Rating: 4.5/5
Criterion Challenge 2023 | 11/52 | Criterion Double Feature — Film 1
The film opens with an interview with Maggie Cheung, looking at black and white photos of Ruan Lingyu and reflecting on Ruan Lingyu’s legacy as an icon.
We then transition to the story, where Maggie Cheung portrays Ruan Lingyu, the “Chinese Garbo.” We follow Ruan from when she was 16 and an up-and-coming actress to her tragic suicide eight years later.
This biopic stands out by emphasizing the small moments of humanity, unlike others in its genre. It doesn’t avoid the hard truths, nor does it grovel in them.
The film’s lighting takes on the qualities of old films, giving sharp contrasts reserved for black-and-white movies.
Similar to Irma Vep, the film operates on a meta-textual level.
The film interpolates interviews with people who knew Ruan, scenes in which Cheung portrays Ruan, and scenes from Ruan’s movies.
We also watch the fictional filmmakers recreate scenes from the movies, including films no longer available.
The movie also moves into those scenes, further blurring the lines between fiction and reality.
We don’t know the line between the truth and fiction. Because Ruan Lingyu is dead, only the witnesses can speak on her behalf, altering the stories according to their memories and desires. We now know that someone forged her suicide notes, leaving everything to speculation.
This film contains some of the most beautiful scenes I’ve seen.
Maggie Cheung is incredible! Her performance broke my heart.
A quiet meditation on a Chinese movie icon. I’m glad this exists so I can know about Ruan Lingyu.