Peking Opera Blues (1986) [Film Review]

Peking Opera Blues; or, Knife Horse Actresses

     Hurry up… One by one… follow the hero! Oh, it’s you! Damn you! Want them to know that we’ve got a woman in the repertoire? I’ll lose face! Go and wash your face.

I have been meaning to watch Peking Opera Blues for a long time, but never had the right opportunity to see it. I have read a great deal of positive comments about the film, both on IMDb as well as HKMDB. Enthusiastic recommendations left me under the impression that this motion picture might be Tsui Hark’s greatest achievement. On top of that, there’s Brigitte Lin (real name: Ching-hsia Lin) in the leading role, so I just had to finally see the film!
Release Info

Directed by: Tsui Hark Starring: Brigitte Lin, Cherie Chung, Sally Yeh

Language: Cantonese Original Title: 刀馬旦 Runtime: 104 min

 

Synopsis

China, year 1913. After the fall of the Qing Dynasty, the country is in a political turmoil. General Yuan Shikai ascends the presidency and he needs financial support from Europe in order to stay in power. General Tsao (Kenneth Tsang) serves as the middle man in this process. However, his daughter, Tsao Wan (Brigitte Lin), secretly works for the revolutionaries and tries to intercept the proof of Shikai’s transactions. She is aided in her mission by Sheung Hung (Cherie Chung), a woman in search for a box of jewels, and Bai Niu (Sally Yeh), the daughter of an opera impresario.

 

Daughters, Jewels, Heroines

As you could expect from Tsui Hark, this movie is basically a mixture of different genres. Right from the very first scene, the viewers are thrown into action, a comedy of mistakes, a bit of slapstick, and hardcore drama. That’s Peking Opera Blues in a nutshell. As a result, I can’t say that I wholeheartedly enjoyed this film because it tries to put too many extravagant dishes on one plate. However, I appreciate the interesting storyline, great performances, fast-paced action, as well as Hark’s personal comment on theatre-acting etiquette in old China.

 

I found it very interesting that Brigitte Lin plays a woman dressed up like a military gentleman throughout the whole film (talk about gender ambiguity!). In one of the scenes, the character of an impresario played by the legendary Wu Ma tells his daughter in anger that women are not allowed to perform on stage. Ironically, towards the end, all three female protagonists (plus two other men who help them out) find themselves on a stage in full make-up performing for the main villain. This was the best part of the film for me. It reminded me a bit about the Takarazuka Revue.

 

Even though the comedy seems rushed in a few places, I liked the light-hearted tone of the film until it made a U-turn (Tsao Wan’s harrowing torture scene). Nevertheless, dramatic shifts are balanced by spectacular shootouts and fight scenes. In addition, the action is accompanied by James Wong’s epic music score.

 

Speaking about performances, Brigitte Lin totally nails it as a spy torn between the love for her father and devotion to the country. Also, she is ridiculously pretty with a “manly” haircut. Cherie Chung and Sally Yeh are great additions, especially in terms of comic relief. Kenneth Tsang may be hidden under layers of heavy make-up, but he gives a compelling performance as Tsao Wan’s father. Wu Ma has a small but interesting role as an opera impresario.

 

Recommendations

I recommend this film if you want to see something unusual from Tsui Hark. I liked the film, but I would not call it Hark’s masterpiece or “one of the greatest films ever made,” as stated by Quentin Tarantino. Rather, Peking Opera Blues is a fun and entertaining movie. It is a good choice for a Sunday afternoon.

Overall score: 7/10