The Joy Luck Club (film)

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For the novel, see The Joy Luck Club
The Joy Luck Club

Theatrical release poster
Directed by Wayne Wang
Produced by Oliver Stone
Written by Amy Tan
Starring Ming-Na
Rosalind Chao
Lauren Tom
France Nuyen
Tamlyn Tomita
Kieu Chinh
Lisa Lu
Tsai Chin
Distributed by Hollywood Pictures
Release date(s) September 8, 1993
Running time 139 min.
Language English
Mandarin
Cantonese


The Joy Luck Club is a 1993 American film about the relationships between Chinese-American women and their Chinese mothers. It is based on the 1989 novel of the same name by Amy Tan, who co-wrote the screenplay with Ronald Bass. The film was produced by Oliver Stone and directed by Wayne Wang. The cast is notable for consisting primarily of Asian American women.

Contents

[edit] International names

Chinese: (Traditional) 喜福會 (Simplified) 喜福会 pinyin: Xǐ Fú Huì

[edit] Plot

Four older women, all Chinese immigrants living in San Francisco, meet regularly to play mah-jong, eat, and tell stories. Each of these women have adult Chinese-American daughters. The film reveals the hidden pasts of the older women and explores cultural conflict and the relationships between mothers and daughters. The film is structured as a series of vignettes told from the perspectives of the different women.

[edit] Reception

The Joy Luck Club has been widely praised by critics and was well-received by audiences. Critic Gene Siskel, who singled out the script and performances, praised the film for presenting images of Asian-Americans outside the narrow range of childhood violinists and spelling bee winners, opining that its main accomplishments were its depiction of how the brutal lives of women in China could continue to influence the lives of their American daughters, and its ability to allow audiences to relate to a large group of Chinese-Americans as individuals.[1]

Some critics, however, have criticized the film's perpetuation of stereotypes, particularly regarding Asian males, such as Asian American author Frank Chin.[2][3][citation needed][4][dead link] These views, however, stand in stark contrast with that of Chinese-American director Wayne Wang, who was impressed with Amy Tan’s original novel and was open to bringing "The Joy Luck Club" to the big screen.[5]

[edit] Cast

[edit] Crew

[edit] References

  1. ^ Gene Siskel. "The Joy of Watching 'The Joy Luck Club'" TV Guide; January 25, 1997; Page 18
  2. ^ Come All Ye Asian American Writers of the Real and the Fake
  3. ^ The Joy Luck Club
  4. ^ Review: The Joy Luck Club[dead link]
  5. ^ "Asian images in film spotlight - The Joy Luck Club". Turner Classic Movies. http://www.tcm.com/thismonth/article.jsp?cid=196859&mainArticleId=196827. Retrieved on 03 July 2008. 

[edit] External links

Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Joy_Luck_Club_(film)"
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