arthur_tafero 8 STARS - No Need To Understand Chinese - Ju Dou You don't need to understand a word of Chinese, even if you view this film in its native language without English subtitles. This story of a suffering Chinese wife in 1920s China who seeks sexual gratification outside of her impotent husband is a straightforward tale of passion. It is told in magnificent fashion via one beautiful shot after another by master Zhang Yimou. Gong Li, as always, is incomparable. Zhang uses the same formula with her that Carlo Ponti used with Sophia Loren, the large-breasted star of Italy, who was a great actress trapped in a super-sexy body. In Two Women, Ponti did everything he could to downplay Loren's natural assets: plain clothes, dirt on her face, and mundane surroundings. Zhang does the same exact thing with Gong Li and is successful. Ju Dou is not the best work of Zhang, but that is like saying The Birds or Psycho was not the best work of Hitchcock. This film is gorgeous and shot to perfection. Millions of women will identify with it. Highly recommended.

Leofwine_draca JU DOU is another early effort for Chinese director Zhang Yimou, and one that has much in common with his debut feature RED SORGHUM. Once again Gong Li stars, here playing an unhappily married woman whose mill owner husband abuses her horribly. She ends up having a kid with her husband's nephew, something that seals her fate. As with pretty much all of Yimou's work, this is beautifully shot throughout with some nicely artistic compositions, while the acting is understated and the plot elements subdued; Yimou goes for the naturalistic approach throughout. I found it slow-paced and lacking in engaging characters, only picking up for the effectively tragic climax.

CountZero313 Yimou Zhang's Technicolor tragedy centres on the ill-fated Ju Dou, an indentured wife and labourer sold to the barbarous Jin-shan, owner of the local dye mill. Jin-shan's put upon nephew Tianqing falls immediately for his new auntie. Their coupling produces a child that brings temporary respite for Ju Dou, but new complications, and further tragedies, await.Brutal and exquisite in equal measure, Ju Dou is high tragedy set amongst the lower order. Ju Dou (an indomitable Li Gong) fights to have any kind of life, finding in Tianqing (a delicate Li Baotian) a true soul-mate. The marriage that brings each into the sphere of the other means their relationship is taboo (Ang Lee surely had this film as a reference for Brokeback Mountain), and their compassion means Jin-shan is always around to try and thwart their happiness. The illegitimate child who holds their hopes in his existence instead becomes a weapon wielded by an unkind universe to punish them further.If Tianqing existed in the west, he would be Hardy's Jude. Or Hamlet. A truly cathartic, beautiful film.

smatysia I found this movie to be gripping cinema, even if some things weren't really explicable to me, an Occidental. I understand (or at least am aware of) the basics of Chinese society enough to get most things in this film, but like "ebossert" said, many of the things that the child does seem to bear little relation to the reality around him. Yes, he suspects bad behavior by some of the other characters, but is that enough to drive him to such lengths? Kudos to the lovely Gong Li, for carrying this films title role so well. Also to the other two main actors who I was unfamiliar with, Li Bao-tian and Li Wei. At least, that is my impression, even though it is difficult to judge acting performances in a language one doesn't understand. As an aside, I suppose the 1920's are a popular setting for Chinese movies, as that was really the last time that China was a normal country, being wracked by war in the 30's and 40's, and smothered under Communism and (Communism-caused famine) after that. Even with it's flaws, a pretty damn good flick.