Film Forum

Taiwan, 1985
Directed by Chang Yi
Written by Chang Yi
Starring Hui San Yang
Approx. 152 min. DCP Courtesy Taiwan Film and Audiovisual Institute.

“This imposing social realist epic from 1985 spans three decades. To escape the Chinese Civil War in the 1950s, Kuei-mei flees on her own to Taiwan. She marries a good-for-nothing, takes a job as a waitress and overcomes all kinds of setbacks, such as a cruel boss and uncontrollable children. Her life symbolizes many of the mainlanders who leave for Taiwan and illustrates socio-economic developments in Taiwan, one of the four ‘Asian tiger economies’. Just like its neighbors, in the 1960s Taiwan saw enormous economic growth that expressed itself in rapid industrialisation, with all the associated consequences. In the West, it has remained unjustifiably unknown, but KUEI-MEI, A WOMAN also typifies the feminist approach of director Chang Yi, who made a trilogy featuring worthy heroines. The title role is played by Yang Hui-shan, the ‘Meryl Streep of Taiwan’, who gained 15 kilos to perform her moving role (then lost it again).” – Rotterdam Film Festival notes
 

Reviews

“A classicist’s melodrama, a dry-eyed tear-jerker, because of its restrained direction and the impressively controlled, realistic star performance of Yang Hui-shan.”
– Mike Hale, The New York Times