| The Opium War | |||||||||||
| Native Name: |
| ||||||||||
| Director: | Xie Jin | ||||||||||
| Producer: | Chen Zhigu | ||||||||||
| Starring: | Bao Guo'an Lin Liankun Sihung Lung Bob Peck Simon Williams Shao Hsin Su Min | ||||||||||
| Music: | Jin Fuzai Huang Hanqi | ||||||||||
| Cinematography: | Hou Yong Shang Yong | ||||||||||
| Editing: | David Wu Qian Lili Zhang Longgen | ||||||||||
| Studio: | Emei Film Studio Xie Jin / Heng Tong Film & TV Co. | ||||||||||
| Distributor: | Golden Harvest Mandarin Films (International) Co. Ltd. | ||||||||||
| Runtime: | 150 minutes | ||||||||||
| Country: | China | ||||||||||
| Language: | Mandarin English | ||||||||||
The Opium War (鸦片战争) is a 1997 Chinese historical epic film directed by Xie Jin. The winner of the 1997 Golden Rooster and 1998 Hundred Flowers Awards for Best Picture, the film was screened in several international film festivals, notably Cannes and Montreal. The film tells the story of the First Opium War of 1839–1842, which was fought between the Qing Empire of China and the British Empire, from the perspectives of key figures such as the Chinese viceroy Lin Zexu and the British naval diplomat Charles Elliot.
Unlike other films of the same era, The Opium War was endorsed by the government as culturally and historically significant.[1] According to most critics, the film is factually correct in its essentials.[2]
With a budget of $15 million (USD), The Opium War, was the most expensive film produced in China at the time of its release.[3] Conceived to celebrate the handover of Hong Kong to China, it premiered in July 1997.
Qing Dynasty official Lin Zexu believes opium is a national scourge and efforts must be made to eradicate it. The British Empire makes a great deal of money shipping it to China and selling it to Chinese drug addicts. When Lin Zexu arrives in Guangdong in 1838, he immediately bans its use and seizes large quantities from the British drug traffickers. News of this reaches Queen Victoria, who orders military action to enforce the "free trade" of opium. The British demand monetary compensation for the seized opium, five free trade ports in China, and the island of Hong Kong as their sovereign territory. The Chinese refuse all these demands.
The British declare war. To lower tensions, the imperial court fires Lin Zexu and replaces him with Qishan, who is more lax with opium smuggling. Qishan tries to reason with the British, offering them a large amount of money. The British counter with a demand for twice Qishan's offer. Qishan then tries to stall an attack by treating the British to a lavish feast and the province's best singers and dancers. These efforts fail to appease the British.
In the climax of the film, Guan Tianpei leads his troops in defense of Humen Fort while the British Army launch a fierce fusillade of cannon fire from their warships. Unfortunately, the cannons in the Chinese fort are not large enough to reach the British warships. All the officers and soldiers defending the fort die for their country. This scene is moving, showing the bravery and loyalty of the Qing army soldiers. At the same time, it also reflects the technological challenges faced by the country in that era.
At the end of the film, Lin Zexu is sent to Xinjiang, the British and the Qing government sign the Treaty of Nanking, and Hong Kong becomes a British colony. This ending is painful, but it also reminds people to cherish peace and oppose war. By showing the historical background and process of the Opium War, the film makes the audience more deeply realize the importance of peace and stability for the country.
The film was shot in the Hengdian World Studios in Zhejiang province, a common filming site for historical films which has been dubbed "Chinawood." In order to recreate the streets of 19th-century Guangzhou, nearly 120 construction teams from surrounding villages were assembled.[4] In contrast, nearly all post-production took place in Japan.
Despite its clear political background (and its release on the eve of the return of Hong Kong to China), the film was generally well received by Western critics as a workable example of the big-budget historical film. Variety, in one review, begins with the fact that despite the film's "unashamedly political message," The Opium War was nevertheless "comparatively even-handed," while the film itself had excellent production values.[5] The Guardian recognised that the film, despite its official backing, "was relatively nuanced," and praised the performance of Bob Peck as the corrupt opium trader Denton.[6]
The film's domestic release was also positive, with The Opium War eventually winning the Golden Rooster for Best Film.