Pretending, you’re pretending,
Don’t bother pretending.
Look! You can’t wait to look at me.
Don’t be shy, take a good look.
Don’t look so serious. Don’t look so distant.
Serious, shy, it’s all an act,
Your eyes have already been all over me,
From head to toe, all over me.
You’ve secretly looked all over me.

Embarrassed, embarrassed,
Why be embarrassed?
You think you love me.
You think you love me. You want to love me.
On my body I can feel your eyes
Roving up, roving down.
On my body I can feel your eyes.
. . . . Jingbao’s song “Pretending” from Shanghai Triad


Since Shanghai Triad (1995) was the last of the seven collaborations between fifth-generation Chinese director Zhang Yimou and star Chinese actress Gong Li, a pertinent question is how well has each of the two fared since the collaboration ended after 1995 compared to their period of collaboration.

Historical Background: Zhang Yimou and Gong Li teamed up together in more than one respect. They dated from 1987 until 1995 and (more importantly for the movie-going public) made seven films during that same time period, Zhang as director and Li as lead actress. Zhang was born November 14th, 1951 and Li on December 31st, 1965, so he was about fourteen years her senior. Six of the seven films that they made together rank among the best ever made in China: Red Sorghum (1987), Ju Dou (1990), Raise the Red Lantern (1992), The Story of Qiu Ju (1992), To Live (1994), and Shanghai Triad (1995). Only Codename Cougar (1995), their second film, has failed to find much of an international audience. These seven films were also Zhang’s first seven and his total is now up to fourteen, so he presently has exactly as many post-Gong Li films to his credit as ones in which she starred. An interesting question is how has Zhang fared without Gong Li as his lead actress? How much of Zhang’s success rested on her fair shoulders? Well, to judge by reviewer and viewer ratings of Zhang’s films, his seven newer films and his first seven are very close in overall appeal. The newer group of seven also includes one that has fared rather poorly with audiences, Keep Cool (1997). Excluding it and Codename Cougar, neither of which are in the Epinions database, the remaining six films done with Gong Li average 4.2 stars while Zhang’s six best without Gong Li average 3.9 stars. Not much difference. Is that an artifact of the relatively small number of ratings at Epinions? Not really. In the Internet Movie Database, there are no less than 460 ratings for any of the films (other than the two flops). The ratings for Zhang’s twelve best films range from a low of 7.0 to a high of 8.2 (out of 10.0). The average rating for the six best of the Gong Li group is 7.57 while the six best post-Gong Li films average 7.43. If all seven films are included for both groups, the newer films actually outscore the older ones by a rating of 7.37 to 7.26. Zhang’s highest rated films at 8.2 is Hero, made in 2002 followed by Raise the Red Lantern made in 1991 – one from each group. In short, Zhang certainly seems to be surviving the end of his collaboration with Gong Li. For her part, Gong Li has also had successes outside of her collaboration with Zhang, both concurrent with it (Farewell My Concubine) and after (Temptress Moon and The Emperor and the Assassin). She is currently working on Memoirs of a Geisha, which is scheduled for release in 2005. I think its fair to say that the collaboration of these two talents was an important factor in launching each of their careers but both are enjoying success independently as well.

The Story: Shanghai Triad depicts the Chinese criminal world of the 1930’s, equivalent both in era and methods to the prohibition-era gangs of Chicago. The various gangs vie for dominance through assassinations and periodic massacres. Lieutenants plot for opportunities to move up to the position of gang boss. Into this violent atmosphere comes an innocent fourteen-year-old country boy, Shuisheng (Wang Xiaoxiao), whose uncle Liu (Xuejian Li) works for gang boss Tang (Baotian Li). Shuisheng will function as a servant for Tang’s mistress, Xiao Jingbao (Li Gong), who is a star performer in one of Tang’s nightclubs. The story is told almost entirely through the eyes of Shuisheng, though we also see his face and actions. He has just arrived in the city and stands lost in the crowd, watching out for his uncle. Finally, Uncle Liu arrives in a truck with some other mobsters to pick the boy up.

Tang’s gang is involved in prostitution and drug trafficking. Tang’s right-hand man is Song (Chun Sun), who is shrewd and sharp as a knife. Then there’s Zheng, Tang’s number one tough guy, a man of action and violence, according to Liu. There’s also an older Mr. Tang, a cousin of the boss, who is the boss’ private secretary. On the way home, the truck stops for a drug purchase, but the meeting turns sour and ends in a shootout, with Zheng killing one of the couriers. Just another day at the office for these mobsters.

