THE JOY LUCK CLUB
US, 1993, 139 minutes, Colour.
Kieu Chinh, Tsai Chin, France Nuyen, Lisa Lu, Ming- Na Wen, Tamlyn Tomita, Lauren Tom, Rosalind Chao, Christopher Rich, Michael Paul Chan, Andrew McCarthy?, Jack Ford, Diane Baker, Victor Wong.
Directed by Wayne Wang.
Amy Tan's novel was a best-seller. She collaborated with screenwriter, Ronald Bass (Rain Man, Snow Falling on Cedars) on the adaptation of her novel for the screen. The structure is a mosaic (or a tapestry) of the stories of four Chinese women. There are flashbacks to their own childhood and their experiences and memories of their mothers. These contrast with the stories of their daughters and their relationships with them. It is a movie of and for mothers.
The four stories set in China in the first half of the twentieth century are more powerful than the more contemporary stories. In fact, these latter seem rather insignificant by comparison. In old China, with its arranged marriages, age-old traditions, the women become victims of society and of the disruption of World War II.
The movie shows how the women succeeded in the United States, became friends, sharing each other's family joys and sorrows and forming their Joy Luck Club to play mahjong. However, the harshness of their childhood and young adulthood still influence the way they bring up their daughters, giving them everything but always setting up unattainably high expectations. The final emotional drama of the movie centres on the mothers allowing their daughters to be themselves.
The cast of mothers is excellent. The performances elicit sympathy for the past and exasperation with the present. The cast of daughters is also very good. But, it is the story of the mothers and their mothers that is the core of the movie.
Direction is by Wayne Wang who made idiosyncratic Chinese-US movies like Dim Sum and Eat a Bowl of Tea and then moved to more mainstream movie-making with Chinese Box and Anywhere But Here.
1. The popularity of the novel? Cinematic adaptation, the contribution of the author? The film of the 1990s?
2. Chinese- American stories? History, traditions, migrations, those fleeing China, the different generations, Chinese and Americans in the 20th century? The Americanising of Chinese migrants and the next generation?
3. China, the range of scenery shown, the different periods, the experience of war, the devastated countryside? Family life and hardships? Wealthy households? High society and wealth? The range of homes? The musical score?
4. The United States, California, the range of apartments, workplaces, libraries, hairdressers, publishers?
5. The club of the title, the women meeting for 30 years, playing Mah Jong, the bonds between them? The different personalities and their interactions? The death of one of their members? June stepping in, keeping up the tradition?
6. The episodic nature of the screenplay, the intercutting of the various stories, the skill of the editing? The voice-overs of the four mothers? The voice-over of the four daughters?
7. The framework of the club, the death, the news about the twins and their story of abandonment, their survival, Lindo and her contact, the letters, the preparation for June to travel, Lindo not telling the twins the mother was dead? The demand on June? Her preparation, the discussions with her father and his amplifying the story? The rival in China, the twins at the airport, older women, the joy of the meeting?
8. June, as a child, her mother’s expectations, given her past loss of her twins, the demands on her daughter, June, unwillingly playing the piano, the benign teacher and his deafness, the recital, her mother’s presence, the failure of the recital? And the comparisons with Waverley in their growing up? Unmarried, the grief at her mother’s death, relationship with her father?
9. June’s mother, the story of her life, the experience of war, illness and dysentery, the migration, telling her story, her husband’s version and amplifying it? Abandoning the children and her grief? Going to the US, marriage, her daughter? Not knowing that her two daughters was still alive? The pathos of the story?
10. Lindo, a very strong woman, in command of the group, the Mah Jong games, the decision about writing to find the twins in China? The background of her own mother, the harsh life, the matchmaker and the family and their plans, her mother agreeing to this, the growing up, grim aspects of her life, at the age of 15, her mother with the family travelling to the south, leaving her? The new household, the grandmother and mother, the severity, the wedding night, Lindo and her marriage, her husband younger than she anticipated, the shock? His ignorance, no sexual encounters? Her being berated by the grandmother for not producing children? Overhearing the maid being pregnant? Concocting her plan, her skill in executing it, the appeal to the Ancestors, the threats, falling out of teeth, death, bringing in the maid, her pregnancy, the upbraiding of the matchmaker, but the solution for the family? Lindo going to the US, tough, with Waverley, Waverley as a chess champion, her rebellion against her mother, her mother giving her the silent treatment? Waverley growing up, the continual disputes, Waverley’s marriage and divorce, the child? Her reaction to Rich, his bravado at the meal and his faux pas? Finally accepting him? The scene in the beauty parlour – and some bonds with her daughter?
11. Waverley, her skill at chess, a reluctance, not being able to take it up again and succeed? Her attitude towards her mother? Marriage and divorce, her own personal success and competence? The relationship with Rich? The clashes with June and the comparisons? Rich and the meal, all his etiquette mistakes?
12. Lena, quiet, seemingly lacking spirit, disappointing her mother? The marriage, Harold and his personality, his manner, the issue of expenses, equal division, to his advantage? Her feeling put down? The decision to stand up to him, defy him? The future of her marriage and her spirit? With the other young women?
13. Lena’s mother, her place in society, expectations, wealth, the style? The suitor, the glamour, the sexual encounter, her pregnancy? The wedding? His continued affairs, blatant? Neglecting her? The treasure of the baby, her husband and the baby and her decision to drown him? The US, her regrets, feeling her daughter lacked spirit?
14. Anna, with her mother, the household, her mother gone, everyone upset, not talking about the mother? The mother’s visit, the revelation of the truth, her being raped, giving birth to the boy? Her taking Anna to the household, Anna’s age, place in the house, the attitude of the wives, the dominance of the second wife, the putdowns? The husband, confrontations, treatment of an? Her telling the truth to her daughter, her decision to kill herself? Her life in America, her strong-minded daughter, the gathering, the cake?
15. Rosalind, strong woman, her studies, Americanised, meeting the publishers, their son, the mother and her racism and her being rebuked by her son? The marriage, love, the birth of the child? Years passing, her desire to please, subjugating her will to his? His exasperation? His work, the affairs? Rosalind and decision to stand up for herself, defying, the change, the reconciliation?
16. The gathering, the whole family together, the family?
