Zhang Yimou is considered one of the most famous directors of our time. He created many powerful paintings, directed the opening of the XXIX Summer Olympic Games. He is the author of the unforgettable comedy “Qiu Tszyu Goes to Court”, the creator of “Hero”, “Red Gaolyan”, “House of Flying Daggers” and the magnificent film “Raise the Red Lantern”.
The world famous filmmaker made a significant contribution to the formation of modern cinema in China. Against the background of the listed tapes, his project “Under the branches of hawthorn” looks very modest, but, as you know, modesty adorns.
The picture of 2010 is a spiritualized, touching melodrama, its innocence partly reminds of the masterpiece of Ilya Frez “You never dreamed ...”. But in Imou’s work, lovers are not separated by callous and selfish parents, but by a merciless, cruel system that reduces a person to the level of a weak-willed crowd. The film "Under the branches of hawthorn" reviews is extremely positive, the rating of the picture IMDb: 7.10.
Short storyline
The film "Under the branches of the hawthorn" takes place in the early 70's, in the midst of the Chinese cultural revolution. An innocent and clean high school student Jing (Zhou Dongyuy) is sent from the city to the village for refueling, who, instead of ennoblement with physical labor, expects a full-fledged upbringing of feelings among pastoral landscapes.
Soon, the girl will be torn between a youthful ardor, but at the same time a very chaste love for a student of the Department of Geology Suny (Sean Dow) and observance of the strictest standards of behavior appropriate for a future teacher. And the more relationships with a lover grow stronger, the more furiously parents will express their disapproval, the inevitable will be the tragic ending. The fact is that the father of the young man has a high military rank. The girl’s father is a political prisoner, and her mother, in order to make ends meet, is forced to do dirty hard work.
With the light hand of the director in Under the Hawthorn Branches, the escaped narrative predestination determines the level of emotional tension of this inspiring film.
Exceptional impression
Despite the fact that Zhang Yimou, as a true creator, reliably paints that time with rich and bold strokes, “Under the branches of a hawthorn” does not turn into a continuous social criticism, remaining a touching and romantic love story.
Permanently embarrassed protagonists literally with every gesture, in a word, act cling to the strings of the soul of a grateful spectator. Glances to the side, sincere timid smiles and holy naivety create an exceptional impression. And in the finale, accompanied, incidentally, by the Chinese version of the Russian song “Ural Mountain Ash”, the viewer will surely have something flinch inside. And if not, then this is a truly alarming bell.
Simple moral
In an interview with the media after the release of the tape, the director admitted that he had kept the tear ending in favor of a large army of fans and the author of a literary source. Perhaps that is why in China, the picture became a box office hit. So Zhang Yimou tried to justify primitive sentimentality permeating the nostalgic story of first love, the feelings of newfound, doomed and lost.
In this regard, cinema can be compared with the most famous naive examples of the melodrama genre. But since the mastery of the director has not disappeared even in such a “snotty” atmosphere, “Under the Branches of a Hawthorn” is a well-cut, well-staged, well-played movie, which makes its simple moral even more simple-minded.
By the way, the leading actors Sean Dou and Zhou Dongyu did not have acting experience before filming in the project. After participating in the film "Under the branches of a hawthorn," the actors received the status of rising stars, their talent was recognized by both viewers and critics. Now their creative career is developing rapidly.
Marvelous
Like it or not, Imou is a great master, he managed to use all the cliches of romantic cinema in his work and, as a result, present a real masterpiece to the audience. Many Western critics compare the film in Hollywood's “Autumn in New York,” with particular attention to prejudice and the problem of social inequality. But Hawthorn is much stronger. Understanding this comes during the final credits, along with treacherous pinching of the eyes. The film will not leave indifferent even the most inveterate cynic.