Jingbao was once a country girl herself, but has fully prostituted herself to the glamour of the bright lights, stardom, and her belief in her own self-importance. She derives the illusion of power from being Tang’s mistress, but behind her back, uncle Liu dismisses her as a two-bit slut. Shuisheng’s job is to follow her around, hold her coat and hat when they’re inside, and wait on her with drinks or other services. Being a country bumpkin, he is slow to pick up on the job expectations, such as how to light a cigarette with a lighter (he’s never seen a lighter before). Jingbao has no patience with the boy and berates him and humiliates him, making him knock repeatedly and introduce himself as Shuisheng Tang the bumpkin. Despite the poor treatment he receives from Jingbao, Shuisheng is awed by her sultry beauty, which is unlike anything he’s ever seen. At the nightclub, he watches her perform a couple of numbers, including her signature piece, “Pretending” (see lyrics at top of review). Both of these country bumpkins are just pretending, though Jingbao has had many years to polish her act.

At night, Shuisheng sleeps in a small room under the stairs in Jingbao’s mansion. From there, he is able to overhear the comings and goings, which include the arrival of Song, who is secretly conducting an affair with Jingbao behind Tang’s back. At times, however, the affair takes on explosive dimensions. All this and the poor boy has only been in town two days!

On the third day, Shuisheng hears a violent scuffle in the adjacent rooms. Checking it out, he encounters the aftermath of a massacre that has killed several of Tang’s henchmen, including uncle Liu. Tang himself has survived, though he appears to be wounded. This is the work of rival gang boss Fat Yu (Liu Jiang), but Tang is uncertain as to who within his own organization has betrayed him. He and his private secretary make hasty plans to retreat to a secluded island where Tang can buy time to recover. Not even Song or Zheng will be told where they are going. Jingbao and Shuisheng are required to tag along however.

On the island, Jingbao is bored and out-of-sorts, missing the highlife and the limelight. The only people living on the island are a widow, Cuihua (Baoying Jiang), and her lovely nine-year-old daughter, Ajiao (Yang Qianquan). Cuihua prepares meals for Tang and his small contingent of loyal bodyguards and retainers. Lacking anything else to do, Jingbao visits Cuihua at her shack, though she is totally out-of-place dolled up in her finery. Jingbao comments that little Ajiao looks more like herself than Cuihua, who is old before her time from all the rugged island life. Cuihua stoically suggests “When you look old the mosquitoes don’t bite.” Sadly, Ajiao is dazzled by Jingbao’s beauty and says that she wants to grow up to be just like her. Jingbao accidentally discovers that Cuihua has a lover – a man that Ajiao calls “uncle” who lives on an adjacent island and slips over for visits via a row boat. The next day, Jingbao comes visiting again and takes Ajiao for a walk. Jingbao is beginning to remember her own days as a country girl and she, Ajiao, and Shuisheng sing a little children’s song together. This moment of gaiety abruptly ends, however, when Jingbao happens to spot a dead body in the water nearby – “uncle” has been killed “as a precaution” merely for having come to the island.

SPOILERS AHEAD. SKIP NEXT PARAGRAPH IF YOU PLAN TO SEE THIS FILM AND WANT TO RETAIN THE SURPRISE OF UNEXPECTED PLOT DEVELOPMENTS!

Jingbao complains bitterly to Tang about the murder but to no avail. Shuisheng is having a bout of diarrhea and while out in the woods relieving himself, he overhears two men hiding among the reeds. They are planning to kill Tang and all of the others, including Jingbao. They are Song’s men. Apparently Song is prepared to make his move to take over. Shuisheng rushes to warn Jingbao, who is playing cards with Tang, Zheng, and Song. The boy divulges what he has overheard, but, as it turns out, Tang has already anticipated this massacre attempt by Song and has forty of his own men hidden away on the island as well. Tang has had Song followed for days and knows of both his affair with Jingbao and his dealing with rival Fat Yu. Obviously, this is a bad turn for Song. His men are massacred and he himself ends up being buried alive with them. It’s also a bad turn of events for Jingbao, who despite trying to distance herself from Song's betrayal, is buried alive with him. Jingbao’s last request is that Tang at least not harm Cuihua and Ajiao. Too late! He’s already killed Cuihua for “knowing too much” and has taken Ajiao to train to be another Jingbao. Shuisheng, still taking his job in earnest, tries to protect Jingbao, but merely gets a “timeout” (hung upside down by his feet) for his effort.

