The Joy Luck Club (1993)

The life histories of four Asian women and their daughters reflect and guide each other.

Director:

Wayne Wang

Writers:

Amy Tan (novel), Amy Tan (screenplay)

Stars:

Tamlyn Tomita, Rosalind Chao, Kieu Chinh

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 3 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Kieu Chinh	...	Suyuan - The Mother
Tsai Chin	...	Lindo - The Mother
France Nuyen	...	Ying-Ying - The Mother
Lisa Lu	...	An-Mei - The Mother
Ming-Na Wen	...	June - The Daughter
Tamlyn Tomita	...	Waverly - The Daughter
Lauren Tom	...	Lena - The Daughter
Rosalind Chao	...	Rose - The Daughter
Chao Li Chi	...	June's Father
Melanie Chang	...	June - Age 9
Victor Wong	...	Old Chong
Lisa Connolly	...	Singing Girl
Mai Vu	...	Waverly - Age 6-9 (as Vu Mai)
Ying Wu	...	Lindo - Age 4
Meijuan Xi	...	Lindo's Mother (as Mei Juan Xi)

Storyline

Through a series of flashbacks, four young chinese women born in America and their respective mothers born in feudal China, explore their past. This search will help them understand their difficult mother/daughter relationship.

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Plot Keywords:

asian | chinese | flashback | china | japanese actress playing chinese character | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong depiction of thematic material

Details

Country:

USA China

Language:

English Mandarin Cantonese

Release Date:

29 October 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

Le club de la chance

Filming Locations:

610 Rhode Island Street, San Francisco, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$11,000,000 (estimated)

Gross:

$32,861,136 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hollywood Pictures

Technical Specs

Runtime:

139 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Stereo

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the novel, it is revealed that the real name of the character played by Ming-Na Wen is Jing-Mei. On ER (1994), Ming-Na plays another character named Jing-Mei.

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Goofs

When Jun is at the piano for the recital, her fingers do not come down in time with the start of the music cue.

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Quotes

An-Mei: I tell you the story because I was raised the Chinese way. I was taught to desire nothing, to swallow other people's misery, and to eat my own bitterness. And even though I taught my daughter the opposite, still she came out the same way. Maybe it is because she was born to me and she was born a girl, and I was born to my mother and I was born a girl, all of us like stairs, one step after another, going up, going down, but always going the same way. No, this cannot be, this not knowing what ...

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Connections

Referenced in Game On: Martin's Baby (1998)

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Soundtracks

Gamethon
Written and performed by Michael A. Lang
Courtesy of Michael A. Lang Enterprises, Inc.

User Reviews

Not enough praise!

I cannot praise this movie enough. It leaves me walking away feeling empowered! I had a very close relationship with my mother and after she passed this movie helped me with my grief. It is more than a "chick flick" it is a look into another culture's past, present and future. It is a light at the end of a tunnel for those that hold this movie dear to their hearts as I do. This movie helps you run thru all aspects of feelings, I find myself laughing, crying, sad, happy. Every woman I have shared this movie with or recommended to have thanked me endlessly for it. I have also read the book - now normally I would say the book was better but I'm going to have to agree with Theaterchica07's comment that the movie was easier to follow than the book. I reread it 3 times before my mind could actually put together the scenes. My favorite part of the movie is Rose standing in the rain and she says "You're not taking my house, you're not taking my daughter, you're not taking any part of me, because you don't know who I am. I died sixty years ago. I ate opium and I died for my daughter's sake. Now get out of my house!" That right there sent instant chills thru me. Well done!!!