Reference
Movie Review: TO LIVE
Director: Zhang Yimou
1994
Adapted from the novel To Live, by Yu Hua
Length: 132 minutes
Language: Mandarin with subtitles in English
This is an excellent movie for introducing the highlights the history of mid-20th century China, as well as some of the cultural aspects of the period. Banned in mainland China, the film was seen as critical of the governmental policies of the 1948 Revolution, the Cultural Revolution, and the Great Leap Forward.
The film follows the life of a family that loses its social standing, wealth, and family mansion due to the compulsive gambling habit of a young man (Xu Fugui). The loss of the house kills the patriarch and his gambling causes his wife (Jiazhen) to leave with the children. He is forced to earn a living as an itinerant puppeteer and singer. Eventually he reunites with his wife, but is dragooned into both the Nationalist army and the Communist Army. Ultimately returning home, he watches the gambler who won his house get executed as a bourgeois. Deeply troubled and aware of how close he came to a similar fate, he begins to cherish his family. Later, the family suffers through the Cultural Revolution, but it is during the Great Leap Forward where their son is killed in a freak accident, due in part to exhaustion trying to fulfill quotas. The family survives, but is emotionally battered by both fate, government policy, and Fugui’s own character flaws.
Indeed, the theme of fate plays an enormous role in the movie. The family is continually stripped emotionally by events beyond their control. It is a hard movie to watch, but produces excellent discussion in the classroom. It is worthwhile to focus not merely on the role of Fugui, but on the powerful character of Jiazhen, who defines herself throughout the movie as an independent moral character.
During the course of the movie, we often had to stop the film in order to explain a historical event. Yet, we also discussed literary themes raised in the lives of the characters: the role of culture, fate, loss, and love.
I would give this movie three out of four stars, only because of the length of the film (just over two hours). Yet, if you can make the time in the classroom, it is an excellent film to show your students, or watch for personal edification.
