenplay:

Wei Lu, Lillian Lee, Bik-Wa Lei

Cinematography:

Changwei Gu

Composer:

Jiping Zhao
(more professions)

Plots(1)

In Chen Kaige's adaptation of the Lilian Lee novel, Cheng Dieyi (Leslie Cheung) and Duan Xiaolou (Fengyi Zhang) grow up enduring the harsh training of the Peking Opera Academy, where instructors regularly beat the children as a means of instilling in them the discipline needed to master the complex physical and vocal technique. As the two boys mature, they develop complementary talents: Dieyi, with his fine, delicate features, assumes the female roles while the burlier Xiaolou plays masculine warlords. Their dramatic identities become real for Dieyi when he falls in love with Xiaolou; the resolutely heterosexual Xiaolou, however, marries a courtesan, Juxian (Gong Li), creating a dangerous, jealousy-filled romantic triangle. (official distributor synopsis)

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Trailer

Reviews (1)

kaylin 

all reviews of this user

English A very intense film where you wouldn't expect it to be one of the best blends of personal drama, human drama, and societal drama. But that's exactly what you get from it, and on top of that, you also have very powerful scenes that are capable of etching themselves into your memory for a long time. A film that doesn't let you catch your breath. ()

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