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Jasmine Women

Jasmine Women is a 2004 Chinese film directed and co-written by Hou Yong in his directorial debut. The film is an adaptation of Su Tong's novel Women's Life (妇女生活) and depicts the emotionally troubled lives of 4 generations of Shanghainese women from the 1930s to the 1980s. Jasmine Women stars Zhang Ziyi and Joan Chen, who both portrayed multiple characters, as well as Jiang Wen, Lu Yi, and Liu Ye.

Jasmine Women
official poster
Traditional Chinese茉莉花開
Simplified Chinese茉莉花开
Literal meaningJasmine Blossoming
Hanyu PinyinMòlìhuā Kāi
Directed byHou Yong
Written by
  • Zhang Xian
  • Hou Yong
Based onWomen's Life
by Su Tong
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyYao Xiaofeng
Edited byZhan Haihong
Music byCong Su
Production
companies
Release dates
  • June 15, 2004 (2004-06-15) (SIFF)
  • April 26, 2005 (2005-04-26) (China)
Running time
131 minutes
CountryChina
LanguageMandarin
Box office¥5.2 RMB million[1]

The film was well received by critics and was praised for its use of color and the performances of Zhang Ziyi and Joan Chen. The Chinese name of the movie, Mo li hua kai, is based on a popular Chinese song Mo Li Hua, which means "jasmine flower blossom." The names of the characters in the movie are also based on this song.

Plot

The film is divided into three chapters: "grandmother, mother, and daughter"; respectively the story of Mo, Li and Hua.

Mo's Story (1930s)

Eighteen-year-old Mo (Zhang Ziyi) lives with her mother (Joan Chen) who owns a small photo shop in Shanghai. She longs to become a movie star, a dream her mother does not understand. One day, Mo meets Mr. Meng (Jiang Wen), the boss of a movie studio. She leaves her mother to fulfill her film career dream. She enters a relationship with him who is married and later becomes pregnant. She refuses to have an abortion and when the Second Sino-Japanese War begins, Meng leaves Shanghai and abandons Mo. The movie studio is shut down and Mo returns home. She gives birth to Li and blames her child for everything she has lost. Her mother's boyfriend (never explicitly stated, only implied) also tries to seduce her, using the guise of a free hair appointment. Her mother finds out, and commits suicide not long after.

Li's Story (1950s)

Li (also played by Zhang Ziyi) had grown up with her mother Mo (now played by Joan Chen) in misery. Mo still remembers her dream of being a movie star. Li marries Zou Jie (Lu Yi) who was a member of her high school's chapter of the Communist Youth League of China. After marriage, they move into Jie's home but unused to their lifestyle and unable to bear a child of her own, they move back to stay with Mo. Li eventually adopts a baby girl named Hua. Li later becomes mentally unstable. Li's situation gets steadily worse and she even accuses Zou for violating Hua, her adopted daughter. Li’s family collapses and her husband Zou commits suicide by throwing himself at an oncoming train. Li leaves home; her fate is unknown, and Hua is left to live with Mo.

Hua's Story (1980s)

Li disappeared when Hua (Zhang Ziyi) was still very young and she grew up with her grandmother Mo (Joan Chen). Mo finds comfort in taking care of her granddaughter. When Hua grew up she married a college graduate, Du (Liu Ye). After marriage, Du went for further studies overseas in Japan and after that, decided to leave Hua. Unfortunately, Hua was already carrying Du’s child. Mo strongly encouraged her to abort the baby because of her experiences with having a child and being unprepared for it, but Hua decided against it. Hua decided to check into a family planning clinic/hospital to have an abortion in any case, but before she could arrive home, Mo died. Years later, Du returns to Hua to 'finalise things', but it seems Hua had moved on with her life. Closing scenes show her moving into a new home with her daughter.

Reception

Reviewing the film at the Tokyo International Film Festival, Russell Edwards of Variety described Jasmine Women as a "tearjerker of the first order" and a "visual feast" and writes the film is "an impressive showcase" for actress Zhang Ziyi and Joan Chen "in multiple roles as daughters and mothers across three generations."[2] The review further states the film is "a picture postcard, with the scenes set in pre-WWII Shanghai particularly impressive for their art direction."[2]

Awards

References

  1. ^ "茉莉花开". China Box Office (Entgroup) (in Chinese).
  2. ^ a b Edwards, Russell (November 2, 2004). . Variety. Archived from the original on 2012-11-14.

