Tang Wei Blacklisted
Ang Lee's "Lust, Caution", which I wrote about here, was censored in China due to its explicit sexual content. Many Chinese (and foreigners) nonetheless managed to watch the complete version thanks to the ubiquity of pirated DVD copies. Such is life in China (and everywhere else)- where direct government control ends, the free (black?) market takes over.
Despite its graphic sex scenes, "Lust, Caution" seemed to present a more-or-less politically acceptable viewpoint on recent Chinese history, and as such was widely shown (though censored) throughout the nation's cinemas. An effective compromise appeared to be reached.
Yet according to the Hollywood Reporter, actress Tang Wei (who played the lead female part, Wong Chia Chi) has been blacklisted in the Chinese media due to her participation in the film. Her star turn had led to endorsement deals from advertisers, but now these will be revoked. She and others involved in the production of "Lust, Caution" will also be shut out of any film awards ceremonies. It is unclear what prompted authorities to wait until now (months after the film's international release) to implement such a crack-down.
For Tang Wei, this news must be most unfortunate. Unlike several of her co-stars, she was not an internationally known actor prior to the film's release. In fact, for the 28-year old, "Lust, Caution" was her first major role. The blacklist reeks of sexism, too. Her counterpart, Tony Leung, arguably revealed just as much of his body but has thus far avoided any heavy-handed response from Chinese authorities. He apparently is lucky enough to be a major star as well as a Hong Kong native (rather than Wei who hails from the mainland).
The Chinese government has long been sensitive to artistic expressions viewed as insufficiently patriotic. Yet "Lust, Caution" was written by a Chinese, directed by a Chinese, and acted in by Chinese. This was no hit job by vindictive foreigners, and in fact the "heroic" characters of the film were Chinese patriots resisting the Japanese occupation and its Chinese Quislings. That the film attracted political controversy at all remains somewhat mystifying.
But what's odder yet is the timing. Why did China wait until now, when anyone who wanted to see the film already has? Furthermore, the prevalence of DVDs and internet downloads means that no one really can be stopped from having a look- if anything, blacklisting Tang Wei will only increase "Lust, Caution"s publicity.
It's hard to see what the government hoped to achieve from this hubbub. The end result, sadly, will be destroying the career of an exceptionally talented and brave young actress.
(Hollywood Reporter link via ESWN. More coverage from Danwei)
March 10th, 2008 - 21:25
Good post, Matt.
While I agree that for the most part Tony Leung’s character is a bad guy, the ending is too ambiguous to be politically correct in today’s China. If you consider that in the original cut Miss Wong actually tells him to go, then it seems like she had “betrayed China” at a crucial juncture. This interpretation of the film didn’t catch on at first because I think many people downloaded the NC-17 version only for the sex and not for the rest, so they may have taken for granted that the ending is a little different.
That said, it’s pretty disgusting what’s happening to Tang Wei. How much you want to bet that the timing has everything to do with the “liang hui” in Beijing and the upcoming Chinese awards shows?
March 10th, 2008 - 21:32
P.S. The Ponds ad she made, which was linked by Danwei, has already been pulled from Youku. Let the online airbrushing begin!
March 10th, 2008 - 21:43
I brought this up in a class today (thanks for the post! ; ) ) and although most students thought it was unfair, an older student voiced his support. His opinion was that the movie was, ‘so sexual that it undermined it’s historical/political themes’.
Not sure if this was the thinking behind the blacklisting, but either way I think it’s pretty bunk. If anything, the inclusion of personal (and in this case, yes, sexual) elements, did the movie a service by rendering it far more believable than most Chinese films about history and/or politics. But hey, that’s just me.
Another student noted that he didn’t think the blacklisting would actually last very long. Hopefully it’s only an attempt to strip her of any awards for the role? Which hey, sucks, but is better than ruining her entire career.
March 11th, 2008 - 00:56
Another example that showcases the stupid, unsophisticated, fat-assed Chinese officials.
March 11th, 2008 - 06:47
“Yet “Lust, Caution” was written by a Chinese, directed by a Chinese, and acted in by Chinese.”
Sure, it was based on the Eileen Chang story, but if you check the credits, I think you’ll see the screenplay was written by a laowai.
