Ju Dou; Iron & Silk.

Ju Dou, winner of the Golden Hugo award for Best Picture at the Chicago International Film Festival and an Oscar nominee for Best Foreign Film, almost didn't make it to American screens. Chinese officials tried to withdraw Zhang Yi-Mou's stunning tale of thwarted love from Academy consideration, prompting an open letter of support from directors Woody Allen, Martin Scorsese, David Lynch, and Oliver Stone. Ironically, it's doubtful that many people would read political allegory into this stormy Chinese version of The Postman Always Rings Twice. Gong Li is radiant as the title character, a purchased wife for a sadistically brutal dye factory owner in 1920s feudal China. Li Bao-Tian is equally remarkable as Tianqing, the factory owner's adopted nephew. While the impotent factory owner strives to produce a male child, and beats Ju Dou in rage, Tianqing, correctly deferent to his "uncle," nevertheless seethes with anger. When the uncle takes a trip, Ju Dou seduces Tianqing in desperation, and the pair fall in love and conceive a child. Later, the uncle discovers that the child is not his own, but is physically helpless to do anything about it as the result of an accident which has left him paralyzed from the waist down and bedridden. As the tormented couple (who, of course, must keep their love for another hidden from public view) debate whether or not to kill the old uncle, and attempt to deal with the growing up of their son (who does not know he is Tianqing's son), Ju Dou draws a superbly compelling psychological portrait of love, jealousy, revenge, and frustration. One of the most sensual movies of the year, Ju Dou is also a gorgeous film to watch, with the beauty of the Chinese countryside and the striking primary colors of the long bolts of dyed cloth vying for equal attention with the story. Iron & Silk is a much lighter film. Based on the autobiographical book by Mark Salzman, and starring Salzman as Mark "Franklin", Iron & Silk is the often funny and warm story of a stranger in a strange land. Fascinated with Chinese culture and a student of the martial arts, Mark jumps on an amazing job opportunity, when a position opens up for teaching English teachers at a small college in mainland China. As Mark strives to assimilate into Chinese society, he develops an interest in a young Chinese woman, and--after a bit of pleading--becomes a student of the famous martial arts teacher Pan Qingfu (who plays himself), nicknamed the "Iron Fist." As Mark's students and friends try to point out to him, China is simply not as "open" as he believes, and before long Mark encounters problems both with his martial arts studies and with his love life, as he is accused of being a Westerner bringing "spiritual pollution." Produced and directed by Shirley Sun, who also co-wrote the screenplay, Iron & Silk is a wise and consistently charming film that deftly examines the gaps between cultures, while also demonstrating how those gaps can occasionally be bridged. Both Ju Dou and Iron & Silk are highly recommended. (R. Pitman) [DVD Review—Feb. 21, 2006—Razor Digital, 94 min., in Chinese w/English subtitles, PG-13, $19.99—Making its second appearance on DVD, 1990's Oscar-nominated Ju Dou is presented with a terrible transfer here and Dolby Digital 5.1 sound, with text cast bios as the only extras. Bottom line: a very disappointing release of a wonderful film that deserves so much better.]