Customer Reviews

M Butterfly (M Mariposa) (Version En Espanol, Subtitulada) [VHS]

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

A bit of a departure for horror/sci-fi director David Cronenberg, but nonetheless one of his best films. Jeremy Irons plays Rene Gallimard, an accountant for the French Embassy in Beijing, who becomes infatuated with a Chinese diva (Song Liling), played by John Lone. After a passionate and scandalous affair, Song leaves Beijing, supposedly pregnant with Gallimard's child. Years later when he is arrested for espionage, Gallimard is forced to confront the fact that not only was his lover a spy for the Chinese ministry, but a man. Some people find John Lone's inability to completely pass as a woman problematic, but as Cronenberg explains: "I didn't want an unknown who was incredibly female and almost undetectable. I wanted a man. When Gallimard and Song are kissing I wanted it to be two men. I wanted the audience to feel that... M. Butterfly for me is about transformation.." For me, it's a brilliant exploration of the nature of curiousity and desire that necessarily ends tragically. The devastating notion that you can give up your entire life for something that is not true, that it's possible to fall in love with an idea, an image, a masquerade. Cronenberg abounds in his insights to imperialism, gender performance and the human capcity for transformation. Still, above all is the emotional intensity of this film, his best (in that regard) to date. Beautiful cinematography and exquisite acting, earns five stars for the closing scene alone. Highly recommended.

I don't think anyone could have done justice to writing the screenplay to M Butterfly (based on David Henry Hwang's stage play) than Hwang himself. While it is a bit of a departure from the 1988 play based on the true story of a French diplomat who falls in love with a Chinese opera singer and the disastrous outcome of their affair, as a film it could not have been done otherwise.

Jeremy Irons, a wonderful actor no matter what role he plays, makes for an astounding Rene Gallimard. Less sarcastic than John Lithgow, who created the role on Broadway, Irons gives new depth and intensity to the frustrated, naive accountant. The dramatic depth to John Lone's Song Liling is equal to Irons and equal in departure from BD Wong's somewhat giggly Broadway portrayal of the Chinese diva.

A great deal of "s" words can be used to describe David Cronenberg's film, the top of that list including subtle and sexy. The tone is set, mostly, by the score--which includes traditional-sounding Chinese music and variations of Puccini's Madame Butterfly (especially the recurring theme of "Un Bel Di")--and the scenery (shot in the Far East and Budapest). The ubiquitous soft red and gold tones add to the seductive, nearly erotic edge of the film, all of which culminate at the end.

I don't want to give any of it away, mainly because when I saw the movie I had already read and seen the play, and there is so much more meaning to realize the end with Rene, but I will say that it is moving to the point of tears. Not necessarily because of the outcome, but more in how the actors play it and how the director has realized it. If you have ANY interest in purchasing this film (especially if you have any experience with Hwang's stage play), by all means buy it. It won't disappoint.

This 1993 film is based on the true story of French diplomat, Rene Gallimard, who carried on an affair for 18 years with Chinese opera singer Song Liling. Later, he was arrested when it was discovered he was passing diplomatic secrets to the Chinese government through his lover. However, there is a twist. Song Liling was actually a man, not a woman, and supposedly kept this fact from Gallimard through all this time.

Jeremy Irons is cast as Rene Gallimard. John Lone, who was actually trained in the Beijing opera and who played the title role in The Last Emperor, is cast as Song Liling. He is not a convincing female but I feel this was the director's intent. The story is, after all, about Gallimard's blind obsession in his desire for the perfect woman. Both Irons' and Lone's performances are magnificent. Both are tragic and sympathetic characters caught up in history.

The theme is also about the role of men and women as well as Communist China and the cultural revolution. Great cinematography and setting brings us to the heart of China which is going through its growing pains. Deception and betrayal are everywhere, not just between the two leading characters involved in the romance.

I was unprepared to like the video as much as I did. It did not do well at the box office, I knew the theme in advance and felt it would strain my belief system. However, I was swept away in the story and the excellent performances and had no trouble overlooking its flaws. Of course the author took dramatic license and created a ending that played like an opera, but who is to blame him; the story itself just cried out for theatrics.

Recommended as an interesting departure from the ordinary.

M. Butterfly was one of David Cronenberg's more poorly received films, but I think it's actually pretty underrated. It bears mentioning, however, that I felt the same way about his take on William S. Burroughs' Naked Lunch, which also received mixed reviews, but can't have been an easy work to adapt. M. Butterfly is an adaptation of David Henry Hwang's Tony Award winning play and is based on a true story (Naked Lunch, despite its radical form, was also largely based on events from Burroughs' life -- both real and imagined).

