Jian guo da ye (2009)

Directors:

Sanping Han
Jianxin Huang

Writers:

Baoguang Chen (writer)
Xingdong Wang (writer)

Release Date:

17 September 2009 (China)

Genre:

Drama | History

Plot Keywords:

Kuomintang | Historic Figure | Chinese Civil War | Historical Event | Politics

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Guoqiang Tang	...	Mao Zedong
Guoli Zhang	...	Chiang Kai-shek
Qing Xu	...	Soong Ching-ling
Jin Liu	...	Zhou Enlai
Kun Chen	...	Chiang Ching-kuo
Wufu Wang	...	Zhu De
Xueqi Wang	...	Li Zongren
Sha Liu	...	Liu Shaoqi
Bing Wang	...	Zhang Lan
Vivian Wu	...	Soong May-ling
Wei Zhao	...	Member of CPPCC
Zongdi Xiu	...	Fu Zuoyi
Donnie Yen	...	Tian Han
Yiwei Liu	...	Li Huang
Jun Hu	...	Gu Zhutong

Also Known As:

The Founding of a Republic (International: English title)

Runtime:

138 min

Country:

China

Language:

Mandarin | English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Hong Kong:IIA | Australia:M | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Beijing, China

Company:

Beijing Poly-bona Film Publishing Company

Trivia:

The film was made to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the Chinese Communist Party founding of China. The film boasts the most number of China's movie stars in one film. Many of the top stars were invited to star as leads, supporting characters, or just cameo in the film, reportedly including some of the top Chinese stars like 'Jackie Chan' and Jet Li, who only have one shot or one line in the film.

Dull but of some interest

The biggest problem with Founding of a Republic is that it is quite dull. An historic, or quasi-historic, film about the origins of the current government in China, the movie tends to surprisingly free of anything of cinematic interest. The action is sparse, the dialogue is neither amusing nor animated, and all the major events are well-known to history students. The cameo appearances by several major Chinese stars, such as Jackie Chan, Jet Lee and Zhang Ziyi, are so short as to be hardly worth mentioning. We already know the outcome, and there is little in the film to hold the viewer's interest, aside from some of its subtle if unexpected features, such as its surprisingly enlightened attitude toward Chiang Kai-shek.

In much of the propaganda that pervades previous characterizations of Chiang and his Nationalist forces, the Chinese Communists have tended to portray the Chinese civil war as one of black v white, good v evil, with victorious communist forces "liberating" the people from an evil regime. These words still appear today when it is advantageous to Chinese interest. But in this film Chiang seems reflective, fair-minded and concerned over excesses in his own regime--a rather positive image.

Mao is treated to several revisions, appearing jovial, tolerant, and even permissive of some forms of capitalism, the latter something Mao never actually was in his revolutionary days. Indeed, there is little revolutionary fervor in Mao's dialogue in this film, a fervor which in real life permeated Mao's thinking. This seems deliberate, as these ideas would accord little with the current regime in Beijing. In one scene where Mao is shown in an avuncular, loving role with children, even though in real life Mao abandoned his children to pursue his ambitious revolutionary strategies.

While KMT excesses are detailed, including several assassinations, there is absolutely no mention of CCP atrocities committed during the Chinese civil war. And, while KMT violations of the interim treaty between the two sides are highlighted, there is no mention of CCP violations of the same pre-civil war accords.

While most of the film is richly detailed in costumes and settings, the special effects are not very realistic, with several airplane scenes being utterly unconvincing as they are obviously CGI. The film is a product of Chinese film makers, but political interests in Beijing factored heavily in its production. I doubt that the movie will generate much interest outside of China.