People are voting emotionally.

Memorable, crazy movie

There are moments in this movie where the great movie it could've been peek out... They're fleeting, here, but they're worth savoring, and they happen often enough to make it worth your while.

Blistering performances.

A fascinating film about China in 1938, just before the arrival of the invading Japanese. The film shows the real culture of China in a bourgeois family, how they are divided between respecting the traditions that set women apart, that provide married men with concubines, that marries sons and daughters at birth, but the film also shows how the refusal of these alienating traditions leads the sons and daughters of these families into the arms of the Communists, especially with the Japanese arriving. The film also shows how the Americans are trying to meddle with China via the good old Catholic religion that has nothing to do in China but that provides the poorest, in that case orphans, with a little hope and survival. But then the film turns sentimentalese. To make the elder son fall in love with the young concubine of his own father is far-fetched, and to add the mother falling in love with the American priest is even more far-fetched. And that makes the film mushy about good and evil and it forgets a country can only change from inside. It tries to impose onto China a change that comes from outside, from a foreigner who breaks the traditions instead of at the most helping them change all by themselves. It also shows that China in 1938 needed a big break, a big change and that this was going to come from the Communists prompted into taking the control of China by the absurd invasion from Japan. Some beautiful scenes, particularly the fast visions of the play telling the doomed love affair of two young people. Beautiful theater, beautiful drama.Dr Jacques COULARDEAU, University Paris Dauphine, University Paris 1 Pantheon Sorbonne & University Versailles Saint Quentin en Yvelines

Pavilion OF WOMEN (2001) – A WONDERFUL JOURNEY TO ANOTHER CULTURE I was pleasantly amazed by this film. When I read the title and saw the poster for the first time, I thought it would be about some kind of sordid story between a western man (Dafoe) and an eastern –chinese- woman, above all because I associated "pavilion" with a jail. Of course, when one watches the film, it becomes clear that it indeed refers to a jail, although in metaphoric terms….So, first of all I think the landscapes shown are really beautiful. On the second place, one can realize without doubts the role women played in Chinese society and family, the absolute lack of consideration for love in marriage, and the fulfillment of the married woman duties towards her husband.The discovery of real love by this woman, who, after 25 years of serving her husband, decides to call for a young girl in order to better satisfy him and to relieve herself from her conjugal duties… One could say that she was lucky that her society allowed her to give another wife to her husband…although it wasn't all she needed to be happy, of course. On the other hand, the fact of love growing between her and the western Priest, it was so subtle, she wasn't "searching" for anyone –at least in a conscious way, in my opinion-. The hint of a search for freedom in a society where women were under men's rule is shown in the fact of the two women attending the Priest's classes…. I think they discovered that the world was more than sewing and serving a husband....I must admit that I bought the movie just because Wilem Dafoe was there….his particular features and ways have always attracted me. After watching the movie I can say that this is an excellent performance from him. One has to consider that he and the Chinese woman are the most important characters around who the story develops, and they both catch the audience's attention, her performance is excellent too.Well, as I don't want to be a spoiler, I won't write about the end, but I only want to say that it provoked in me a sort of impotence and sadness, for a while I thought about the relevance of a feeling, a caress, a glance, I mean, as a still photograph and without looking forward for much more… and about the vulnerability of human life.There are several superior values expressed : boldness, courage, respect for tradition, but in the same way the conflict between a too closed ancient tradition and freedom of choice, or free will, arises, as in the young son's decision of leaving home in order to pursue his political ideas and the woman he did love; the Chinese woman's choice of not going with her husband and the rest of the family when the war exploded, among others.There's only one detail : I think there wasn't any conflict shown between the fact of Andre being a Priest –and consequently, a celibate- and his love for the Chinese woman – perhaps only when he prays "God, forgive me, because I have sinned", but it was all. I wonder if he would have left his religious position, married or at least lived together with her…. Well, but these are only speculations of mine, which don't add to my review, I guess.

but it is not bad. This movie seems to play like an opera. There is much exaggeration. Except there is no singing. If there was singing, it would excuse the simplification of the story. Also, there are no scenes were the camera pulls back and allows the viewer to appreciate the landscape and sceneryHowever, the film is still entertaining. It has some touching moments although the ending was definitely over the top. It is worth watching if you like melodrama.

Movie was interesting,exciting, and well acted, an excellent take on Pearl Buck's book. It elicited some sadness, but also some happiness and hope. I enjoyed the movie and found it interesting the way that the Director was able to portray the time frame in China by use of the background scenes. Also gave good insight into China's previous culture, and political environment.