MABEI SHANG DE FATING (COURTHOUSE ON THE HORSEBACK)

China, 2006, 105 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Liu Jie.

Courthouse on the Horseback is a fascinating Chinese film, filmed in the remote north-eastern areas of the country, in the mountains. He portrays the people of the area and their local customs, their strict rituals, especially for marriages. It also portrays a judge, travelling with her assistant, going through the mountains to the village to preside over the cases that need hearing. There is a touch of comedy underlying the seriousness of this portrayal of ordinary people, their ways of life, the problems of the young man assisting the judge, his poor judgments, his wanting to make reparation, his own concern about his wedding.

The film illustrates the variety of stories that emerge from China at the beginning of the 21st century as well as the styles of the industry and its development.

1. A picture of rural China? At the beginning of the 21st century? Its isolation in the mountains of the north-west? The lives of the ethnic groups? The administration of justice by the travelling judges? The old law and traditions? The need for modernisation? The inroads of contemporary 21st century life?

2. The beauty of the mountain landscapes, the treks up the hills, the valleys, the villages? The natural beauty? Yet its isolation and remoteness? The musical score?

3. The title, the opening and the judge going on retirement? The plan to travel into the mountains? Judge Feng, Judge Yang, Ah-Luo? Their hiring the horse, the difficulties of bartering, Ah-Luo? giving extra money and being rebuked because it would escalate over the coming visits?

4. The introduction to the group, the old judge, crusty, his own importance? The importance of the emblem of the state and his preserving it at all costs? The woman, older and experienced? The young man, his suit and tie, beginning his work as a functionary? Travelling in order to meet his bride and for the marriage ceremony? Their work together, the administration of justice, the complainants, the defendants? The decisions? Going from village to village? The disappearance of the horse, the documents, the emblem of the state? The judge and his anxiety, calling out to all the people, asking who stole the horse? The swamps, the villagers putting the doors on the water, rescuing the emblem, cleaning it?

5. The court cases, the divorce case and the woman inhabiting the house, her screaming and tantrums, an impossible case, the husband finally deciding not to divorce her? The two sisters and their argument over the pot, their not speaking? Impossible to reconcile? The judge breaking the pot, giving them the money to divide between themselves? The kinds of basic cases in the countryside?

6. The hospitality of the people, welcoming the law, the solemn administration of the law – yet outside and very primitive?

7. Going to the village for the wedding, dealing with the court case first? The issue of the goats and their being slaughtered, who owned the goats? Their being used for the wedding feast?

8. The judge and his decisions, the charter for the village? The anger of the chief?

9. The wedding, the bride in her finery, the young man and his looking forward to the ceremony? The court cases first? The gifts for the chief, the judge buying the pig? The chief proclaiming this as a sense of honour? His anger and interrupting the wedding because of the judgement against him?

10. The young man, his going off with the bride? The judge and his assistant and finding him?

11. The end of the work, the young man and his future as a judge? His wife? The older woman and her support of the judge, wishing him well, telling him to keep alert on the road?

12. The judge, with the horse, his memories, the wedding and his drinking, the speeches? His life, the young man challenging him about his own wife and child? His straying off the mountainside – his death?

13. An aspect of contemporary China – people, ethnic traditions, the law? Changes for the 21st century?