The film powerfully portrays the life of Songlian (Gong Li) as she becomes the "Fourth Wife" to Chen a wealthy landowner in 1920's China. The main plot focuses on the complex "duties and privileges" of the four wives in relation to each other and their master. Each wife lives in her own house adjacent to each other. Each night they are obliged to stand in front of their respective houses and wait for the arrival of the red lantern. It is a signal from their master with whom he will sleep that night. This scenario expectedly invites a constant and intriguing development of plots, subplots and alliances among the wives in their attempt to gain their masters favor. In the end this dynamic escalates with the severest consequences for all.
In this film Zhang Yimou visually introduced me to Concubine life in the household of a 1920's wealthy landowner. There I observed interior struggles of "the Fourth Wife" in ways comparable with the character development captured in films by Merchant & Ivory. From the opening scene to the very last frame I was mesmerized by the strong acting of all the cast but most especially with Gong Li. I was impressed by her abilities in Memoirs of a Geisha, but Raise the Red Lantern offered her a bigger stage to present the wide range of her acting abilities.
There Gong Li presented a character who, at times, commanded presence and self-assuredness as she struggled to untangle the complexities of the "duties and customs" of a concubine in their master's household. Yet in the end, her fall from favor and her ultimate downfall was precipitated by her contrasting lack of self-control.
I am pleased to have spent the time viewing this film. I would like to encourage those who enjoy great acting and a powerful story to do the same.
In this film Zhang Yimou visually introduced me to Concubine life in the household of a 1920's wealthy landowner. There I observed interior struggles of "the Fourth Wife" in ways comparable with the character development captured in films by Merchant & Ivory. From the opening scene to the very last frame I was mesmerized by the strong acting of all the cast but most especially with Gong Li. I was impressed by her abilities in Memoirs of a Geisha, but Raise the Red Lantern offered her a bigger stage to present the wide range of her acting abilities.
There Gong Li presented a character who, at times, commanded presence and self-assuredness as she struggled to untangle the complexities of the "duties and customs" of a concubine in their master's household. Yet in the end, her fall from favor and her ultimate downfall was precipitated by her contrasting lack of self-control.
I am pleased to have spent the time viewing this film. I would like to encourage those who enjoy great acting and a powerful story to do the same.