(Da hong deng long gao gao gua)
Directed by Yimou Zhang (Zhang Yimou)
Written by Su Tong and Ni Zhen
In Mandarin with sub-titles.
Cast:
Cuifen Cao .... The Second Concubine
Li Gong .... Songlian
Caifei He .... The Third Concubine
Kong Lin .... Yan'er
Jingwu Ma .... The Master's son
Zhao Qi .... Chen Baishun
Jin Shuyuan .... Yuru
Ding Weimin .... Songlian's mother
Chu Xiao .... Feipu
Cao Zhengyin .... Old servant
Cui Zhihgang .... Dr. Gao
Plot Summary
Set in China in the 1920's. After her fathers death, nineteen year old Songlian is forced to marry Chen Zuoqian, the lord of a powerful family. Fifty year old Chen has already three wives, each of them living in seperate houses within the great castle. The competition between the wives is unremitting, as their master's attention carries power, status and priviligies. Each night Chen must decide which wife to spend the night with and a red lantern is lit infront of the house of his choice. And each wife schemes and plots to make sure it's hers. Against her will, Songlian finds herself drawn into the pettiness and scheming and in the end is driven insane by it.
The opening scene of Li Gong's face and the single tear that wells from her eye. The shots of the tiled roofs in the courtyard where the wives are kept. These are enough reason to watch this film.
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