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 CINEMA :Les blessures narcissiques d'une vie par procuration
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CINEMA :Les blessures narcissiques d'une vie par procuration

VIP-Blog de tellurikwaves
  • 12842 articles publiés
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  • Créé le : 10/09/2011 19:04
    Modifié : 09/08/2023 17:55

    Garçon (73 ans)
    Origine : 75 Paris
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    ©-DR-LA GRANDE MURAILLE de Frank Capra (1933 ) p15

    30/06/2016 17:42

    ©-DR-LA GRANDE MURAILLE de Frank Capra (1933 )  p15


     

    Index 51 reviews in total 

     Lien vers toutes les reviews :

    http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0023814/reviews?ref_=ttexrv_ql_3

     

    Capra's finest and most unexpected film

    9/10
    Author: TrevorAclea from London, England
    7 May 2006

    Frank Capra's most atypical and sensual picture, The Bitter Tea of General Yen defies everything people think they know about the director. No small town schmaltz or last minute reprieves here, but a surprisingly modern and often brutal adult drama set in a surprisingly morally ambiguous China torn apart by local warlords and opportunistic Westerners making a fast buck out of the chaos. Bodies hang from what is left of buildings, refugees are machine-gunned from passing trucks as children watch with emotionless faces, and when Stanwyck arrives in the middle of the evacuation of Shanghai to marry a missionary she hasn't seen in three years, no-one – not even the priest who has come to collect her – can be bothered to help her dying rickshaw driver. 'Rescued' by Nils Asther's General Yen, she is awoken by the sound of firing squads carrying out mass executions of prisoners. Yen apologises and promises it will not happen again – "They are taking the rest of them down the road, out of earshot." Quickly realising that he has no intention of returning her to her fiancé, she finds herself involuntarily drawn to him as he constantly challenges her preconceived notions of the Chinese, with tragic consequences.

    Although racist stereotypes are present, especially in a surprisingly sexual nightmare sequence where Yen appears as both vampiric rapist and heroic rescuer, they're mainly there to be subverted, and it's surprisingly critical of how incompatible and patronising the intentions of Christian missionaries to impose western values are with the people they have come to 'save.' Racism and defeatism is rife among their ranks as they see dubious merit in their work – as one elderly missionary reveals when explaining how he misinterpreted a group of Mongolian bandits' spellbound interest in the Easter story until they promptly crucified the next merchants' caravan to pass through their territory. Indeed, it's an act of 'Christian' charity and forgiveness that has the most devastating results for Yen, with Barbara Stanwyck only faintly beginning to understand the world she finds herself in too late.

    Both characters are uncomfortable with the nature of their desires, and Yen's relationship with his Chinese mistress and his insistence that Stanwyck give herself to him freely or not at all is surprisingly sophisticated considering the usual 'Yellow Peril' stereotypes of the day. Asther in particular does a fine job of avoiding cliché with a complex and unpatronising portrait mixing casual cruelty, bemused cynicism and great sensitivity that is quite remarkable for its time. Walter Connolly similarly plays against expectations as the general's 'financial adviser,' and to him falls the beautiful closing lines in the film's final scene – one of those pieces of great writing that left me thinking, "Damn, I wish I'd written that!" A critical and commercial fop in its day, much cut by the censors (Columbia's UK DVD appears to be uncut) and rarely revived, it has maturity and a tortured romanticism that is truly unique among Capra's work and is well worth seeking out. Great photography by Joseph Walker too.

    (A version of this review appeared in Movie Collector magazine)

    *

    A Tour de Force For Mr. Asther
    10/10
    Author: Ron Oliver (revilorest@juno.com) from Forest Ranch, CA
    28 February 2002

    A young missionary finds herself swept into a world of Oriental intrigue & power, after being ‘rescued' by a Chinese warlord.

    With THE BITTER TEA OF GENERAL YEN, Columbia Pictures & director Frank Capra created a small cinematic gem. Not only does the film boast of superb production values, a first-class script & excellent performances, but it enwraps its audience in a sensual romance which rewards intelligent viewing, while offering a liberal dash of pre-Code sensibilities. Miscegenation, so soon to become absolutely taboo in Hollywood, here is made palatable & attractive, indeed, reasonable, the natural outcome of passions molded by tumultuous times.

