This is an untypical film for Zhang Yimou, who's one of my favourite
directors. Usually I associate him with lavish historical films
that take place in the ancient days of China. This is a
true story set in Nanking in 1937. He's made other films set in recent times, such as
"Under the Hawthorn Tree", but they're always visually beautiful films. This is an ugly film,
necessitated by the terrible circumstances portrayed. It wouldn't be
appropriate to show noble warriors fighting in beautiful fields offset against
hills and valleys. Here we have Japanese soldiers slaughtering innocent
civilians in the ruins of a once magnificent city.
Or maybe there is beauty in the film, even if it's not immediately apparent.
The film is called "Flowers of War". That signifies beauty in the middle of
ugliness. The beauty is supplied by the elegant prostitutes from the Jade
Paradise brothel.
Or maybe it's supplied by the young convent schoolgirls. The girls have a
different type of beauty, based on their natural looks, not makeup and
expensive clothing.
Which do you prefer? I don't think it's necessary to choose. What's more
beautiful, a rose or an orchid? I don't want to choose. I want to have both
flowers side by side.
I consider this to be Christian Bale's best film. I know that many of his fans
will disagree with me. To them I suggest that they watch their personal
favourite back to back with this film. It's not just about the story. I think
he displays a fascinating depth of emotions in his development from an
immoral, selfish man to a noble hero.
That's the film's theme. It shows how a bad man can learn to do good things.
Christian Bale plays John Miller, an undertaker who visits a Catholic
cathedral in Nanking to bury the priest. When he finds that there's no money,
he refuses to do his job. He plans to leave the city as soon as possible to
save his life. The next day, Japanese soldiers break into the cathedral and
try to rape the schoolgirls. He pretends to be a priest and orders the
Japanese to leave. From then on it becomes his mission to help the girls to
escape unharmed.
The story is complicated by the arrival of a group of prostitutes. After the
destruction of their brothel they seek refuge in the cathedral. The
schoolgirls hate the prostitutes as evil women, while the prostitutes look
down on them as silly little girls. John has to mediate between them.
"No matter what wars or disasters happen in history, what surrounds these
times is life, love, salvation and humanity. I hope those things are felt in
this story. The human side of the story was more important to me than the
background of the Nanjing massacre. Human nature, love and sacrifice – these
are the things that are truly eternal. For me, the event is the historical
background of the film. But the enduring question of the story is how the
human spirit is expressed in wartime".
(Zhang Yimou, 2011).
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