To Live Movie Review 1994

Superb drama follows the lives of one family--weak but adaptable Fugui (You), his strong-willed wife Jiazhen (Li), and their young daughter and son--from prerevolutionary China in the 1940s through the '60s Cultural Revolution. Fugui loses the family fortune in the gambling houses, actually a blessing when the Communists come to power, and the family must struggle to survive financial and increasingly difficult political changes, where fate can change on a whim. Subtle saga about ordinary human lives reacting to terrifying conditions boasts extraordinary performances and evocative imagery. Adapted from the novel "Lifetimes" by Yu Hua. Chinese with subtitles.

Distribution

Image Entertainment, 20525 Nordhoff St., Ste 200, Chatsworth, CA 91311, Phone: (818)407-9100, Email: inquiries@image-entertainment.com, URL: http://www.image-entertainment.com

Available on VHS
Running time 130 minutes.
Originally from Chinese.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Family Drama, China, Politics, 4 Bones

Screenplay

Lu Wei, Yu Hua

Cast

Ge You, Gong Li, Niu Ben, Guo Tao, Jiang Wu

Cinematography

Lu Yue

Director

Zhang Yimou

Music

Zhao Jiping

Producer

Chiu Fusheng, Samuel Goldwyn Company

Awards

British Acad. 1994: Foreign Film; Cannes 1994: Actor (You), Grand Jury Prize.