M. Butterfly (1993)

Director:

David Cronenberg

Writers (WGA):

David Henry Hwang (play)
David Henry Hwang (screenplay)

Release Date:

1 October 1993 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance

Plot:

In 1960s China, French diplomat Rene Gallimard falls in love with an opera singer, Song Liling - but Song is not at all who Gallimard thinks.

Plot Keywords:

Opera | China | 1960s | Cultural Revolution | Betrayal

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Jeremy Irons	...	René Gallimard
John Lone	...	Song Liling
Barbara Sukowa	...	Jeanne Gallimard
Ian Richardson	...	Ambassador Toulon
Annabel Leventon	...	Frau Baden
Shizuko Hoshi	...	Comrade Chin
Richard McMillan	...	Embassy Colleague
Vernon Dobtcheff	...	Agent Etancelin
David Hemblen	...	Intelligence Officer #1
Damir Andrei	...	Intelligence Officer #2
Antony Parr	...	Intelligence Officer #3
Margaret Ma	...	Song's Maid
Tristram Jellinek	...	Defense attorney
Philip McGough	...	Prosecution attorney
David Neal	...	Judge
Sean Hewitt	...	Ambassador's Aide
Peter Messaline	...	Diplomat at party
Michael Mehlmann	...	Drunk in Paris bar
Barbara Chilcott	...	Critic at Garden Party
George Jonas	...	Mall Trustee
Carl Zvonkin	...	Surveillance technician
Viktor Fülöp	...	Marshal
Cadman Chui	...	Accordion Player
María Teresa Uribe	...	Paris Opera Madama Butterfly
Harriet Chung	...	Red Guard Dancer
Monica Gan	...	Red Guard Dancer
Ayumi Komoda	...	Red Guard Dancer
Tammy Lok	...	Red Guard Dancer
Tracey Oh	...	Red Guard Dancer
Carly Wong	...	Red Guard Dancer

Directed by
David Cronenberg

Writing credits (WGA)
David Henry Hwang		(play)
David Henry Hwang		(screenplay)

Produced by
David Henry Hwang	....	executive producer
Gabriella Martinelli	....	producer
Philip Sandhaus	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Howard Shore

Cinematography by
Peter Suschitzky

Film Editing by
Ronald Sanders

Casting by
Deirdre Bowen

Production Design by
Carol Spier

Art Direction by
Alicia Keywan
James McAteer

Set Decoration by
Elinor Rose Galbraith

Costume Design by
Denise Cronenberg

Makeup Department
Suzanne Benoit	....	makeup artist
Julia Fenyvessy	....	makeup artist: Budapest unit
Antoine Garabedian	....	hair stylist: Paris unit
Antoine Garabedian	....	makeup artist: Paris unit
Ferdinando Merolla	....	hair stylist
Aldo Signoretti	....	hair stylist
Ava Stone	....	makeup artist
Margo Vida	....	hair stylist: Budapest unit
Allen Weisinger	....	makeup artist
Thomas Yee	....	assistant hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Jean-Pierre Avice	....	production manager: Paris unit
József Cirkó	....	production manager
Philip Lee	....	unit manager
Adrienne Rorarius	....	unit manager: Budapest
Marilyn Stonehouse	....	post-production supervisor
Marilyn Stonehouse	....	production manager
László Tímár	....	production manager: Budapest unit

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
John Board	....	first assistant director
Simon Board	....	third assistant director
Cécile Boisrond-Becker	....	second assistant director: Paris (as Cecile Boisrond)
Cassandra Cronenberg	....	trainee assistant director
Gábor Gajdos	....	assistant director: Budapest
Léonard Guillain	....	first assistant director: Paris
Zsuzsa Gurban	....	assistant director: Budapest unit
Kim H. Winther	....	second assistant director
Lars P. Winther	....	trainee assistant director
Yang Xie	....	third assistant director: Far East

