What struck me the most about this film is that is was a story of survival of an upper class (not working class) family that get swept up in the revolution. They have few skills because of their background and are initially saved from the communists because of a fluke.
As the years roll on and calamities beset them, they blame each other for these events, however, their heartbreaking tragedies are no one's fault because they are engulfed in historical events over which no one is in control. They are so immersed in it they have no objectivity.
I rate it as one of my favorite films (a 10) partly because there are no stereotypes. There are no real heavies. I thought it was wonderful and really humanizes the Chinese people to those of us who have no concept of who the Chinese are and what their life is like (and that includes me). It is one of the most gripping, emotional movies of all time.
As the years roll on and calamities beset them, they blame each other for these events, however, their heartbreaking tragedies are no one's fault because they are engulfed in historical events over which no one is in control. They are so immersed in it they have no objectivity.
I rate it as one of my favorite films (a 10) partly because there are no stereotypes. There are no real heavies. I thought it was wonderful and really humanizes the Chinese people to those of us who have no concept of who the Chinese are and what their life is like (and that includes me). It is one of the most gripping, emotional movies of all time.