Yao a yao yao dao waipo qiao (1995)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

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)

A Simple Beautifully Told Story

This is a fine movie - wonderfully acted, beautifully shot, quite simple. Without being heavy-handed, one comes to sense the presence of real evil that tempts and corrupts and destroys. It's a little slow at times because the story is so simple - yet the slowness and simplicity does allow the messages of the movie to hit home. Something else I like is that the protagonist boy is not made to be cute or winning - he just is who he is - largely an observer but sometimes acting with generosity and sometimes with contempt.

Much has been said by others about the beautiful cinematography and that's certainly true - but I'm also struck by the amazing work of those who constructed or chose the sets, costumes, background characters - they were quite memorable. What a star in Gong Li, and what a director!

I don't agree with those who contrast this with American movies - surely we feel the same evil in watching either version of Scarface or The Petrified Forest or The Road to Perdition.

In fact, I would say this movie is most like The Road to Perdition of any I've seen - not in its story particularly but in its tone, its simplicity, its contrasts of character, its cinematography.

This is also a good movie for those who say they don't like foreign movies - you'll like this one.