Yao a yao yao dao waipo qiao (1995)

Director:

Yimou Zhang

Writers:

Bi Feiyu (writer)
Li Xiao (novel)

Release Date:

22 December 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

In 1930's Shanghai violence was not the problem. It was the solution.

Plot:

Uncle Liu brings his cousin to Shanghai to work for 'Boss,' the leader of a powerful drug empire in the 1930's...

Plot Keywords:

Gang War | Shanghai | 1930s | Mistress | Sex

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 4 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Li Gong	...	Xiao Jingbao
Baotian Li	...	Tang, the Gang Boss
Wang Xiaoxiao	...	Shuisheng, the boy
Xuejian Li	...	Liu, 6th Uncle
Chun Sun	...	Song, Tang's No. 2
Biao Fu	...	Zheng, Tang's No.3
Shu Chen	...	Shi Ye
Jiang Liu	...	Fat Yu
Baoying Jiang	...	Cuihua, the Widow
Yang Qianquan	...	Ah Jiao
Ying Gao
Weiming Gao
Lian Shuliang
Wang Ya'nan
Zhang Yayun

Also Known As:

Shanghai Triad

MPAA:

Rated R for some language and images of violence.

Runtime:

103 min | Canada:108 min

Country:

France | China

Language:

Mandarin

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:12 | South Korea:18 | Australia:M | Argentina:16 | Chile:18 | Finland:K-14 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 | Singapore:PG | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Shanghai, China

Company:

Alpha Films

Trivia:

This was a difficult film for Yimou Zhang to make. His relationship with his leading lady Li Gong was coming to an acrimonious end and the Chinese authorities were deliberately hassling him with complicated and elusive work permits. That was mainly because they were still annoyed with him for submitting his previous film Huozhe (1994) to the Cannes Film Festival without their permission.

Quotes:

6th Uncle: The Boss always says, "Women's business is nothing but wind. Men's business, no matter how small, is important."

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Film Geek (2005)

Story Can''t Live Up To Great Visuals

The big plus here is in the visual department It is gorgeously filmed with deep, rich colors.

The story isn't that much. You keep excepting it to get better. It holds that promise but doesn't deliver until the ending, which has a neat no-nonsense twist. I really liked and admired that ending and wish more movies had realistic finishes like this.

Gong Li, who stars in here, plays a character that is interesting for the first half of the film but her spoiled-brat routine gets annoying after awhile. The main gangster, however, is an interesting guy throughout.

I've watched this twice and, frankly, expected more both times.