Art Department
John Bannister	....	key scenic artist
Serge Bureau	....	assistant set decorator
Marc Corriveau	....	property master
Judit Csák	....	assistant set designer: Budapest
Joe Curtin	....	construction coordinator
John Dondertman	....	first assistant art director
Gyula Farkas	....	property master: Budapest
Danielle Fleury	....	assistant set decorator
Michael Followes	....	property buyer (as Mike Followes)
Ian Fraser	....	head carpenter
Pamela Gibson	....	property buyer
Gina Hamilton	....	set buyer
Sabri Lariani	....	assistant head carpenter
Gordon Lebredt	....	second assistant art director
Guy Montbillard	....	dressing propman: Paris
Peter P. Nicolakakos	....	set dresser
Jak Oliver	....	scenic artist
Denis Perrier	....	assistant head carpenter
Béla Péterdi	....	construction manager: Budapest
Ferenc Schöffer	....	set dresser: Budapest
Robert H. Steiner	....	construction bookkeeper
Zoltán Szabó	....	first assistant set dresser: Budapest
Armand Thomas	....	assistant property master
Clive Thomasson	....	lead set dresser
Alexandra Thompson	....	third assistant art director
Péter Újvári	....	assistant property master: Budapest
Boryana Varbanov	....	art department coordinator: Far East
E.C. Whelan	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Tom Bjelic	....	assistant sound editor
Terry Burke	....	foley artist
Richard Cadger	....	dialogue editor (as Rick Cadger)
Tony Currie	....	dialogue editor
Bryan Day	....	sound mixer
David Evans	....	sound effects editor
Alastair Gray	....	assistant sound editor
Wayne Griffin	....	dialogue editor
Michael LaCroix	....	boom operator
Joe Lafontaine	....	assistant sound editor
John Laing	....	sound effects editor
Dino Pigat	....	sound re-recording mixer
Paul Shikata	....	foley assistant
Lou Solakofski	....	sound re-recording mixer
Don White	....	sound re-recording mixer
David Yonson	....	foley assistant

Special Effects by
Georges Demétrau	....	special effects: Budapest unit
Ferenc Deák	....	special effects technician (uncredited)

Visual Effects by
Michael Arias	....	computer graphics: title sequence (uncredited)
Daniel Leung	....	digital artist (uncredited)

Stunts
Ferenc Novinecz	....	stunts
Béla Unger	....	stunt coordinator: Budapest unit

Camera and Electrical Department
Scotty Allan	....	gaffer
Nick Bacon	....	grip (as Nicholas Bacon)
Blake Balentine	....	grip
Russel Bowie	....	camera trainee
Károly Brauner	....	grip: Budapest
Joe Chan	....	grip: far east unit
Bernard Chateau	....	camera car grip: Paris
Ted Churchill	....	Steadicam operator
Kevan Dutchak	....	second assistant camera
Tsang Chun Fai	....	electrician: far east unit
Michael Hall	....	first assistant camera
H. Christopher Hunter	....	grip (as Christopher Hunter)
David Hynes	....	dolly grip
A. Randy Jones	....	generator operator
Steven Lockie	....	video-assist: Paris
Mark Manchester	....	key grip
Alain Manzon	....	head grip: Paris
Mike McDonald	....	electrician (as Michael McDonald)
Steven Morrisson	....	electrician
Steve Myers	....	electrician
Michel Oguntke	....	clapper loader: Paris (as Michael Oguntkey)
Gregory Palermo	....	best boy grip
Patrick Pamart	....	grip: Paris
Peter Robinson	....	Steadicam operator
Michael Ruggles	....	electrician
Ian D. Scott	....	best boy
Stephen Sebert	....	video assist operator
Takashi Seida	....	still photographer
James Storie	....	video assist operator
Peter Suschitzky	....	camera operator
Rudolf Takacs	....	gaffer: Budapest
Richard Gaal	....	electrician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Alberte Garo	....	extras casting: Paris
Doreen Jones	....	casting consultant
Karoly Kupics	....	casting agent: Budapest
Eleanor Lavender	....	extras casting
Joanna Merlin	....	casting consultant

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Angela Arana	....	wardrobe cutter
Mario Davignon	....	costume supervisor
Bela Frey	....	executive in charge of costumes: Budapest
Brenda Gilles	....	costume supervisor
Ann Henshaw	....	wardrobe assistant
György Homonnay	....	wardrobe master: Budapest
Marie-Françoise Perochon	....	wardrobe mistress: Paris
József Lender	....	dresser (uncredited)
Sheila Radovancevic	....	costume assistant (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Gary Fluxgold	....	second assistant editor
Michael Rea	....	first assistant editor
Christopher Severn	....	color timer
Sandra Tucker	....	post-production coordinator
Wiebke von Carolsfeld	....	trainee assistant editor
Peter Watson	....	second assistant editor (as Pete Watson)

Music Department
Gary Chester	....	additional music engineer
Vic Fraser	....	music preparation
John Kurlander	....	music engineer
Ádám Medveczky	....	conductor (as Adam Medveczky)
Joel Moss	....	additional music engineer
Suzana Peric	....	music editor
Nic Ratner	....	assistant music editor
Simon Rhodes	....	additional music engineer
Jennifer Richardson	....	music clearance
Howard Shore	....	conductor
Howard Shore	....	orchestrator
Roger Williams	....	music preparation

Transportation Department
Eldie Benson	....	transportation coordinator
Michael Billard	....	driver
Andrea Boyd	....	driver
Brian Cann	....	driver
Mac Day	....	driver
Frances Hendry	....	driver
Allen Kosonic	....	driver (as Al Kosnic)
George Markos	....	driver
Frank Mizzi	....	driver captain
Istvan Pintye	....	transportation manager: Budapest
Cactus Simser	....	head driver
Ron Annabelle	....	driver (uncredited)
Csaba Annus	....	driver (uncredited)

