The Story of Qiu Ju: Amazon.ca: Li Gong, Peiqi Liu, Liuchun Yang, Kesheng Lei, Zhijun Ge, Wanqing Zhu, Luowen Cui, Huiqin Yang, Jianfa Wang, Zi Lin, Jun Ye, Yimou Zhang, Heng Liu, Yuan Bin Chen: DVD

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The kick is never shown, but the entire film is based around it. It's winter in the remote Shaanxi province. Pregnant Qiu Ju (Gong Li, 2046) is married to laidback farmer Qinglai (Liu Pei Qi). When village chief Wang (Lei Lao Sheng) kicks him during an argument, she sets out to ensure that her husband receives medical attention--and justice. Clad in a bulky jacket, face partially obscured by a thick scarf, the strong-willed woman, joined by sister-in-law Meizi (Yang Liu Chun), travels far and wide to find someone who can coerce Wang to apologize (she asked, he refused). All agree the chief was in the wrong, but each authority with whom she meets hands her off to another. Along the way, the couple is offered financial compensation (for medical care and lost wages), but an apology is as elusive as a dragonfly in December. Taking cues from both Frank Capra (Mr. Smith Goes to Washington) and Vittorio De Sica (Bicycle Thieves), Zhang Yimou (House of Flying Daggers) presents modern-day China as a country where bureaucrats run the show and the citizens--especially the women--must suffer the consequences. Fortunately, some are more persistent than others, and The Story of Qiu Ju is far from tragic. Just as their fifth pairing represents one of Yimou's rare contemporary efforts, the dressed-down title character is also an anomaly for Li, his real-life love at the time. The risk paid off and the result is one of their most cherished collaborations. --Kathleen C. Fennessy

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Customer Reviews

18 Reviews

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(2)
3 star:		(3)
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Average Customer Review

4.4 out of 5 stars (18 customer reviews)

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5.0 out of 5 stars Yimou's Most Thoughtful Film, Feb 23 2004

By

Rand Higbee (Hager City, WI United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This review is from: Qiu Ju da guan si (DVD)

Zhang Yimou's "The Story of Qiu Ju" is not a masterpiece as is his film "Raise the Red Lantern." It doesn't have the epic qualities of "To Live" nor is it as visually stunning as "The Road Home." But "Qiu Ju" may well be Yimou's most thought provoking film, leaving you pondering the messages a long time after the film has ended.

Qiu Ju's husband has been kicked ("where it counts") by the village chief. The only bit of justice Qiu Ju wants is an apology. It seems to be a simple enough request, but her search for the apology proves to be elusive as she encounters a legal system more interested in its own red tape than in the needs of ordinary people.

But this is not "Erin Brockovich" where the sides of "good" and "bad" are easily defined. The people in the legal system Qiu Ju encounters are genuinely decent folks. They are also, unfortunately, a bit clueless. And Qiu Ju is not beyond reproach herself. At the conclusion of the film even she is realizing that she has pushed the matter too far.

Just how far should one go to seek justice in this world? Even if you are totally in the right, does there come a time when you must let the matter rest for your own sake as well as everybody else's? There are no easy answers.

This is another great performance by Gong Li in the title role. She may be one of the most beautiful women in the world, but here she is not above playing "dowdy." And as usual, Zhang Yimou is nearly flawless in his direction. He gives a wonderful tip of the hat to the late French director Francois Truffaut in the end, echoing that famous final shot of Truffaut's "The 400 Blows."

But this is a film that will stick with you well past that last shot.

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5.0 out of 5 stars OUTSTANDING in all respects, Nov 8 2003

By

VIRGO (Toronto, Ontario Canada) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Qiu Ju da guan si (DVD)

I viewed this film on a CVD without benefit of subtitles and had to rely on a Cantonese speaking colleague to translate the Chinese subtitles. It was well worth the inconvenience (for both of us). It is a simple story that takes on comic proportions as the stubborn protagonist pursues her concept of justice through the snakelike pathways of the bureaucracy to an unexpected outcome - a universal problem that is as much in evidence in a democracy such as North America as it is anywhere.

I lived in Hong Kong for twenty years ('66 - '86) and experienced only the farcical soap operas etc of the Hong Kong film industry. This production was an eye opener for me of the high quality that exists in Chinese films. It set me on a trail of discovery that has resulted in a substantial number of Chinese films on DVD gracing my bookshelf (some produced by Hong Kong companies - Shaw Brothers (HK))

Gong Li plays the role of the relentless, stubborn housewife superbly and is an actress who has built herself a solid reputation for excellence for her roles in many films. For a contrasting role by this brilliant star, I recommend Shanghai Triad.

The film is also expertly crafted and shows how much can be done with a simple story in the hands of skilled film makers. This is also true of Shanghai Triad which I also remember for its music and photography.

Some of the other Chinese films I admire are The Road Home, The King of Masks and Farewell My Concubine (which paved the way for me to the Peking opera The Peony Pavillion).

I eagerly await the release of The Story of Qiu Ju for the North American market so it too can take its rightful place on the shelf among my other Chinese DVDs.

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4.0 out of 5 stars Be careful what you wish for, Oct 30 2003

By

Julie Happy (Jacksonville, Fl United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Story of Qiu Ju (VHS Tape)

I was very looking forward to seeing this movie, and I did enjoy it, but, I think not many americans would endure the entire movie.The main character, Qiu-Ju, is very pregnant, and a woman with a mission. The village Chief kicked her husband in the "privates" ( bad call, but not unprevoked ) and he is "out of commision" for a few weeks. Understandly, she wants justice in the form of an apology. She goes through all the correct legal roads in China and time and time again they come up with the same verdict. The chief has to pay medical bills and loss of wages and a little more, but Qiu_Ju only wants an apology. The Chief is a proud man who will not "bend". Most of the movie is Qiu-Ju and her sister-in-law trudging by foot up and down small roads to big cities with little or no conversation. Her husband and family wish her to stay home and "get over it" but she is stubborn! I will not spoil the end, but "be careful what you wish for"! not everyone's cup of tea

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Most recent customer reviews

5.0 out of 5 stars A simple story that tells much.
Qiu Ju's husband is kicked by the village chief. Qiu Ju then seeks an apology by complaining to officials at the various levels of the legal bureaucracy. Read more

Published on Jun 10 2002 by Steven R. Kissel

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Movie
I first saw Gong Li in "Raise the Red Lantern" So I had to see this one.
Here she plays a pregnant peasant woman, wife of a chili farmer. Read more

Published on Dec 17 2001 by valeska_