PRINCE OF TEARS

Taiwan, 2009, 120 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Yonfan.

On the surface, especially as remembered by writer-director, Yonfan, from his childhood days in the 1950s, Formosa lived up to its name, 'Beautiful', later universally known as Taiwan.  Colours for the 1950s are bright, even glowing at times.  But this was the surface.
 
After the Chinese Revolution of 1949, the refugees to Formosa took their anti-Communist fears with them.  Byt the 1950s, there was a kind of official paranoia.  Martial law was declared and thousands of people, many loyal to Formosa, were arrested. 3000 were executed for espionage.
 
So, the film starts lyrically, like a fairy tale.  But, soon an innocent art teacher who goes to pain on the cliffs of a forbidden zone is apprehended and bundled over the cliff.  Military is strong in this paradise.  One of the teacher's students, little Zhou, belongs to the family of a pilot, and they live on  an air base.  Another child in the class is Rainbow, daughter of an elderly general who has married a beautiful socialite from Shanghai who was once close to the pilot and his wife.  Also in the picture is a family friend, Ding, who works in security.  He is embittered because he was severely burned in a fire and his upp face is scarred.
 
The film's title refers to a book beloved of each generation (though the book was created for the film) and refers to a prince who weeps because of the world's injustices and his inability to change them.  For the most part, the film is the children's story - as they observe and experience the injustices the adults suffer for the alleged sake of security.  Audiences will feel the same as the children as they comprehend these injustices more profoundly than the children.
 
Then the film ends - but adds another quarter of an hour of realistic fantasy with Zhou's parents, a reflection on what has happened to them, and what might have been, giving a further edge to the drama and a note that the Taiwanese have chosen to forget (and even forgive) the malice of the past.  They are 'bygones' - which makes the film even sadder.

1.Taiwanese history? The Chinese revolution of 1949? The refugees to Formosa? The anticommunist feeling? Martial law, arrests, executions? The personal perspective and memories of the writer-director?

2.The re-creation of 1954, brighter colours, romanticising the past? The island itself, the cliffs, the sea? The airbase? Homes and schools? Authentic feel? Melodramatic musical score?

3.The title, the book, invented for the film? The sadness of the fairy story? Social injustice?

4.The information about Taiwan? The prologue, the art teacher, his love for the students, taking Zhou to the forbidden zone, the painting? The mother rescuing the children? His arrest, murder? The accusations of spying?

5.The story of the children? The credits, the father with his accordion, the wife, the children dancing in the forest? The beginning of a fairy tale? The sad ending? The children at school, Zhou and the art class, drawing, the statue of David? Her love for the teacher? Her grief when he disappeared? At home, the father returning from service? The happy family, meals? Uncle Ding and his friendship?

6.The background of the flights, disobeying the rules? Rescuing Li? The mother later blaming Li for this? Ding and his burns and the rescue? The way this was used, the authorities, the arrest of Hun? The arrest of his wife? Imprisonment? Ding taking the children to see their parents? The guilty sentence, Hun and the execution? Ping and her imprisonment? Release? The children witnessing their father’s death?

7.At school, the friendship with the children, Rainbow and her privilege, the sharing of the chocolate, the issue of the skimmed milk? The American link? Gratitude to the Americans? The friendship between the two children?

8.Liu, the general, older, his wife? The former friendship with Ping? The sternness – the revelation later, the friendship and love, the wife urging Ping to open her mind, the reading? The luxury home? Her furniture? Her taking the children to see their father, the execution? At home, with her husband, the shopping? The two children, the gifts? Knowing that she would be arrested, giving the jewels to her daughter? Hanging herself? The general, his being exiled?

9.Ding, his role in security? The fire, the scars on his face? His bitterness? The visits, the meals, the friendship? His betraying his friend, not saving him? His wanting to marry the mother? Caring for the children, taking Zhou in after she had her tantrum? Zhou following him, seeing him give the letter? Li telling her the truth? The later accusations? His marriage?

10.The mother, release, the memories of her past, her life, wanting to care for the daughters, knowing the rumours, forgetting – even forgiving? Bygones? The marriage with Ding?

11.The story of the lost lovers, Ping and her imagination, her husband returning, telling the story, Ding confessing the truth, the friendship with the general’s wife? The sadness of the execution? The fantasy, love – and his disappearance?

12.A fantasy story, a wry fairy tale? The harsh realities of the anticommunist attitudes and fears during the 1950s?