“and in fact the “heroic” characters of the film were Chinese patriots resisting the Japanese occupation and its Chinese Quislings. That the film attracted political controversy at all remains somewhat mystifying.”
Interesting. Chinese people didn’t see it in such quite black-and-white terms, and a lot of the controversy was because so many saw it as being too vague, too big a grey area. Many Chinese “patriots” saw it as glorifying 汉奸 (traitors to the Han race), and wanted to see the strictly black-and-white, good resistance fighters vs. evil traitors film that you saw. Take another look at the ending, or have a closer look at how the relationship between Tang’s and Leung’s characters develops. Also, look more closely at the relationship between Wong Chia Chi and the rest of the resistance movement, pay particular attention to how they use her and how Wong responds to this treatment.
March 11th, 2008 - 09:08
Chris,
You’re right- I was referring to Eileen Chang’s authorship but should have made that more clear.
I only spoke to a few Chinese friends about LC, but all recognized the inherent conflict in Wong Chia Chi’s character between remaining true to her political cause and carrying on the relationship with her lover. After all, she was quite a young man and Leung’s character was older, suave, cultured, and sophisticated. While I’m sure her decision to spare his life was viewed as a betrayal of Chinese patriotic interests, I doubt many Chinese truly excoriated her for it- she was undoubtedly a sympathetic character.
Then again, it is the nature of politicians and government officials everywhere to underestimate the public’s intelligence and depth.
March 11th, 2008 - 09:08
Jason,
How old are your students?
March 11th, 2008 - 11:22
My student’s ages range from late highschool to the oldest I think being around 60. (I teach at a language training center)
This particular class was mostly older males, a few younger guys and two college age girls.
The guy that made the comment specifically was in his fifties.
March 12th, 2008 - 04:01
Just so it’s clear, “Lust/Caution” was approved by the Chinese government and ran in Chinese cinemas a few months ago. I saw several very big advertisements for it outside of more than one Shanghai theater. People did not need to resort to pirated DVDs to see it.
That is what makes this case all the more hypocritical. They approved the film, ran it in cinemas, but now decide to ban the movie several months after the fact. Tamen you maobing ma? Changing their minds after the fact is retarded, i.e., a sadly typical occurence in China.
Furthermore, why are they banning one actress and trashing her career? She is a young lady who was in her first major film playing a role that was written in a script. Why not ban Ang Lee, the studio that produced the movie, every other performer in it as well?
It is disgusting that a government would single out one young lady just getting started in her career for what is really no good reason. She did nothing wrong. Too sexual? The government approved the edited version that was shown in China. That is a disingenuous lie.
As for sympathy for the Japanese army, or Chinese traitors, that is not really true. The world isn’t black and white today and it wasn’t black and white during World War II either. The Chinese mindset needs to mature and learn to look at history in an analytical fashion.
All this movie did was tell a story. Who cares that a horde of ragged but determined Commie troops did not overcome great obstacles and tribulations to vengefully destroy the Japanese invaders at the end of the movie? That story has been told a zillion times.
Real life ain’t like that. The Chinese government needs to grow up and deal with it. By extension, the Chinese people would grow up and deal with it. This is the 21st Century. Prefabricated scripts with the same boring old predictable endings are fast fading relics.
March 25th, 2008 - 02:17
Just my personal (and unprofessional) opinion… I think the cn officials might have realized way too late – not that the movie was too sexual, but that it was actually politically incorrect, not in a direct way, but in a quite subtle one, and it challenged the official view of ~resistance heroes against colaborationist traitors and dogs~…
When they finally figured that out, they wanted to take action, and, since they could not admit it was for the political views, specially after people already saw the movie in theaters. So, they blamed it on the sex scenes – which people didn’t see anyway – and so, they made the people wonder ~how were the sex moments we weren’t allowed to see~, rather than ~hmm, the collaborationists were not totally dogs, and the resistance was not made only of perfect patriots either~…
At least, from the mainlanders i have talked with, by now – most of them asked me, since i saw the full nc17 movie, ~How was the sex?~ and nobody talked to me about the nuanced view of the war time.
Therefore, now, since the movie was already out, a more refined way of censorship was applied, by distracting people from the political view to the sex ideas…
If that was indeed the gov’t idea behind banning Tang Wei, i would say, at least from some people i know – their goal was achieved…