Farewell My Concubine

Farewell My Concubine is a pretty long movie with a complex storyline. The movie is shot over a 50-year period in which main characters Douzi and Shitou, from childhood to their adult lives.

Chen Kaige directed the film and it was released in 1993. The film received international acclaim as it received nominations from the Academy, Golden Globes and BAFTA organizations. Farewell also won awards at international film festivals like Cannes and many film societies. Farewell My Concubine is said to be one of the central works of the fifth generation movement that has brought Chinese directors to world attentions. Like many other Fifth Generation Films, Farewell My Concubine involves China’s political turmoil in the mid-20^th century. The film is an adaptation of a novel written by Lillian Lee.

The film stars Leslie Cheung as Dieyi (Douzi) and Zhang Fengyi as Xiaolou (Shitou). Douzi and Shitou are young boys who are in an abusive situation at an Opera school in Beijing, China. The purpose of the school is to groom the young boys into stars, as well as to add mental toughness. Douzi is told at a young age that the only way for him to become a star is for him to portray himself as a woman. At first he opposes this and is tortured by the other boys for setting the school back, for he is the lead. He eventually runs away but returns. At the school he meets a friend name Shitou. Shitou is an older boy who is feared by the other boys but for some reason he and Douzi have a liking for each other.

As the boys get older they are on the brink of stardom. Finally Douzi accepts his role as a woman and he finally becomes a star. After one show Master Zheng sexually violates Douzi. I believe from this point on he has changed. Douzi and Shitou join an opera company and are given new, adult names by the company's manager. Douzi becomes Cheng Dieyi and Shitou becomes Duan Xiaolou. Dieyi and Xiaolou gain fame for their performance of the opera Farewell My Concubine.

Dieyi becomes a famous dan without Xiaolou, who, after his marriage, no longer plays Dieyi's counterpart. Dieyi deals with his jealousy of Juxian by smoking opium. At the request of the Japanese police, Dieyi and Xiaolou perform the opera Farewell My Concubine again but Xiaolou refuses to continue after Japanese soldiers beat up Chinese natives. Xiaolou is arrested and Juxian begs Dieyi to save him. Dieyi agrees if Juxian will leave Xiaolou. Dieyi performs opera for the Japanese official, winning Xiaolou's freedom, but Juxian breaks her promise and stays with Xiaolou.

Deiyi and Xialou meet on last time as older men, Dieyi returns to China where he later loses his apartment.

This film had a great look. I wasn’t a fan of the score but that’s probably a preference thing. I personally thought that the story was a bit complex at times and found myself falling away from the movie. It was a very long movie and it had few climax and action scenes towards the beginning and end. I can see why it was received with such grace but I wouldn’t it or watch it again.