    Although billed second, Nils Asther takes acting honors in the title role. A matinee idol during silent days, Asther found it difficult to find good roles in talking pictures, hampered by his exotic looks which made him hard to cast to his advantage. But with BITTER TEA he found the role of a lifetime. Although tall & Swedish, he completely inhabits the skin of his Asian character, making the General at once believable & sympathetic. His every movement, shift of the eyes, even the way he chews his food are all part of his persona. Nearly forgotten now, Asther shows with this one performance what he was capable of achieving.

    As the missionary captive, Barbara Stanwyck gives the kind of competent, skillful & engaging interpretation which she would bring to all of her roles over the course of several decades. Capra's favorite actress, the dramatic flames she lights are an intriguing counterpoint to the repressed emotions of Asther's Yen.

    Loud, brash Walter Connolly, as the General's financial advisor, makes a good contrast to Asther; his plainspoken character often gives voice to what the others are thinking. Lovely Toshi Mori graces the role of the General's unfaithful concubine. A young Richard Loo is her secret lover.

    Movie mavens will recognize Clara Blandick in the role of the feisty missionary hostess at the beginning of the film & Willie Fung as the rebel train engineer, both uncredited.

    *****************************

    While meant to be funny and introduce the plot, the opening scenes are a bit unfair to Western missionaries in China, portraying them as rather fatuous, repressed & gossipy. By in large, missionaries lived lives full of self-sacrifice & devotion. In return, not a few were rewarded with penury and an early grave. That today the ‘Underground Church' in China numbers many millions of Christian believers stands as a witness to the faithfulness of these good people.

    The era of the Chinese warlord - such as General Yen in the film - was brief but colorful and extremely violent. The Qing dynasty, China's last, was overthrown in 1911 and the Republic of China was formed. Its despotic president, Yüan Shih-kai, relied more on military force than democratic principles to maintain his authority over China's vast stretches & huge population. Upon his death in 1916, the country was thrown into confusion & chaos, with numerous military officers & powerful bandit kings all using their armies to control districts and even whole provinces, constantly warring with each other amid a swirling sea of ever-changing alliances and bitter feuds. Foreign powers (Soviet Russia, Imperial Japan & Great Britain) only made matters worse by supporting various factions. It was the ordinary Chinese citizen who suffered most, with the depredations of war's brutality & the inevitable famines rained upon them. It was not until 1928, with the capture of Peking by Republican General Chiang Kai-shek, and the reunification of China, that the power of the warlords was finally broken.

    *

    Without sugar
    8/10
    Author: Gary170459 from Derby, UK
    25 March 2005

    Bitter Tea is one of my favourite Capra films, the earliest one I would call that "much over-worked phrase", a classic. I don't know if the original story was much different, but even being pre-Code this film would be shot much differently nowadays - unfortunately, of course! It appears to be just as hung up about love between the races as any other Golden Age movie was, except the tale's conclusion is more open to interpretation and franker in its portrayal. But even that was spoiled by Walter Connolly's Jerry Springer type moral ramblings at the end as solace for any outraged whites.

    It's a murky, atmospheric, lustrous (in the romantic arc-light), absorbing 83 minute journey through a rather horrible world, populated by semi human beings - naturally Western wars are so much more civilised affairs. Throughout Stanwyck does her best and looks her best too, no wonder Gen Yen fell for her! I hope modern Scandanavians don't feel too humiliated by Nils Asther playing a Chinaman though (& v.v.) As a non practising Christian I didn't take offence at the criticism levelled at Christianity's manifold moral ambiguities - but enough of all that!

    A wonderful film to sink into every few years not only for the story but also the gleaming photography, the visual composition of the scene near the end where Yen is brewing the tea of the title is so achingly beautiful that it brings the tears to my eyes as I think about it! But remember it was made in 1932 so if you don't like shiny charming creakers it's probably not your cup of tea.

     

    Capra's most overlooked-and most brilliant- film.
    10/10
    Author: Joseph Harder from warren michigan
    3 May 1999

    For those who think that Frank Capra only produced "Capracorn'..well, think again. One reviewer dismisses this film as 'melodramatic'..it is, in fact, a subtle, powerful exploration of sexual politics, racism, and human passion.Stanwyck, and the almost forgotten Nils asther, ignite the screen. This film also shows another often overlooked side of Capra, his fascination with the Orient, especially China.

