The 2012 film is set in Hong Kong during the 1940's and progresses through the change to Chinese control in 1997. The main character, a young boy is a "half breed" with ginger hair and blue eyes. He is not told he is not a biological son, but he feels it. He and his people.. the "egg people" live on boats and fish for a living. A priest convinces the boy to get an education and against the wishes of his father..leaves the boating life. He eventually ends up working for the East India company and becomes very successful. However he is never truly accepted because he is not "pure" caucasian. Eventually he gets married and takes care of his mom and siblings. In the end he discovers that his mom had been raped by a British soldier and had sold him to the family. The movie is based on real characters.
I thought the movie was interesting as it showed the progression of Hong Kong from a small fishing village to the metropolis and the end of British colonial rule. I think the movie could be used with high school students except it has some flirting scenes and the mention of rape. I teach 5th grade..so I would not be able to use this movie in my class. However it gave me insight into the end of the colonial time period and the East India company.
edited by kventuroso on 9/15/2014
edited by kventuroso on 9/15/2014
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The Floating City
10/28/2014 01:22 PM
#1
The Floating City
Great review by kventuroso.
Allow me to just touch on scenes or symbolism that I feel could be incorporated into a classroom discussion. The movie could be used in a higher middle school / high school setting. Some scenes could be screened for upper elementary school.
** Spoilers Ahead **
Ideas that I found interesting for discussion were:
Fun Facts:
• Mention of the Imperial East India Company.
• In the news (TV): “Thatcher arrives in Beijing to talk about Hong Kong…”
• South Eastern Morning headline: “Mrs. Thatcher Lost Hong Kong” byline: The Iron Lady falls in Great Hall of People
• Movie notes that his is based on real characters.
• A Hong-Kong – China Co-Production
• According to Film Business Asia this movie was withdrawn from the Tokyo International Film Festival (2012).
Favorite Quote:
• After some family dies on a fishing expedition early in Chun’s childhood, he is told: “…she didn’t die…. her family went to heaven. We would all end up there. But someone needed to make an early departure…while others had to wait longer…they live in our hearts…they would jump when we jump…and laugh when we laugh…they would always be with us.”
Nicknames:
• The main character is Chun, but family lovingly calls him “Mixed” as he is half Chinese. The other nickname given is “Half-Breed” which is given to him by foreigners and not a term of endearment. The fishermen family (where the main character belongs to) are termed “egg people.”
Family Relations:
• Family calls him mixed but do not treat him differently. When other family members (children) try to point out heritage differences, parents scold them. They want him sheltered from his difference.
• Father wants Chun (main character) to continue family tradition and not go to school. Of course we have the rebellious youth wanting to go to school and improve himself.
• Many fights and arguments in his adolescence, Chun leaves family. Works for fiancé family on shore. Father speaks to him one more time in all those years to remind him to always care and take care of family. Not long after his father dies and Chun must work all sorts of odd jobs to take care of family. Hard times mount and mother must give up all other younger children to orphanage or adoption.
• Helps mother learn to read and write. A struggle for her, but one she want to do in order to reunite her family.
Inspirational Moments:
• Priest wants Chun to learn and continues to encourage him through his late teen schooling. He even buys him his first pair of shoes. Chun gives up on regular school being to old, but priest recommends night school – the teacher there reminds everyone that they all have a day job, be it shoe maker, slave, etc. But they are here to learn despite that…they sing a song “we are the future…”
• In his bleak present he must choose the path for a job…a workman, or a “learned” individual with some education. While harder he knows he needs to improve his lot if he is to survive. The fact that he looks like a foreigner of sorts helps too.
• Chun lets mother hold a pencil for the first time in her life and helps her spell a word or two. The mother runs with it and learns to read and write. She works her way up to taking the boat captain’s license exam in order to own and operate her own boat.
• Chun continues to get promoted through his education and look. He is not called “Mixed,” or “Half-Breed.” They call him Mr. Bo.
• Corrupt British official is fired and Mr. Bo (Chun) is promoted due to diligence, and knowledge of both cultures. Head of company invites Chun to elite party to network. A female client of the company decides to take him under her wing to improve his social graces.
• Old fishing boss (from time with father) comes hat in hand as it were to Chun for any help in business he can provide.
Symbolism:
• At night school, Chun eats bread for the first time. Symbolism for intro to Western world?
• Well into his adulthood, learns about the Chinese flag (he is in British Hong Kong after all), and feels a form of pride and dignity he wants to replicate in his own life.
• In a café, as Chun sits (in a shirt and tie), with his overall friend chatting about this and that, his friend (who first introduced Chun to bread) is eating noodles, while Chun is having a sandwich.
• In the news, when Mrs. Thatcher (British Prime Minister) falls on her way down the stairs in China after giving up control of Hong Kong to China, can be seen as symbolic of the further decline of British Empire.
• In airport scene where he is told he is not British despite British passport, Chun must ask himself what is he if not Chinese nor British.
• Lady client and Chun are drinking champagne on a luxury yacht. A long way from the time when he was on a fishing boat and poor.
• Cultural:
• As time goes by Chun sits with Chinese friend as he hears him and others complain how those “damn foreigners, don’t give us Chinese a break.”
• At airport, Chun is told he must go to foreign line with is passport as he is not considered British, even though he has always considered himself as one.
new film in the works!
http://www.comingsoon.net/news/tvnews.php?id=124508
In a world replete with greed, betrayal, sexual intrigue and rivalry, "Marco Polo" is based on the famed explorer's adventures in Kublai Khan's court in 13th century China. The show stars Italian newcomer Lorenzo Richelmy as Marco. Best known for her role in The Wachowskis' Cloud Atlas, the Beijing-born Zhu Zhu plays Marco's love interest Kokachin. Joan Chen ("Twin Peaks") and Benedict Wong (Prometheus) also star in the show's global cast as Empress Chabi and Kublai Khan.
edited by dcolato on 10/28/2014