M. BUTTERFLY
US, 1993, 103 minutes, Colour.
Jeremy Irons, John Lone, Barbara Sukowa, Ian Richardson.
Directed by David Cronenberg.
M. Butterfly is the film version of the Tony Award-winning play by Henry David Wang. On stage it was a star vehicle for such actors as John Malkovich, Tony Randall, Anthony Hopkins. Jeremy Irons stars in this film. He is supported by John Lone (Last Emperor, Echoes of Paradise, The Shadow).
The film has been opened out from the stage play - but the film still seems like a stage drama. Part of the difficulty with the credibility of the film is that in close-up, John Lone seems like a man in disguise, whereas on stage the audience was distant enough not to see this so strongly. Others in the cast are Barbara Sukowa as Jeremy Irons' wife, and Ian Richardson as the Consul.
The film was directed by David Cronenberg, best known for his horror films like The Brood, Scanners, Video drome. He also worked with Jeremy Irons in Dead Ringers. His film preceding M. Butterfly was his version of William Burroughs' The Naked Lunch.
By and large, the film was not well received, criticism made of Jeremy Irons' mannered performance as well as the lack of credibility of John Lone in the M. Butterfly role.
However, the film is very interesting with its themes, a reversal of the Madame Butterfly story and testing audience reactions to themes of east and west, man and woman, sexuality, patriotism, espionage. Jeremy Irons has a tour de force in the ending of the film as he becomes M. Butterfly rather than Pinkerton and destroys himself. There is an atmospheric score by Howard Shore.
1.The reputation of the play, its many awards?
2.Adapted to the screen, stylised/realistic? The opening out of the play? Its dramatic impact?
3.The title, the associations with Madame Butterfly? The ambiguity of the M in M. Butterfly? American perceptions on the Madame Butterfly story and themes of east and west?
4.The parallels with the original story? The parallels and contrasts in themes in the film? The reversals of expectations? Asia/the West? Men/women? Children and childlessness? Death and survival?
5.The Beijing settings, the enclosed world, the world of diplomats, diplomatic parties, the Beijing opera, Gallimard's house?
6.Jeremy Irons as Gallimard, his screen presence, sternness, manner? His work, the brittle marriage? His relationship to his boss, his peers? The tasks he was given? An ordinary diplomat? The French background? The French in China? Jeremy Irons making his character credible for the subsequent behaviour?
7.The Beijing opera: the singing, the staging of the opera, Chinese musical tradition? Song and his place in the opera? The meeting with Gallimard, the conversation, the arguments about colonisation? Song's attitude to Gallimard's wife?
8.The growing obsession with Gallimard, the pursuit of Song, the performances, the letters, the visits, the infatuation, the sexual relationship? The strangeness of their relationship, Song's sexual attitudes and behaviour, Gallimard not questioning him?
9.John Lone's screen presence as Song? The male opera singers and their dressing as women? Gallimard's not appreciating this? His masculine appearance? In the operas? The characters that he assumed in the operas? His personal character, discussions, arguments? Lifestyle? The Chinese traditions? The attitudes towards colonialism? The demure manner, the nature of the sexual encounters?
10.Gallimard being promoted? Song controlling Gallimard? The espionage, the information given? The years passing, the development of the affair? Gallimard and his separation from his wife? The question of the baby, Song and the getting of the baby, Gallimard believing that he had sired the baby? The cultural revolution and the transformation, Song and his nationalism?
11.The transfer of Gallimard to Paris, his moping, the emptiness of his life, the opera, confronting Song again, the drama of his arrest?
12.The dramatics of the trial, Song's sudden appearance in male clothes, Song's attitude towards Gallimard and the disillusionment of Gallimard's beliefs, of his love and commitment? The court and Gallimard's collapse? The callous attitudes of Song?
13.Gallimard in prison, the attitude of the prisoners and guards? The build-up to the final monologue, Jeremy Irons' dramatic tour de force, his assuming the personality of Madame Butterfly, the violence of his suicide? The pathos of his death?
14.The themes of role reversals, theme reversals? Creating people and images in one's own likeness? The consequent disillusionment? Repression and eruption? The strength of the film's themes compared with performance and staging?
