Plot Farewell My Concubine (film)

memorabilia film exhibited @ art of leslie cheung s movie images , april 2013, hong kong central library.

douzi , shitou become peking opera stars under stage names cheng dieyi , duan xiaolou. adult dieyi in love xiaolou, sexual aspects of affection not returned. when become hit in beijing, patron, yuan shiqing, courts dieyi. xiaolou takes liking juxian, headstrong courtesan @ upscale house of blossoms. xiaolou intervenes when mob of drunk men harass juxian , says announcing engagement. juxian later buys freedom and, deceiving him thinking thrown out, pressures xiaolou keep word. when xiaolou announces engagement, dieyi , xiaolou have falling-out. dieyi calls pan jinlian (a dragon lady novel golden lotus). dieyi takes master yuan, gives him zhang s sword. aged master guan shames them re-forming troupe.

the complex relationship between these 3 characters tested in succession of political upheavals encompass china onset of second sino-japanese war. film follows fates of na kun, turns theater troupe on new government after 1949, , abandoned baby, called xiao si (little fourth brother), trained in dan roles. xiao si , douzi have argument training , punishment @ end of xiao si threatens revenge. role of concubine usurped xiao si xiaolou s complicity. betrayed, dieyi leaves , becomes addicted opium. later, xiaolou , juxian him recover , troupe surrounds him congratulate return health.

on eve of cultural revolution, shitou , juxian seen burning now-contraband literature , clothing. after few drinks, rekindle relationship. scene shifts shitou being questioned red guards on few unpatriotic words said years ago , overheard manager. xiao si seen in background, seemingly in position of power. entire opera troupe taken out in public humiliating struggle session red guards. under duress, shitou confesses douzi performed occupying japanese , may have had relationship yuan shiqing. enraged, douzi tells mob juxian prostitute. shitou forced admit married prostitute swears doesn t love , never see again. juxian crushed hear words , commits suicide. xiao si seen in gym practising concubine yu s role, happy on having usurped douzi s position, group of red guards catch him in act , fate unclear.

the film jumps douzi , shitou s reunion in 1977. practising farewell concubine, , relationship seems have mended since tribunal , suicide of shitou s wife. exchange smile , shitou begins line gave douzi trouble forty years ago. douzi makes same error of finishing line not girl . shitou corrects him , continue practising. douzi commits suicide sword.