DEARTH OF POLITICAL FILMS CONTINUES IN THE DOG DAYS OF SUMMER
Brief reviews of a few interesting films that could have ranked higher with more political scripts:
Farewell, My Queen (Les adieus à la reine), directed by Benoit Jacquot, appears to focus on Queen Marie Antoinette (played by Diane Kruger) but actually develops the character of fictional Léa Seydoux (played by Sidonie Laborde), who is the queen’s story reader. But there is not much to develop, as she does whatever she is told. Although the portrayal presumes that filmviewers will sympathize with her, two evoke more sympathy: King Louis XV (played by Xavier Beauvois) dutifully negotiates with the new power structure in Paris for a period of three years before he is beheaded. And Marie, a young woman who was brought from Austria to friendless Paris in an arranged marriage, is trapped at court and would really prefer to be home in Vienna. To reveal the circumstances of Léa’s farewell to Marie would be a spoiler unless filmviewers have read the 2003 novel by Chantal Thomas on which the film is based. MH
China Heavyweight (Qian chui bai lian), directed by Yung Chang, starts from 1979, when the People’s Republic of China first allowed the sport of boxing. (Previously, boxing was considered a decadent Western sport.) Similar to the United States, the less advantaged take up the sport as a way to advance themselves. But there the similarity ends, as the film is an excellent portrayal of Chinese culture—especially an emphasis on discipline, family, and humility. (The Chinese title is translated “To be tried and tested a 1000 times over.”) Although technically a documentary, with actual boxers, the events are presented dramatically with neither titles nor voiceovers. MH
Sacrifice (Zhao shi gu er), directed by Chen Kaige, takes filmviewers back to the era of feudal China, when struggles for power occurred at the provincial level. The film is based on an opera from 583 bce. When the film begins, military leader Tu-Angu (played by Wang Xueqi) takes over rule from the Zhao clan in a coup. The only Zhao left is a baby, who was entrusted by the erstwhile ruler’s wife to the spouse of the court physician (played by Ge You) with instructions to give the baby to one of the military officers with secret pro-Zhao leanings. Tu-Angu forces then go to every house to take away all babies, knowing that one must be that heir. Although the physician’s wife switches her own baby for the Zhao baby, Tu-Angu spares all the children (perhaps so that he can keep an eye on the heir, who is being brought up as if the physician’s child). The baby develops into a child, is featured as a brat at age 8, and at 13 the boy has martial skills. The plot thickens considerably. The Chinese virtue of sacrifice dominates the story. MH