There are many discussions about the number of Caucasians in the 1937 version portraying Chinese. And there are many reasons and rationales given for why this occurred.
But considering the book one a Pulitzer Prize - and often required reading in various schools - I am curious why this film has not been remade now that the Chinese film industry is so prevalent?
Probably because the Chinese government does not consider the story politically correct.
shareWell you don't need Mainland China to remake the film. I think Taiwan and Hong Kong could probably do it (despite their filming quality is a bit subpar compared to their mainland and Hollywood counterpart). If either Hong Kong or Taiwan remake it (I would love Ang Lee to direct the remake if there was a chance), then some of the characters from the book and the previous film will have to be renamed to fit Chinese standard (either Cantonese or Mandarin depend on who's doing the remake) and to also catered to Chinese audiences like for example:
Lotus should be renamed to something like what is the Chinese name for Lotus??
Cuckoo should be called Fong Liu Chen
Something like that, well it wouldn't make sense for name like Lotus or Cuckoo to be use unless they have a Chinese equivalent name and one that wouldn't alienate the Chinese speaking audiences.
I can see another Pearl Buck's novel that Mainland China could remake, Dragon Seed.
Replace Audrey Hepburn with either Gong Li or Tang Wei and there you go.
Especially since the Good earth is only the first book. It's a sprawling epic that follows the sons in future books.
I wish they would give it the triple A mini-series treatment like they did Pillars of the Earth or Shogun.
YES! I'd love to see this!
Russell Wong would be fantastic as Wang Lung and I could see Zhang Ziyi as O-Lan.
This is one of my favorite stories of all time and while the '37 film was great for what it could offer, it rightfully deserves accurate casting PLUS the tale is so gripping. A remake would bring it to all-new and younger audiences who'd probably warm to a modern adaptation better than an old 1930s movie.
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Yes I share the same thought. Why not remake the film. Also I want this remake to be a co-production between USA and Mainland China (and probably with help from Taiwan and Hong Kong). If any of you have been watching films from Mainland China, Hong Kong (and also South Korea), you would probably notice the level of film making (in term of productions, story writing, and special effect) can hold up to Hollywood level/standard.
I think this would be the right time for a remake with a co-production between US and Mainland China. Since the Good Earth is the first book in the trilogy, I want the subsequent 2 novels: Son, and A House Divided to be also adapted into film. So it'll be a film trilogy. The 1937 film was all spoken in English, but I want the remake to be spoken in Chinese to fit the environment.
Although this movie remake/adaptation of The Good Earth will catered for a Chinese audiences, some of the name from the book may be change to fit the standard Mandarin language. So that means Wang Lung and O-Lan would have to have some name change like:
Wang Lung-->Huang Long (this is Wang Lung's name in Mandarin)
O-Lan--> Huang Zhan (assuming this is the correct mandarin translation)
Lotus--> 莲花 (Liánhuā) (this is how you say Lotus in Mandarin Chinese)
Other characters like Cuckoo, and Wang Lung's father and uncle will have to be given name too.
Also I want the director to be Chinese like for this remake I want either Zhang Yimou, Chen Kaige, Andrew Lau, John Woo, or Ang Lee to be the director.
For my cast:
Wang Lung/Huang Long-Tony Leung Chu-Wai
O-Lan/Huang Zhan-Gong Li
Lotus/Liánhuā-Tang Wei, or Ady An
Nung Wen (Wang Lung's son)-Luhan (of the K-pop boygroup, EXO)
So yeah I think a US-mainland China co-production remake of The Good Earth would work in my opinion.
I would hate to see this wonderful story re-made. Why? you ask? Because it would have much swearing, sex scenes, T and A, probably a gun fight or two and anything else that the powers that be would consider essential to attract the favoured demographic.
This film is just perfect as it is. It ain't broke so do not fix it!
This film is just perfect as it is. It ain't broke so do not fix it!
There's a film titled "To Life (Huo Zhe)" by Zhang Yimou.
Watching this film reminded me of that film and its timeline starts after the era depicted in this film.
Check that out, its an excellent film.
But I agree. This story deserves to be adapted more than once.
Thumbs Up, Thumbs Down and a Wagging Finger of Shame