Customer Reviews

Pavilion of Women

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

 

 

I remember reading Pearl Buck's "Pavilion of Women" as a child and loving it. I've forgotten the details of the plot long ago. But I do remember it was about Madame Wu, a wealthy Chinese woman who, on her 40th birthday, decided to stop marital relations with her husband and find him a young concubine. At that time 40 years old seemed very old to me. Now it seems quite young.

This 2001 adaptation of the novel is set in 1937 and was filmed in China and partially financed by the Beijung Film Studios. The Chinese actress Yan Luo not only stars as Madame Wu, but also helped write the screenplay and produce the film. She's beautiful and stately and gives a fine performance. Willem Dafoe is cast as a village priest who runs a local orphanage. They are attracted to each other and the inevitable happens. But that is only part of what the story is about. Basically, it's about the oppressive world of the old-fashioned traditional Chinese family. And the future promise of communism. I read the book a long time ago and don't remember such a strong emphasis on communism. But this film is, after all, produced from a modern Chinese point of view.

Many critics hated this film, called it too slow and too romantic. And all of them objected to the fact that the characters spoke English. I usually would agree with all those objections. It IS an overblown soap opera after all. However, I found watching this film a delight. I loved the opulent world of pre-communist China that I remember so well from Pearl Buck novels, including the acceptance of the concubine. And I liked the fact that the bedroom scenes were much more explicit than what was hinted at by Pearl Buck. I just relaxed and let myself be part of this fantasy world for a little while. And even though the film was a full two hours long, I never was bored.

Taste is personal, of course. And even though I can't understand why I enjoyed Pavilion of Women so much, I do recommend it.

Anyone who liked Zhang Yimou's "Raise The Red Lantern" is a prospect for "Pavilion Of Women". Whereas "Raise The Red Lantern" explores merely Chinese taboos about marriage and concubinage, "Pavilion Of Women" centres on a romance between leading characters in whom both Chinese and Western mores collide. This is a cross-cultural romantic story adapted from a book by the prolific American writer on China, Pearl S. Buck, set in the late 1930s. It is a cross-cultural challenge to the audience, as much as to its characters. Many Chinese would say that its romantic plot was unthinkable or impossible in the 1930s--which is, of course, part of the point of the story. Western fans of Pearl S. Buck might be irritated by deviation from her book. However, this film has first class cross-cultural direction and acting, and was beautifully photographed on location in elegant settings of old Suzhou. It is a fine example of what the Chinese film industry can achieve in co-production. The DVD has high quality picture and audio, but could be improved with special features such as biographical and production notes.

Do I have to give it a star? Awful, just awful. No other words could describe this terrible adaptation of the book it is named after. It is so far removed from the original that one can't help wonder what Pearl Buck would be thinking if she were alive today.

The characters are the same in name, only. I don't understand why the screenplay had to deviate so greatly. Mr. Wu went from being a happily married man (who, by the way, did not want a concubine to begin with) to an opium depraved sex-aholic bent on receiving as much oral sex as possible by whatever means possible. Why was there a need to color this man with such depravity?

The beauty of the book lies in the richness of the allegories that Pearl Buck so intricately wove into the story. Mrs. Wu's love for Father Andre was the love of his spirit and being. It was who the man was and not what he was physically made of. Father Andre was Christ-like in his devotion to his calling in China. There was never any hint of a sexual attraction to Mrs. Wu.

The recent adaptation of "Mansfield Park" came to mind when I watched this movie. Another disastrous attempt to adapt a classic and beloved book to today's morally vacant mind-set. After watching both of these movies I felt violated and betrayed.

Shame. Shame.

I rented this movie because Pearl S. Buck (the author of the novel for which the novel is based on) is my favorite author.
I read Pavilion of Women about 10 years ago and I still remember the plot and characters of the novel. I love it so much. I was skeptical when I rented the movie because I was afraid the movie couldn't keep up, but I was wrong. Even though reading the novel will give you intimate details, the movie entertained as well.

This film is one of those movies you like to watch with your better half on a rainy Saturday afternoon with a large couch and a bowl of popcorn. Don't expect a lot from this particular movie (loosely based on Pearl Buck's book). It would never win an Academy Award, but not every movie is made for such shallow recognition. The Chinese women characters are stunningly beautiful, the location photography is breathtaking, and even Willem Dafoe is pleasant enough to watch in this film. This is one of those movies guys love because it has enough story to keep the girls interested, and enough slow periods where you can get a lot of hugging and kissing in. For that reason alone, I should have given this movie 6 stars!

Based on a novel of the same name by Pearl S. Buck

Father Andre is a missionary in 19th century China. He is everything a missionary should be. Ms. Wu is the wife of a very wealthy man. She heads a typical, large multi-generational household with plenty of servants and maids. Her husband is usually drunk or opium when he comes home at nigh, and his treatment of her is beyond crude. Ms. Wu fetches a young girl from the country side to be a 2nd wife for her husband, so he will keep his hands and body off her.
It seems that Father Andre loves Ms. Wu, and it seems she grows to crave the attentions of Fr. Andre, the likes of which she has never experienced before. Late in the film, they go for a walk and end up making love in a touching cathartic scene.. Ms Wu, in her forties, had never been touched in a loving or caring way by a man before. A conservative may think it is bad to portray a priest this way, but in the context of the story, you want to cheer for the both of them.
Much of what is portrayed in the film is very authentic. It does a very good job in showing some of the differences between ancient China and the west.
The Missus didn't like the film that much. She says no Chinese man could possibly be as despicable as Ms. Wu's husband was depicted in the film. She excuses the husband by saying that back then in China no one knew anything about sex or love. Also, Lindy claims that in China at that time, if Fr. Andre and Ms Wu had made love together, they would have been trussed up like pigs and thrown into the river! Thanks for puncturing my fantasies...Needless to say, no of this happened in the book version.

This would have been an excellent movie for anyone who hadn't read the book but, Mr. Wu's character was completely distorted. He was a kind, gentle man who went along with all of his wife's suggestions even though he wasn't really willing to take a concubine. The rest of the movie followed the book very well but a lot was missing. The charaacter of Father Andrew was fairly accurate up to a point. I would reoment the book to everyone. I really enjoyed it.

Don't buy this because you like Willem Dafoe, or because you loved Crouching Tiger. I couldn't believe how blatantly they exploited Dafoe's famous scene from Platoon, or how cartoon-exaggerated the characters were. The acting is inexcusably awful. It all sounded like a parody of a dubbed Asian film. Believe me, I've enjoyed some great Chinese movies, but this tries so hard to be Hollywood... it's 50's Hollywood, especially the music which telegraphs emotions like the pianist at a silent flick.

Wonderful movie, enjoyed watching it and will so again. It is now a permanent video in my collection. I always enjoy watching movies based on the works of Pearl Buck.

It was fascinating to see China through the eyes of someone who loved the land, the culture and the people. I think even the Tibetans would like this movie if for no other reason than the scenery, the soundtrack and the mood. All in all it was quite an experience. The only flaw I found in it was really minor; the view of Japanese war planes bombing the city was so amateurish as to be laughable. Other than that strange incongruity, the filming was absolutely brilliant and gorgeous.

Some reviewers have complained about the sex portrayed in the movie, even though everything was only implied--just like in Pearl Buck's descriptions. It was there, but put delicately. It's nothing to get worked up about, unless you are a nun...or a Jungian. LOL!