Other crew
Debra Beers	....	location manager
Maribeth Board	....	craft service (as Merrie Beth Board)
Christine Bodelot	....	production accountant: Paris
Dominique Bruballa	....	production assistant
Mark Bukator	....	assistant accountant
Marie Cambon	....	interpreter: far east unit
Venus Cheuk	....	unit assistant: far east unit
Lesley Clark	....	production secretary
Norma Cole	....	language consultant: French
Robert Cotnoir	....	synclavier programmer
Robin Crumley	....	production coordinator: far east unit
Victor Dezso	....	interpreter: Budapest
Dorothy Ding	....	interpreter: far east unit
Michele Ehlers	....	choreographer: Beijing opera
Prudence Emery	....	unit publicist
Erzsebet Gaspar	....	extras coordinator: Budapest
Sarah Grahame	....	script supervisor
Lori Greenberg	....	assistant: Mr. Martinelli
Jamie H.J. Guan	....	choreographer: Beijing opera
Tamás Guba	....	location manager: Budapest
László Helle	....	head of production: Budapest
Tan Ing How	....	interpreter: far east unit
Anne Jurenas-Polyak	....	assistant accountant
Judy 'Lucky' Kemeny	....	production liaison: Budapest
Bobe Kiraly	....	accountant: Budapest
Bea Klukon	....	interpreter: Budapest
Corinne Kouper	....	unit location manager: Paris
Istvan Kozma	....	assistant location manager: Budapest unit
Lucette Legot	....	production coordinator: Paris
Christophe Maratier	....	firearms: Budapest
Dr. Peter Mitchell	....	far east consultant: far east unit
Lesley Myers	....	assistant: Mr. Martinelli
Rick Parker	....	animal wrangler
Benoit Raguin	....	production runner: Paris
Dug Rotstein	....	script supervisor
Wesley Seto	....	stand-in: Mr. Lone
Peter Shanne	....	stand-in: Mr. Irons
Timothy Storey	....	production office assistant (as Timothy M. Storey)
Zita Talos	....	office secretary: Budapest
Ing-How Tan	....	production assistant
Magdolna Torok	....	interpreter: Budapest
Julien Toujan	....	assistant to unit manager: Paris
Laura Trombetta	....	far east liaison: far east unit
Benjamin Tucker	....	production office assistant
Sandra Tucker	....	assistant: Mr. Cronenberg
Zsuzsa Varadi	....	production secretary: Budapest
Laura Wood Fawcett	....	location production assistant (as Laura Wood)
Deborah Zwicker	....	production coordinator
Lisa Atkinson	....	pre-production consultant (uncredited)
Randall Balsmeyer	....	title designer (uncredited)
Simon St. Laurent	....	opticals: Film Effects (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Geffen Pictures
• Miranda Productions Inc.

Distributors

• Warner Bros. (1994) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (1995) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Geffen Pictures
• Warner Bros. Pictures (through)
• Warner Bros. (Spain)

Other Companies

• Abbey Road Studios  music recorded at
• Air Studios  music recorded at
• Balsmeyer and Everett  titles
• Film Effects  end titles
• Film House  foley recorded at
• Francont Film  negative cutting
• Syzygy Digital Cinema  computer graphics for main title sequence

MPAA:

Rated R for sexuality and a brief bloody sequence.

Runtime:

101 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Argentina:16 | Iceland:12 | Singapore:NC-16 (re-rating) | Singapore:R(A) | South Korea:18 | Australia:M | Finland:K-14 | Spain:18 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Budapest, Hungary

Company:

Geffen Pictures

Trivia:

The original Broadway production of "M. Butterfly" by David Henry Hwang opened on March 20, 1988 at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre, ran for 777 performances, won the 1988 Tony Award for Best Play and was nominated for the 1988 Pulitzer Prize for Drama.

Quotes:

Song Liling: Well, education has always been undervalued in the West, hasn't it?
Rene Gallimard: I wouldn't say that.
Song Liling: No, of course you wouldn't. After all, how can you objectively judge your own values?
Rene Gallimard: I think it's possible to achieve a little distance.
Song Liling: Do you?

Movie Connections:

Featured in "The Directors: The Films of David Cronenberg (#1.10)" (1999)

a great work

this film is compelling and haunting...have seen it only once, but its message of passion burned itself upon my memory for all time. that is my definition of a great film. would love to own a copy on DVD. I always look for it at stores but never have found even a VHS version. I have also been searching for a copy of Damage also starring Jeremy Irons...haven't found that one either. Why are the most artistic films, the ones that really have something to say, the last to make it to the after-market release of the film?? I have noticed that Jeremy Irons tends to portray emotionally crippled characters...it certainly works for him in this film!