External links

  • Jasmine Women at IMDb
  • Jasmine Women at AllMovie
  • at Monkeypeaches.com
  • at HelloZiyi.us
  • Article on Jasmine Women
  • Jasmine Women review, originally published by Think.com.my

jasmine, women, 2004, chinese, film, directed, written, yong, directorial, debut, film, adaptation, tong, novel, women, life, 妇女生活, depicts, emotionally, troubled, lives, generations, shanghainese, women, from, 1930s, 1980s, stars, zhang, ziyi, joan, chen, bot. Jasmine Women is a 2004 Chinese film directed and co written by Hou Yong in his directorial debut The film is an adaptation of Su Tong s novel Women s Life 妇女生活 and depicts the emotionally troubled lives of 4 generations of Shanghainese women from the 1930s to the 1980s Jasmine Women stars Zhang Ziyi and Joan Chen who both portrayed multiple characters as well as Jiang Wen Lu Yi and Liu Ye Jasmine Womenofficial posterTraditional Chinese茉莉花開Simplified Chinese茉莉花开Literal meaningJasmine BlossomingHanyu PinyinMolihua KaiDirected byHou YongWritten byZhang XianHou YongBased onWomen s Lifeby Su TongProduced byHan SanpingLi XudongStarringZhang ZiyiJoan ChenJiang WenLu YiLiu YeCinematographyYao XiaofengEdited byZhan HaihongMusic byCong SuProductioncompaniesBeijing Jinyingma Movie amp TV Culture Co Century Hero Film Investment Co China Film Group CorporationWanji GroupRelease datesJune 15 2004 2004 06 15 SIFF April 26 2005 2005 04 26 China Running time131 minutesCountryChinaLanguageMandarinBox office 5 2 RMB million 1 The film was well received by critics and was praised for its use of color and the performances of Zhang Ziyi and Joan Chen The Chinese name of the movie Mo li hua kai is based on a popular Chinese song Mo Li Hua which means jasmine flower blossom The names of the characters in the movie are also based on this song Contents 1 Plot 1 1 Mo s Story 1930s 1 2 Li s Story 1950s 1 3 Hua s Story 1980s 2 Reception 3 Awards 4 References 5 External linksPlot EditThe film is divided into three chapters grandmother mother and daughter respectively the story of Mo Li and Hua Mo s Story 1930s Edit Eighteen year old Mo Zhang Ziyi lives with her mother Joan Chen who owns a small photo shop in Shanghai She longs to become a movie star a dream her mother does not understand One day Mo meets Mr Meng Jiang Wen the boss of a movie studio She leaves her mother to fulfill her film career dream She enters a relationship with him who is married and later becomes pregnant She refuses to have an abortion and when the Second Sino Japanese War begins Meng leaves Shanghai and abandons Mo The movie studio is shut down and Mo returns home She gives birth to Li and blames her child for everything she has lost Her mother s boyfriend never explicitly stated only implied also tries to seduce her using the guise of a free hair appointment Her mother finds out and commits suicide not long after Li s Story 1950s Edit Li also played by Zhang Ziyi had grown up with her mother Mo now played by Joan Chen in misery Mo still remembers her dream of being a movie star Li marries Zou Jie Lu Yi who was a member of her high school s chapter of the Communist Youth League of China After marriage they move into Jie s home but unused to their lifestyle and unable to bear a child of her own they move back to stay with Mo Li eventually adopts a baby girl named Hua Li later becomes mentally unstable Li s situation gets steadily worse and she even accuses Zou for violating Hua her adopted daughter Li s family collapses and her husband Zou commits suicide by throwing himself at an oncoming train Li leaves home her fate is unknown and Hua is left to live with Mo Hua s Story 1980s Edit Li disappeared when Hua Zhang Ziyi was still very young and she grew up with her grandmother Mo Joan Chen Mo finds comfort in taking care of her granddaughter When Hua grew up she married a college graduate Du Liu Ye After marriage Du went for further studies overseas in Japan and after that decided to leave Hua Unfortunately Hua was already carrying Du s child Mo strongly encouraged her to abort the baby because of her experiences with having a child and being unprepared for it but Hua decided against it Hua decided to check into a family planning clinic hospital to have an abortion in any case but before she could arrive home Mo died Years later Du returns to Hua to finalise things but it seems Hua had moved on with her life Closing scenes show her moving into a new home with her daughter Reception EditReviewing the film at the Tokyo International Film Festival Russell Edwards of Variety described Jasmine Women as a tearjerker of the first order and a visual feast and writes the film is an impressive showcase for actress Zhang Ziyi and Joan Chen in multiple roles as daughters and mothers across three generations 2 The review further states the film is a picture postcard with the scenes set in pre WWII Shanghai particularly impressive for their art direction 2 Awards Edit7th Shanghai International Film Festival 2004 Grand Jury Prize Golden Goblet nominated 13th Golden Rooster Awards of China 2004 Best Actress Zhang Ziyi Best Music Su Cong Yin Qing nominated Best Sound Wu Ling nominated References Edit 茉莉花开 China Box Office Entgroup in Chinese a b Edwards Russell November 2 2004 Jasmine Women Variety Archived from the original on 2012 11 14 External links EditJasmine Women at IMDb Jasmine Women at AllMovie Jasmine Women at Monkeypeaches com Jasmine Women at HelloZiyi us Article on Jasmine Women Jasmine Women review originally published by Think com my Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Jasmine Women amp oldid 1137225651, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,

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