What's a Republic?
There were some moments that were sad, important or moving enough to make the emotions stir and swell and make eyes watery. I'm still thinking about the film so long after watching it. But thinking back about it, that line makes me cry.
I never thing about the future, it comes soon enough
Yes, there were a few emotional moments in the film. When O-Lan says "The child is dead." was one. I was also really touched at the end when Wang gives the pearls back to O-Lan. Can't remember exactly what he said, but it made me cry...
God, please save me from your followers!
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Believe it or not, I kinda got a lump in my throat whenLol, that's exactly how it was intended to make you feel! The first time I saw this film, I was only half-watching while online. I was getting mad at Wang Lung because he wouldn't kill a stupid ox to feed his starving children. But when I actually watched the scene, with the dramatic music and soulful-eyed cow (my friend!) , it definitely made me sad. But I would have been sadder to see my children starving to death. That's probably why Mama had to do the dirty deed!
Wang was contemplating killing the family ox. I don't know, the
poor thing was just laying there with those big, brown, trusting
eyes.....
Typical Hollywood ending for the time. In the book, I don't believe the pearls are ever returned but are made into earrings for the second wife if my recollections of reading the book 25 years ago are still accurate.
Lung does spend almost all his time at his dying wife's O-Lan's side, who was stricken with fever and would often have nightmares and talk in her sleep and during spells of delirium. It's during this time that he learns so much more about his wife than he had ever known, as she relives nightmares of her life as a slave pleading not to get beaten, promising she will never again taste of the exotic foods she is forced to prepare for her masters, etc. It's just heartbreaking. Although there is closure as Lung is able spend enough time during her times of lucidity to convey his love and devotion to her, and regret of his betrayal.
Some fellows get credit for being conservative when they are only stupid.
- Kin Hubbard
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In the end of the book, Wang reaps what he sows and his sons plot to sell off his land despite his pleas that they don't.
Darling, I am trouble of the most spectacular kind!
What is it that Lung "sows" to deserve having the land sold off? His betrayal of O-Lan?
Sorry but like I said, it was over 25 years ago when I was a 12 year old kid when I read the original book.
Some fellows get credit for being conservative when they are only stupid.
- Kin Hubbard
Book Spoilers:
In the book, Wang Lung is very cruel to O-Lan, he takes another wife, who moves in with them. This hurts her feelings greatly. He is disgusted by her when she ages...he takes away her pearls-the only item O-Lan ever asked for in her whole life. Wang Lung hardly ever spoke with her after he had his other lovers. In the book, Wang Lung never gave the pearls back to her. He gave them to his concubine. Wang Lung never would have become wealthy for it not for O-Lan. She helped him in the fields constantly, and the only reason Wang Lung became rich, was when O-Lan found some precious jewels hidden in a wall of a Warlord's castle. Wang Lung grew up a peasant farmer, but he became the aloof and rich jerk that he vowed he never would be like.
Oh I agree that he was a prick in how he treated her after becoming wealthy, so not trying to defend him here. But it was a completely common practice in China at the time for the wealthy to take multiple wives and concubines. It was something that all first wives of wealthy husbands, either married into or self made, accepted in their roles of being first wives. Even today it's common practice for the wealthy to have multiple mistresses, much more openly than here in the west.
I guess my point is that it could have been far worse, if he had left her to die alone without closure I could definitely see the retribution you're talking about. But in a way the land was also hers that she labored on for the family and children that she bore. So selling off the land is kind of an insult to her as well as him.
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Not to make one cry, but, just an astounding line and commentary on the (male) when Muni talks of the other wife:::(paraphrasing:::"when she's here it's never enough, when she is not there is nothing." I finally discovered this film a couple weeks back on TCM and DVR'ed it. I God's, it's something else again. I then ran across a copy of the DVD at a Goodwill the very next day! My wife and I watched it together last night. It's almost 80 years old and (man) has changed very little. The other wife is where the film breaks and holds steady. She is a "dream girl." Almost to the point where she exists only in thought, in fantasy, in man's mind. I'd love to see this on a big screen. It's spectacular.
shareThere isn't a particular line, but several times, just Luise Rainer's face, the expression, brings tears to my eyes.
She shows everything she is feeling (shyness on her wedding night, pride in the birth of their first son, the anguish of killing their newborn child), without saying anything.
She gives one of the screen's best performances ever.
Yep, it only improves with time. It was on again a month ago (TCM), I watched it twice.
Along with "The Heiress" two of the greatest films ever made.