meta4-1
Well, I grant you that the film could have been much better with Chinese dialog, but since I do not speak Chinese, English worked fine for me. I found the colorite of the periode just great. Costumes, interior, culture - but than again - I'm not Chinese and are probably not able to see the flaws and am very happy for it. I liked the film, that I by chance came by, and would not have seen if my sister had not tipped my off. I found that it was portraying the eara between old and new time quite believable as it take place around the Japanese invation of China. The lead man is an American and the one bringing change with him. The female lead is a strong Chinese lady who plays her role most brilliantly. The only drawback that I could see was the end that was too yacky for me knowing what Mao did to his country in the years that followed. If you like films about China this one could well be your thing.
ex_ottoyuhr
OK, I see that someone filmed _Pavilion of Women_. Interesting choice. Then I look at the credits: No Tsemo, no Rulan, and... what in the name of Hong Xiuquan is a Japanese general doing in _Pavilion of Women_!? They seem to have this confused with _Dragon Seed_ or something...And I was really looking forward to seeing who they cast as those two. The Tsemo-Rulan story arc was easily my favorite part of the book, and with their very good Fengmo, I had high hopes...In short: this sounds like it's *nothing* like the book. Perhaps I'll get this comment deleted for having been posted without seeing the film, but frankly, with a departure like *this* (not to mention Brother Andre utterly abandoning his original character -- ugh, the fact that the fellow doesn't actually exist doesn't mean that he shouldn't sue), I'd say that seeing the film is probably far too steep a price to pay. Let's hope for a *real* adaptation of _Pavilion_ someday -- or, to be more practical, something like _Kinfolk_, or ideally _Sons_.(Yes, on that subject, well, a _Sons_ movie would be nothing to stab one's treacherous but extremely beautiful kitsune concubine over, but it would be about as close to that as a film would be likely to get...)
Jalea
but it is not bad. This movie seems to play like an opera. There is much exaggeration. Except there is no singing. If there was singing, it would excuse the simplification of the story. Also, there are no scenes were the camera pulls back and allows the viewer to appreciate the landscape and sceneryHowever, the film is still entertaining. It has some touching moments although the ending was definitely over the top. It is worth watching if you like melodrama.
connorblake
Am I the only one out here who read 'Pavilion of Women'? This film took a great book and what would have been a fantastic female role and turned them both into porridge. In the book, the relationship between Brother Andre and Madame Wu was that of a wise teacher and a brilliant pupil until, literally, the day he died: it wasn't until that day that she realized that she loved him. Pavilion of Women is not a 'romance': it is the awakening of a woman to her own humanity, and, through the transforming power of love, to the humanity of others, whom she has previously regarded only as problems to be solved or duties to be performed. To turn it into a 'romance' is an insult to the author, Pearl Buck, who, for the record, did not write Harlequin-level trash, and the audience, who would have been quite capable of understanding the story as it was originally written. Whoever's responsible for foisting this 'dumbed-down' mess on the universe should be ashamed of themselves.
AD