I think the timing of M. Butterfly's release was partly to blame for its lukewarm reception as it touches on some of the same gender, sexual orientation and cultural issues as Farewell My Concubine, which was released around the same time. Chen Kaige's more controversial, but widely praised Chinese epic went on to win the Palme d'Or at Cannes. M. Butterfly does pale a bit in comparison. Leslie Cheung is more dynamic than The Last Emperor's John Lone in a similar part (as a man specializing in female operatic roles) -- but it's still a worthwhile effort and a change of pace for Mr. Cronenberg from his usual high-tech sci-fi/horror scenarios. And Jeremy Irons can almost always be counted on to give a quality performance (Dungeons and Dragons aside...). Rene Gallimard may represent a less challenging role than that of Dead Ringers' twin gynecologists, but Irons makes this lovesick French diplomat sympathetic and believable even as lets his love for Lilong Song (Lone) blind him to the seemingly obvious truth of the matter -- that the woman he's fallen in love with is really not a woman at all.

Considering that it was a Cronenberg movie, I found it surprisingly normal and accessible. I also found it thoroughly engrossing and much more emotionally satisfying than I's expected, given some of the reviews. Jeremy Irons gave his usual pitch-perfect performance; perhaps this film was something of a warm-up for his playing Humbert Humbert in the similarly themed Lolita. However, I was blown away even more by John Lone. He wasn't as convincing as a woman as he might have been, but that really wasn't the point, and when you see his transformation to his true persona at the end of the film, the sheer contrast, and the conviction to both the performances, should prove just how talented he is.
Overall, I found an unexpected treasure here; what from the box could have been a overwraught weepy sex-drama was actually intelligent, emotionally truthful, and well made.

I thoroughly enjoy watching this movie over and over. I remember seeing the Barbara Walters interview with the real life participants in this story and being able to see the real people(especially their "son" as an adult) and hearing their stories helped me become very curious as to how a story like this could unfold. I was completely blown away by John Lone in this portrayal of Song Lilling and think he did an awesome job with what he had to work with. He played the nemesis in the Alec Baldwin movie The Shadow. Watch that movie and then watch this one and tell me the man doesn't have range as an actor! I have shown this movie to several men who have NO IDEA what the movie is about and they are SHOCKED to find out Song Lilling is a man. I find it interesting that most of the reviewers here have been so negative about John's portrayal. He wasn't wearing any padding in the chest to try hard to be a woman. His character in this movie is a MAN who in real life fooled another man into thinking he was a woman because Renee' CHOSE his own reality. Maybe Song Lilling was right in the movie dialogue to her Comerade(paraphrased but never forgotten quotable line from this movie)--Do you know why most of the roles of women in Chinese opera are traditionially played by men? Because only men know how a true woman is supposed to act. --Jeremy Irons and John Lone give incredible and underrated performances in this movie. They believed in the project and it shows. The music is gorgeous, the costumes are very "Memoirs of a Geisha" and anyone who is a fan of The Crying Game or any play by Charles Busch should purchase this movie. The music, scenery, and locations alone rate 4 of the stars I have assigned to it.

i gave this movie four stars because it was pretty good but not excellent. not as good as the play though ad this is migth be one of the reasons why it was not as popular with hollywood goers than theater goers. jeremy irons was good ad it was one of the reasons why this film was saved.

M Butterfly tells the story of a French American Diplomat, Rene Gallimard, who falls in love with Chinese opera singer, Song Liling. Unbeknownst to Gallimard, Song Liling is a Chinese informant gathering information of American troop movement in Vietnam. Song Liling has an even deeper secret she is hiding from Gallimard, her true identity as a man. Despite Lilings love for Gallimard, he testifies against him and Gallimard ends up in jail. While heartbroken and still in love with a lie, Gallimard commits suicide. From start to finish, this movie is full of surprises. Although there are subtle hints regarding Liling's true identity I was never really prepared for its revelation. M Butterfly is a tragic story of one man who loses everything because his love of a lie. Although a bit disturbing, M Butterfly is a movie worth watching.

SPOILER ALERT**

Cronenberg's movie M. Butterfly is full of unexpected twists and turns. The French-American diplomat Rene Gallimard has fallen for a Chinese Opera singer. They embark n a lusty affair that ends in an unprecedented event. Song Liling, the Opera singer, is betraying Rene in more ways then one. She is using him to gain information on American troops in Vietnam. He has no idea that she is using him and he has no idea that she is actually a HE. When Rene ends up in prison, he uses a Madame Butterfly backdrop to commit suicide. This movie was well acted and directed. There were many subtle hints to Liling's masculinity, but there was nothing too bold as to give away the climax. This movie is a surprising take on Madama Butterfly that will linger in mind as a very different and intrguing drama.

David Cronenberg's 11th movie, M BUTTERFLY, is one of his greatest silent achievements (next to FAST COMPANY his 3rd movie). The critics hated it, hollywood hated it, but here's the bottom line: Cronenberg fans will eat up all the elements of a perfect Cronenberg movie, non-Cronenberg fans will love it because the story sucks you in right from the beginning. This is the second time Jeremy Irons worked with Cronenberg (DEAD RINGERS the other), and what a remarkable job he does. If you liked the Crying Game, this is the mvie for you. Drama and suspense fans alike, see this movie. It has one of the most intriguing endings of any Cronenberg film (next to THE DEAD ZONE)