    *

    Unique Capra film
    10/10
    Author: FERNANDO SILVA from Santiago de Chile.
    22 February 2007

    Unusual, strange, interesting, intriguing, offbeat, surreal, unique film… so atypical of Capra's acknowledged style, that one truly regrets that he never made a film of this sort afterwards in his career.

    For sure, a product of the more permissive Pre-Code era (1930-1934), it couldn't have been filmed under the Production Code's strict rules; the only suggestion of miscegenation would have risen too many brows during its enforcement.

    I must say, though, that I have the impression that I saw an edited or censored version of the official release, since the DVD I watched is of British origin (it's not yet available on DVD in the USA) and apparently the out-of-print VHS American edition, is 5 or 6 minutes longer. Well, it shouldn't surprise me since this film was banned in England for many years (reportedly for its miscegenation subject, a delicate matter for the British Empire in those years).

    This fantastic tale of a Chinese Warlord's (Nils Asther) infatuation with an American Woman (Stanwyck), who's engaged to a missionary, is charged with sensuality, erotic imagery and sexual tension (by early 1930s standards) between the two leading players.

    Asther gives an intense, credible portrayal and is simply mesmerizing as the Warlord, in spite of the fact that he was actually Swedish. Stanwyck is aptly helpless, confused and vulnerable as the heroine. It's also a pleasure to see Walter Connolly in a different role, as an amoral "entrepreneur". Toshia Mori is deliciously evil as Asther's double-crossing mistress.

    This film demonstrates that the Occidentals, at least up to that time, still did not fully appreciate and understand Oriental Cultures, dismissing its people as cruel and savage.Beautiful sets and décors.

    *

    A cult film which has a number of interesting sequences…
    8/10
    Author: Righty-Sock (robertfrangie@hotmail.com) from Mexico
    19 October 2005

    *** This review may contain spoilers ***

    Like Chaplin, Frank Capra began his film career as a simple, effective comic talent and progressed to 'message movies'. And, as with Chaplin, the populism of his later films demonstrated both a decline in humor and disturbing political ambiguities…

    Capra's films during the early '30s were likable adventures and comedies notable for polish, pace and variety... "The Miracle Woman" and the witty "Platinum Blonde" were sparkling vehicles for Barbara Stanwyck and Jean Harlow, but it is "The Bitter Tea of General Yen" that remains Capra's finest film…

    This is an exotic romance in which Stanwyck's prim American missionary is held hostage by a sinister but seductive Chinese warlord… Its story of a converter converted is not only erotic – a startling dream sequence reveals the woman's hesitant, nervous awakening to her physical desires but a complex, tragic investigation of culture clash…

    *

    a Frank Capra's absorbing tale of interracial tension, if not outright romance, in China
    9/10
    Author: MisterWhiplash from United States
    26 January 2009

    Frank Capra made a sort of "little" film in 1933, little in that it starred then up-and-coming Barbara Stanwyck (the future iconic star of Double Indemnity and The Furies had only been in a few films before) and that it dealt with a topic that was very touchy to attempt for in 1933; only Griffith before had tried to deal with some kind of interracial bonding and/or sexual tension between white and Chinese people on screen, at least to my knowledge. What ended up working in favor for Capra with his story, and what makes it still work today still despite the creaky bits of racist dialog (i.e. "China-man" is repeated throughout by the supposedly tolerant missionary Megan Davis), is the script. This has excellent dialog and a potent message about trying to make a difference, to make some sort of change where things are, perhaps in simplification (hey, it's Capra), about the same as they've been for 2,000 years.

    It's a message that infers some tendencies to prejudices on both sides, of the white well-educated woman who sees to do good wherever she can and the stalwart General who will try to impress and act cordial around the lady but mostly because he wants to have his way- which may be with her. The story itself sounds kind of typical, probably because by today's standards it is: Megan Davis has just come to China to do missionary work but is caught in the midst of a bad civil war going on, and after a tumultuous battle she gets caught up in in the streets and is knocked out is taken into the 'care' of General Yen (Nils Asther, no, not Chinese apparently but does so good a job as to not notice *too* much). She cannot leave his custody at his palace because of the battling blocking up the train tracks, and has to stick tight... in the span of a week she tries to spare a life of a spy and almost falls for Yen, or maybe more than almost.

