Chinese Box (1997) or, Death in Hong Kong

6/16/2022

Chinese Box (1997) or, Death in Hong Kong

♥♥♥♥

+ Best Hong Kong Movie of the Year

Exotic Eastern passion is promised on this colorful poster for Wayne Wang's Chinese Box

John is from the West but has lived the last two decades in Hong Kong, which he loves as a city and as an opportunistic paradise, as he one day discovers that he is, in fact, dying from leukemia.

Chinese Box is written by Jean-Claude Carrière (Sommersbye (1993)), with Larry Gross (Gunshy (1998)), Paul Theroux (Saint Jack (1979)), Rachel Ingalls (A Question of Faith (2000)) and great Hong Kong-born American filmmaker, co-writer/co-producer/director Wayne Wang (A Man, A Woman, and A Killer (1975)) contributing elements.

At times a heavy film, Chinese Box is nevertheless ultimately a moving drama, which binds Hong Kong's British heritage poignantly together with the story of a terminal expat, who also suffers from heartache.

Jeremy Irons (And Now Ladies & Gentlemen (2002)) and Gong Li (The Banquet (1991)) as his chosen, but rejecting barmaid lover are both good in this film about death, in which the ideal circumstances are out of reach. Chinese Box is sensitive and melancholy.

1997 in films and TV-series - according to Film Excess

Watch a trailer for the film here

Cost: Unknown

Box office: 2.1 mil. $ - North America only

= Uncertain

[Chinese Box premiered 4 September (Venice Film Festival) and runs 99 minutes. Shooting took place in Hong Kong. The film opened #22 to a 97k $ first weekend in 12 theaters in North America, where it grossed 2.1 mil. $. Regrettably the gross numbers from the film's many international markets, including Hong Kong (but not China) are not made public. Without a cost figure and other gross figures a theatrical status cannot be projected for this film. It won a prize in Venice. Roger Ebert gave it a 3/4 star review, equal in rating to this one. Wang returned with Anywhere But Here (1999). Irons returned in Lolita (1997); Li in The Emperor and the Assassin/Jing Ke ci Qin Wang (1998). Chinese Box is fresh at 64 % with a 6.50/10 critical average at Rotten Tomatoes.]

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6/16/2022

Chinese Box (1997) or, Death in Hong Kong

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