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Chen Mao works in Black Brick Castle, a poppy field owned by landlord and opium addict Chen Tsao.
Tsao inherits from his father not only the land but also his father's vices that include collecting concubines. He wants an heir but he is unable to impregnate any one of his
concubines. Meanwhile, Mao has feelings for a young wife, Mrs. Kui Kong (Shu Chi) whose seaman husband leaves her for he feels that she is a jinx. Mao wants to have what Tsao
has so he impregnates Tsao's favorite concubine Hua Hua. Just as when Tsao thinks he is successful in having an heir, Hua Hua reveals that the child is Mao's. Enraged, Tsao
captures Mao and decides to put him out of his misery, only to realize that his favorite concubine has already fallen for Mao. Tsao's world shatters and he turns to Mrs. Kui
Kong, but doing so destroys him even more.
There's nothing very remarkable in this film that tries hard to be an art film. Except for a few attractive
and catching visuals and sceneries that capture the mid-1920's China, the film fails in so many aspects, technical wise. To begin with, the film is not easy to understand for
it is completely subtitled from Chinese into English. Some technical devices like the inter-cutting of present scenes to flashbacks are hard to follow. The Unfaithful
Concubine needs tighter editing for there are many prolonged scenes (like some tableau-like shots of ceremonials), which may bore one to death. Although slow-paced stories are
very Asian, this should not be an excuse for a lousy storytelling using visuals. This is quite sad because the film's premise has a lot of potential only that it is not
explored and handled very well.
The Unfaithful Concubine tackles a life lived in sin that seems pleasurable with the admiration of all, but
in the end results in misery and depression. The film's evident message says that the web of wrongdoing affects not only those responsible but also those around them. Although
the title suggests infidelity, the film's main character consistently demonstrates fidelity amidst temptation. But then again, the film could be unsettling for its frequent
nudity (mostly uncalled for) and drug abuse that might be taken out of context by the audiences. Apparently, the perceived evil and wrongdoing in the film is not seen from a
Christian perspective so that pre-marital sex and extra marital affairs are presented as either amoral or acceptable. All these make the film suitable only for the mature
audience.
(Date reviewed: December 20, 2002)
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