THE MATRIMONY
China, 2007, 91 minutes, Colour.
Bingbing Fan, Leon Lai, Rene Liu.
Directed by Hua- Tao Teng.
Another story of spirits. This time it is Chinese rather than Japanese or Korean and draws on 20th century Chinese history as well as beliefs about the dead and reincarnation.
It is very elegantly designed and filmed, using quite atmospheric sequences of Shanghai in the 1930s. It also brings radio and 16mm film into the plotline.
However, most of the action takes place in a large country house where the hero retires to after the death of his girlfriend in a street accident. His mother comes to visit and has made him marry a young woman from the servant class who cares for him along with the cook. He resents her and pines for the dead.
Up to this point it is very much like a Chinese variation on the Rebecca story with the cook treating the new wife in sinister Mrs Danvers fashion and their living in a remote version of Mandalay.
But, then the haunting starts. There is some dialogue about spirits being just human, neither good nor bad. This is, of course, misleading. Whoever heard of nice spirits in this situation? However, the dead woman does make a plausible case to the young wife to let her possess her for the sake of the man. This leads to some sinister experiences, needless to say.
The writer is able to play with the audience because the narrative is really a story told by the young woman on a radio program and we are left dangling a little as to whether this is a fiction or this is what really happened.
Actually, if you are going to make an elegant and atmospheric Chinese ghost story, then this is a good way to do it.
1.A stylish ghost story? A story of spirits? Possession and vengeance?
2.Chinese beliefs, in spirits, reincarnation?
3.The re-creation of period, Shanghai in the 1930s, cosmopolitan, the radio station, the sixteen-millimetre film, the jazz music, life in the city? Countryside, elegance, the shrines? Costumes and décor? The musical score – and the American echoes?
4.The screenplay playing with the audience, Manlie and her reading the story, fulfilling the story, hurrying, the bike ride, her death? The recapitulation of the story at the end? The two old women who had portrayed the mother and Ronga as asking questions about the ending of the story? Manlie and her survival, seeing Sansan, Sansan’s smile? The power of Sansan and her love?
5.The situation with Jungchu, his love for Manlie, her asking him about the future, his hesitation, the letter and the proposal, her hurry from the radio station, the bike, her death? His becoming a recluse after witnessing her death? The arrangement with Sansan, her serving him at the table, his hating her, the mother bringing her into the home? Ronga and her cooking? His harsh attitude, stances, collecting the photos of Manlie, filming them, his memories?
6.Sansan and her back-story, class, Ronga and her support, her weaving, serving at the table, her being hurt? Searching the house, Ronga warning her against searching, the mother welcoming her, the finding of the key, the vent, going into the room, hearing the noises, the encounter with the ghost of Manlie?
7.Manlie and her appearance, her appeal to Sansan, pleasant, Sansan’s fear, love for Jungchu, her acceding to the request, going into the bath, almost drowning, letting herself be possessed, the duration of the possession, her questions about the sexual relationship? Jungchu seeing her, changing his attitude, Manlie and her advice to Sansan, about what to eat, going to the movies (and her sleeping, dreaming, losing the shoe, Jungchu carrying her as if she had fainted), the love, the growing bonds?
8.Ronga and the charms, the sacred boards, her warnings, the ghost’s attack on Jungchu’s mother? Manlie and her confrontation of Ronga?
9.The issue of evil, the threats to Sansan, her drowning, the face, Manlie’s appearance, the attack on Sansan, Jungchu and his love, fidelity, talking with Manlie, explaining the movie of the photos to her?
10.The radio as a medium – for her destruction?
11.The discussion about spirits, whether they were good or bad, or merely reflecting human behaviour, reincarnation?
12.Sansan and the confrontation, stabbed, giving her life, Manlie dying, Jungchu free?
13.The reading of the story at the end, tantalising the audience, Manlie and her starting her rush to Jungchu again, the two old ladies, avoiding the accident? The presence of Sansan and her smiling?