Themes: This is not an especially thematically rich or deep film. The obvious theme is don’t let yourself succumb to the lure of bright lights and riches, especially when it’s linked to criminal activities. The fast life corrupts. Everyone is expendable in this kind of lifestyle. Not only is job security poor, but so is lifespan. Uncle Liu, Jingbao, and Song have all paid the ultimate price for their shot at riches and/or power. At one point, Jingbao gives little Shuisheng three gold coins which he sticks in his pocket, which she hopes he’ll put toward his goal of saving up enough to be able to open a shop. That’s her way of encouraging him not to give in to the luster and easy money of the criminal life as she has and to return instead to his roots. On the boat, when Shuisheng is hung upside down for trying to help Jingbao, the coins fall out and drop into the sea. We can only imagine that Shuisheng’s future has been similarly lost to the criminal life. A related moral of the story is Don’t mistake being next to power for the real thing. When you work for a powerful person, your “power by extension” only lasts as long as both you and your boss retain your positions.

Production Values: The strengths of this film include style, mood, and performances. The weaknesses are plot and substance. My response to this film was similar to how I felt about the Hollywood film Chicago with Richard Gere and some others. Lot’s of glitz and glamour and entertainment value but nothing very profound. The style is provided by the gorgeous sets and cinematography as well as the musical numbers performed by Gong Li. The film is sumptuous to look at. In fact, Shanghai Triad won a technical award at Cannes for its amazing look. Cinematographer Lu Yue certainly knows how to load up on color. The first half of the film, set mostly in Shanghai, is dominated by reds, golds, and sepia. Then the second half features some evocative nature shots, such as an azure blue sky and fishing boats passing by on the sea shot through a patch of water reeds. The sets are stunning, from the seedy backstreet warehouses, to the glittering nightclub, to the ocean skies over the barren landscape of the secluded island. Tang’s home is like a golden palace. The period detail is outstanding, including many vintage automobiles. Another highlight was Gong Li’s costumes by Huamiao Tong.

I enjoyed the musical numbers, especially Jingbao’s anthem, “Pretending.” There was a lot of energy in it. Gong Li originally wanted to be a singer, but was rejected, and ended up in film school instead. The music was written by Zhang Guangtian.

The performances in this film get highly mixed reviews from various critics. For example, one critic finds the performance of the young Wang Xiaoxiao as Shuisheng “bland” and “flat” but another states that he “was excellent in his fixed expressions . . . showing the fright of a country bumpkin.” I thought his performance on target since he was there as the stand-in for the audience and Asian film favors an objective stance rather than high emotional involvement. Even the great Gong Li finds both supporters and critics in this film. She is described as “luminescent” and “a marvel of subtlety and complexity” and another calls her performance “stunning” but one critic found her performance “strangely ineffectual.” I’ve seen Gong Li in close to ten films now. Usually, she plays a victimized woman, but here she’s the sultry bitch. I thought her performance in Shanghai Triad very effective – among her best that I’ve seen. There were also some very good performances in the lesser roles. Baotian Li was effectively cold and sinister as Tang. His head was shaved and he wore small, dark lens circular glasses. I sure wouldn’t mess with him. Xuejian Li humanized his role as Uncle Liu and Chun Sun as Song skillfully handled the scene where he discovers that his coup attempt has been exposed and thwarted. Yang Qianquan was adorable as the little Ajiao.

Bottom-Line: Stylistically, this film is very high quality and deserved the technical award it received from Cannes. Thematically, it’s got nothing important to say. The characters are archetypal and not especially well developed and the plot is thin and standard kind of stuff. It’s still a film worth seeing, for style and beauty plus some good performances. Shanghai Triad is in Mandarin with English subtitles and has a running time of 107 minutes.


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You might want to check out these other excellent films from China, Hong Kong, and Taiwan:

Chungking Express
Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon
Eat Drink Man Woman
The Emperor and the Assassin
Fallen Angels
Farewell My Concubine
Hero
In the Mood for Love
Raise the Red Lantern
Red Sorghum
Road Home
The Story of Qiu Ju
Temptress Moon
Together
To Live
What Time is it There?
The Women From the Lake of Scented Souls
Yi Yi

Recommended:
Yes

Video Occasion: Fit for Friday Evening
Suitability For Children: Not suitable for Children of any age