It is a true slow-burn regarding the domestic situation she finds herself in and how she connects with nature and food. She takes on her duties under the wing of an older, more experienced servant. The atmosphere is hot and humid; the climate and heat profile impact almost everything that occurs in the house, dictating the lazy tempo of the film.
The house is more like a compound, with a bustling business on part of the premises, yet it retains the cultural style of the period. The cinematography is exquisite; we meander in and out of rooms with the characters, often through open screens and doorways. Mui is fascinated by the courtyard at the centre where papaya grows amongst frogs, beetles and other wildlife. She discovers the world through her chores - watching the 'milk' of the green papaya, handling insects with curiosity and learning the rhythmic preparation of food.
The household is run rigidly and the matriarch is well-organised. Unfortunately, her husband is a philanderer who periodically disappears with the family savings, forcing her to start from scratch repeatedly. She has three sons of different ages, one of whom teases and torments Mui as she works. There is an older woman living upstairs who never comes down, whom the family serves. She is the philandering husband's mother and the grandmother of a deceased child who would have been the parents' fourth. She blames the mother (her daughter-in-law) for this death, claiming she did not take proper care of the child. The girl would have been Mui’s age - a fact not missed by the mother or grandmother, which becomes significant later in the film.
All this unfolds against a backdrop of sirens and curfews due to the First Indochina War (1946–1954) - the struggle for independence against French colonial rule, apparently. We never leave the confines of the domestic setting, so while the war provides a backdrop, it only fleetingly gains significance, primarily through the atmosphere. The family fluctuates between hard times, struggling to put rice on the table, and periods of prosperity when sales are high.
The story then suddenly leaps forward ten years to 1961. Mui is now a beautiful twenty-year-old, and the tone shifts as the family is forced to let her go. They send her to work at another house where they believe she will earn a better, more secure wage. The grandmother is distraught, but off Mui goes to the home of a young, handsome man who composes at his piano, regularly interrupted by his fiancée, a loud socialite.
The film becomes subtly erotically charged at this point; it is clear that Mui is drawn to the man and he to her, complicated by the presence of the fiancée. The camera lingers on her, and the focus softens as we see her sponging herself down with soapy water. There is no nudity, just a heightened sensuality. In the final act, life changes for Mui once and for all. The film charts her move up the 'pecking order' from a poor girl with nothing to something much more, achieved through hard work, knuckling under and perhaps a final stroke of luck.
Food and music are vital themes. While the film is beautifully shot throughout, particular care is given to any scene where food is prepared, presented or eaten. It is a mouth-watering motif that fits the atmosphere perfectly. The music evolves alongside the story: traditional stringed instruments dominate the first half, replaced by the lovely, melancholic tone of the solo piano in the second.
It really is a lovely film that requires the right mood to soak up its mellow flow. It is beautifully acted by the entire cast, especially the young Mui, played by Man San Lu. The imagery is paramount; it is a visual feast where every frame has been executed with passion. A superb film, highly recommended - even if it took me 33 years to get there!
No comments:
Post a Comment