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2011, 07-26:
Review of film: “SNOW FLOWER AND THE SECRET FAN”
In the past, various cultures have had what to us today appear to be very “STRANGE” ideas of “beauty”:
... In the Mayan world, people (especially the well-to-do ones) forcibly made children have heads that SLANTED backwards (using wooden boards & the like to accomplish the slope), as that was deemed to be a sign of “attractiveness”...
... In African countries, they at times used large RINGS to greatly extend the size of ear-lobes, lips, noses & necks... It might well look “bizarre” to many of us today, but in “olden” times, it was the “IN” thing to do to be “appealing” to others & show “STATUS”...
... As shown in this newly-released movie (by director Wayne Wang), the CHINESE at one point forcibly bound the FEET of women, to keep them exceptionally SMALL which men deemed to be “beautiful”, despite the fact that it made the feet extremely painful to walk on ..
... We meet a “matchmaker” lady in the 1830’s. She finds 2 young girls & decides that, since they were born on the same day, they should be in effect be “bound” together as non-blood “SISTERS”, in a signed contract called “laotong” which were at times written on FANS...
... One of the girls, named Snow Flower (played by GIANNA JUN), was from a rich family. The other girl, Lily (BINGBING LI), was from a comparatively POOR family...
... But, since the matchmaker “assured” the families that the girls’ having small feet would lead to good MARRIAGES, the families AGREED to have them bound by contract (as adopted “siblings”), & with their feet bound by tight cloths & the like...
... The girls grew up as “SISTERS”, & developed a close attachment to each other emotionally (tho they were always afraid to show any PHYSICAL “closeness”)...
... At times, they’d communicate to each other by using a “secret” language (called “nu shu”) to write on FANS passed back & forth between them...
... In time, the matchmaker found a rich merchant man (who was seldom around) who was enamored of BINGBING’s feet & eagerly married her...
... Because of some “family” problems (seemingly concerning her father’s “habits”), Gianna married sort of “BENEATH” her station & moved away...
... We are then introduced at one point to some RELATIVES of the 2 women, living in MODERN times... Altho they were not involved in the old practice of binding feet (which went “out” of fashion by the early 20th Century), they did decide to be bound as “laotong” SISTERS (since they’d been born on the same day & all)...
... One of the modern girls is self-controlled Nina (also played by BINGBING), who’s very good at BUSINESS & whose male boss wants to send her to New York to represent their company & build up business for the company...
... The other girl is comparatively “loose”-moraled Sophia (also played by GIANNA... Altho it’s a “symbolic” type photo of the modern girls in “old-time” garb of their ancestors, you can see them below in modern Shanghai...)
... The stories weave back & forth between the women in the “OLD” bound-feet times & them in the MODERN times where you have Bingbing trying to discover FACTS about her old 1830’s-era ancestor & the laotong “CONTRACT” she’d had with her “adopted” sister...
... At one point, we see how “Lily” Bingbing first meets the husband of “Snow Flower” Gianna-- & is amazed to find he’s just a comparatively-poor butcher & she’s having a difficult life economically in living with animals & her children [as seen below] in a time of WARRING factions in her area...
... Periodically, we are taken back to the “MODERN” times, wherein “Sophia” Gianna is going out with a nightclub owner named Arthur (HUGH JACKMAN), including dancing with him and kissing him in public at the club...
... Because of some “strange” doings involving “Sophia”, “Nina” Bingbing tries TALKING to Hugh to try to discover what “HAPPENED” to her & “why...
... At one point, “Nina” Bingbing also works to try to track down some of the “HISTORY” of her ancestor Lily, including what happened to a “secret” FAN she’d once had & what was written “ON” it & why... In part, she’s trying to better understand the “brotherhood”-like “CONNECTION to her linked “sister” Sophia...
... What caused a “falling-out” between “Lily” Bingbing & “Snow Flower” Gianna in the 19th Century?...
... What happened to the MODERN “Sophia” Gianna & her relationship with HUGH, & “why” did it happen?... Would “Nina” Bingbing ever FIND the “secret” fan & what it “TOLD” of the 19th Century relationship?... Would she agree to go to NEW YORK?...
... This is a very UNUSUAL film, based on old customs & relationships contrasted to seemingly “MODERN” ones...
... While some might find it a bit “slow”-moving & uncommon, it’s well-acted & a FASCINATING insight into “other” people & times, & recommended for those who appreciate something “DIFFERENT”...
... I’m rating it at 7.5 out of 10 stars...
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