In Hong Kong, 1941, as the Japanese bomb the city, Zhang Nai Ying, aka writer Xiao Hong, lies ill in a hotel room, where she is visited by an admirer, Luo Bin Ji. She remembers how, as a teenager in Hulan county, Heilongjiang province, northeast China, she ran away from home, where she was being pushed by her father into an arranged marriage with Wang En Jia, the son of a powerful family. In 1929, she ended up in Harbin, the provincial capital, and in 1931 went to university in Beiping (modern Beijing). En Jia tracked her down there and forced himself on her; she agreed to marry him as long as she could stay in Beiping and study. After En Jia's money ran out, the couple stayed at the house of a friend of his father in Harbin. The Japanese were already occupying the northeast of China. In 1932, after Xiao Hong found she was pregnant, En Jia abandoned her, and she ended up living in the house's attic, alone and in debt. Hearing about her plight, local journalist Xiao Jun helped her out, and the two fell in love. When the Songhua River flooded the city, he rescued her. After giving birth, Xiao Hong sold the baby, but Xiao Jun returned the money to the woman who bought it; they were again penniless, as he had meanwhile lost his job. Finally, Xiao Jun found employment teaching martial arts to a boy in the Feng family but also started an affair with the boy's elder sister. Xiao Hong penned her first story, The Death of Sister-in-Law Wang, the couple joined the Petunia Club literary group, and all finally seemed well. But with writers being arrested, they decided to move south, away from the advancing Japanese. In Shanghai, 1934, Xiao Hong finally met her idol, the writer Lu Xun, who helped her out. But soon events conspired to send her on travels to Japan; to Linfen, Shanxi province, where she met an admirer, Duanmu Hong Liang, whom she married after splitting with Xiao Jun; and to Wuhan and finally Hong Kong. Edit Translation
- English
- magyar / magyar nyelv
- dansk
- Norsk
- Native Title: 蕭紅
- Also Known As: Xiao Hong
- Screenwriter: Su Xiao Wei
- Director: Huo Jian Qi
- Genres: Historical, Life, Drama
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Reviews
The story is the true life story of Xiao Hong the writer, and for as unbelievable as the her life seems; it's 100% true. The chronological order is accurate, as well as names and locations for where critical moments take place. While the pacing is slow, it helps respect the duration of Xiao Hong's life, which was a very brief 35 years of life.
Acting, was honestly a mixed bag in my opinion. A lot of the scenes were well done, if not a little too bland where it seemed where I looking at people on the street verses actors or actresses. The intimacy scenes, sexual and non-sexual are very dramatically rendered, some of them too much so. If you have historical background in China, you'll understand why. Of course, there were a few scenes where I did tear up. More towards the end after you start to care for the characters, but touching where I did cry despite not being a crier.
The music was unnoticeable, at least to me. And I doubt I'll be rewatching this since I had to watch it for class and a bit longer then my current tastes.
If you're a fan of Xiao Hong, you should give this movie a shot. Even if you're not a fan of her, this movie while slow is worth the build up.