    It's actually the one complicated and really exacting thing in this production is seeing Asther and Stanwyck on screen. I'm not sure if the latter gave quite a great performance, but for what she's given she elevates it into a stern-faced but kind-hearted portrayal of a woman caught in an untenable situation, and Asther gives as good as he can by bypassing the obvious pit-fall of stereotyping by making Yen a very human figure. He's a man of class and taste but also tradition and with that typical double-edged sword of being ruthless with slaughter and elegant in decorum and in attitude. Somehow Capra is able to garner very good work from them with a story that, in the wrong hands, could become the most ham-fisted thing on the planet.

    Luckily not only is Capra uncompromising in dealing with the issues at hand both upfront and underlying in terms of race and ethnicity and just the clashing of cultures, but in technical terms with the bits of battle scenes (the shoot-out late in the film at the train station is breathtaking for 1933 and pretty good for today), and it shows a director so confident in his craft that he could be ready for better things. It might be dated... actually, it is dated. But for any and all faults, it's a picture made with surprising sensitivity and compassion for all its characters, and it doesn't stick to clichés just for the sake of it - it's a solid drama without much pretension, save for a dream sequence that's actually hallucinatory in the best way.

    *

    Despite the usual horrible casting, this is a very good film!
    8/10
    Author: planktonrules from Bradenton, Florida
    8 June 2008

    Years ago I tried watching it off part-way through the film because I thought that the casting of Nils Asther as "General Yen" was ridiculous and rather insensitive since he looks about as Chinese as Nipsy Russell. However, on a second viewing I found that the movie STILL had a lot going for it. Plus, like it or not, casting Westerners in leading roles of Asian characters was the norm in the 1930s and 40s--there's no getting past this with only a very few exceptions.

    What did I like about the film? Well, first off, despite being made in Hollywood, Columbia did an exceptional job in getting the look correct. Very impressive sets, costumes and convincing battle scenes all indicate that this was a top project for a studio which, at the time, was definitely a second-tier company. Heck, MGM and Warner would have been proud to make a movie that looked this good--and they were the "big money" studios. It certainly was a pretty film to look at and lovely cinematography sure helped as well.

    Second, while the movie has some silly stereotypes, in a way it is also very modern compared to other pictures of the day. It dares to consider the possibility of interracial love (something banned when the new Production Code was put in place the following year) and despite initially come off as a demon, General Yen was quite decent and civilized in his own manner. He definitely was NOT some one-dimensional Asian caricature--having greater depth than you'd usually find in non-White characters of the day.

    Finally, while odd and fully of bizarre twists, the plot really was pretty exciting and romantic. I especially loved the silly but majorly cool dream that Barbara Stanwyck had soon after Yen took her into protective custody! So, if you are looking for an unusual, pretty and very interesting film from Hollywood's golden era, then look no further. This is quite an unusual film and you won't soon forget it.

    By the way, after watching this film, try SHANGHAI EXPRESS. While many of the plot elements are similar, notice how different Warner Oland's Chinese warlord character differs from Nils Asther's---there is quite the contrast.

    *

    Mesmerizing!
    10/10
    Author: Jessie Hinton from United States
    12 January 2008

    This little known film represents fine work by everybody involved. Barbara Stanwyck and Nils Asther are absolutely mesmerizing. You would not know it is a Frank Capra film-- it has none of his familiar "life is good" feeling. Though, his fine direction shows. The street scenes in war-torn Shanghai will have you on edge. Stanwyck, the American do-gooder, barges in where brave men fear to go,and plays it beautifully. She learns many lessons along the way. All of the sets are impeccably done. The Missionery's house looks just right. Yen's palace is rich and beautiful. The train scenes are great. This has been tagged as Drama and War, but it is also a magnificent romance. It was my late husband's favorite film.

    *

    I was amazed by the sexual chemistry
    7/10
    Author: Patrick Sullivan (sullivpj@sce.com) from Los Angeles, California, U.S.A.
    22 January 1999

    This film was made before Hollywood strengthened the censorship code. The sexual chemistry between Barbara Stanwyck and Nils Asther really amazed me! Director Frank Capra filled his story with strong overtones and suggestive dialogue. Very entertaining.






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