Product Details

• Actors: Huaiqiu Tang, Tian Jian, Lingyu Ruan, Li Keng, Zhizhi Zhang
• Directors: Yonggang Wu
• Format: NTSC
• Region: All Regions
• Studio: Guangzhou Beauty Culture Communication Co.Ltd
• DVD Release Date: December 1, 2006
• Average Customer Review: 3.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• ASIN: B000LP50DG
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #207,247 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)
• For more information about "Goddess" visit the Internet Movie Database (IMDb)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Tragic Mirror, April 22, 2011

By 

Bobby Underwood "starlighthotel" (Manly NSW, Australia) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Goddess (DVD)

The sensitive performance of China's Ruan Ling-yu as a woman forced by society to support her illegitimate son on the streets so he can have a better life is one of the finest in silent cinema. This was the debut film of director Wu Yonggang, who also oversaw the story. Made in 1934, a year before the lovely Ruan would take her own life, the mirroring of her personal life and onscreen persona was already becoming blurred. Gossip and society's injustices play a tragically destructive role in The Goddess. Ruan's performance remains as fresh today as it was over seven decades ago, an added poignancy stemming from our knowledge that her voice would be silenced forever in 1935.

The film opens in 1934 Shanghai, Wu using his lens to explore the inhumanity of society by placing the spotlight on a nameless young woman of the streets. It is a time when an unwed mother in such circumstance had few choices in China, and even fewer options. Ruan is tender and sad as she cares for her son by day and does what she must on the streets of Shanghai by night. A chance encounter while running from the police puts her in the sights of a lazy gambler (Zhang Zhizhi) who inserts himself into the young mother's life. Ruan is helpless to stop this invasion on her sanctuary because he knows of her life now. An attempt to break free only fails when he not only finds her again, but holds harm to her son over her head.

Ruan makes the most of her circumstances by finding a hiding place for cash, using it to send her boy to school so he can have the chance for happiness that she does not. Ruan Ling-yu marvelously captures the joy over her son's opportunity, and desperation not to let it unravel when gossip about his parents threaten destroy it all. A sympathetic principal who believes society has a responsibility to her son, and is understanding of Ruan's great sacrifice, cannot dissuade the others, however. He holds firm, resigning in protest when his arguments fail, and they decide against her. The hope and joy she felt each time she picked her son up at school is shattered, and she know they must try somewhere else. When her secret stash of money is found by Zhang, a confrontation will lead to a further slide for Ruan. The caring principal will come see her one last time, offering a solution as kind as it is heartbreaking, but one which will allow Ruan to at least live in her dreams.

Wu's story is touchingly realized by Ruan Ling-yu in a subtle performance of bittersweeet sacrifice demanded by society. Gossip and expectations in conflict with human kindness and understanding were themes that would haunt Ruan's private life as well. So much did she mean to young women in her country, that among the miles of mourners who made the trek to pay their respects, three chose to join her. The Goddess is a tender reminder of a great talent lost, but always remembered through her films. Only prints of this Lianhua Film Company production taken from the China Film Archive are complete, and in good shape. Tracking one of these down may be difficult, but preferable to other prints, such as listed here. The one I viewed is region free, with music by Kevin Purrone. A must see for silent film fans.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars The good the bad and the ugly!, April 21, 2009

By 

P. Gazzara (MA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Goddess (DVD)

I was asked if I wanted to write a review on The Goddess 1934 (silent). Yes I do want to write a review...but it is difficult for me to do, because I saw this wonderful film on TCM and liked it very much. I wanted to share it with my family, so I bought the DVD on Amazon. I saw the movie with my family, but it was not exactly the same as the one I saw earlier. The film quality was poor and the subtitles were not in sync., very often. I think there were some missing parts in the DVD version. Amazon was kind enough to replace it, but the one I received in its place, was the same as the first DVD.

So...the good is...I liked the movie very much and it is well worth seeing...the bad is... it was not well duplicated from the original I had seen...the ugly is...well, the DVD version was kind of a mess!

Amazon customer service was very good!

Peter G.