Farewell My Concubine (Ba wang bie ji) 1993

Farewell My Concubine

Critics Consensus

Chen Kaing's epic is grand in scope and presentation, and, bolstered by solid performances, the result is a film both horrifying and enthralling.

86%

TOMATOMETER

Total Count: 37

93%

Audience Score

User Ratings: 16,101

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Movie Info

Douzi (Leslie Cheung) is sent to an operatic school by his mother. Shitou (Fengyi Zhang), also a student at the school, befriends him, and the two endure abuse by the wretched school staff. As they hone their talents, Douzi develops romantic feelings toward Shitou, however his love is not reciprocated. When Shitou is tricked into marrying a young prostitute named Juxian (Gong Li) to save her from her tawdry life, the friendship falters and changes.
  • Rating:
    R
  • Genre:
    drama
  • Original Language:
    Chinese
  • Director:
    Chen Kaige
  • Producer:
    Feng Hsu
  • Release Date (Theaters):
     wide
  • Release Date (Streaming):
  • Box Office (Gross USA):
    $2.5M
  • Runtime:
  • Production Co:
    Beijing Film Studio, Tomson Films
  • Sound Mix:
    Surround, Stereo

Cast & Crew

Leslie Cheung
Cheng Dieyi (segment "Douzi")
Fengyi Zhang
Duan Xiaolou (segment "Shitou")
Gong Li
Juxian
Qi Lü
Master Guan
You Ge
Master Yuan
Di Tong
Zhang the Eunuch
Da Ying
Manager
Han Lei
Xiao Si (adult)
Zhi Yin
Douzi as a Teenager
Chen Kaige
Director
Wei Lu
Writer (Screenplay)
Feng Hsu
Producer
Bin Hsu
Executive Producer
Jade Hsu
Executive Producer
Jiping Zhao
Original Music
Changwei Gu
Cinematographer
Xiaonan Pei
Film Editor
Yuhe Yang
Production Design
Zhanjia Yang
Production Design
Show all Cast & Crew

Critic Reviews for Farewell My Concubine (Ba wang bie ji)

All Critics (37) | Top Critics (14) | Fresh (32) | Rotten (5)

View All Critic Reviews (37)

Audience Reviews for Farewell My Concubine (Ba wang bie ji)

  • Jan 15, 2013
    The story of China joining the modern age seen through the lives of two principal performers of the Beijing Opera. Cruel, majestic, courageous, sweeping, and glorious, this is not to be missed. Of course, the singing can only be an acquired taste, but this is still about the story, magnificently told.
    Kevin M. W Super Reviewer
  • Jul 14, 2012
    This sprawling epic depicts the friendship of two Chinese opera stars amidst the tumultuous Twentieth Century history of China. What a grand film with beautiful art direction and cinematography to match. But the real highlights are the the two stars, Leslie Cheung and Fengyi Zhang who give tour de force performances. Their interaction is real and fraught with all the history the film depicts, which is no small matter; approximately fifty years of history are crammed into the film's three hours. Many of the scenes are built on subtlety and subtext with hinting looks and knowing glances, and lesser actors would not have been able to convey the nuances of the characters. I have to trust in the film's verisimilitude when it comes to the opera scenes, which are occasionally too long and not as compelling as the off-stage troubles the actors create and are victim to. These sequences are educational, exposing Western viewers to Chinese opera, an area of performance most of us aren't accustomed to seeing. Overall, Farewell, My Concubine is a remarkable achievement and a world-widening experience.
    Jim H Super Reviewer
  • Nov 25, 2011
    An epic of gigantic ambition thanks to the crazy mental scope of Kaige Chen. <i>Ba wang bie ji</i> is technical perfection unbelievably orchestrated by a direction that engulfed every single big and small detail into a universal fable of anti-political nature. And to the Academy: Seriously, your final decisions are hilarious... 97/100
    Edgar C Super Reviewer
  • Jul 10, 2011
    Putting the <i>mellow</i> in melodrama, especially if you're not a fan of Beijing Opera to begin with...
    Ed K Super Reviewer
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