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Raise the Red Lantern

Original title: Da hong deng long gao gao gua
  • 19911991
  • PGPG
  • 2h 5m
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
32K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Gong Li in Da hong deng long gao gao gua (1991)
A young woman becomes the fourth wife of a wealthy lord, and must learn to live with the strict rules and tensions within the household.
Play trailer3:23
1 Video
99+ Photos
  • Drama
  • History
  • Romance

A young woman becomes the fourth wife of a wealthy lord, and must learn to live with the strict rules and tensions within the household.A young woman becomes the fourth wife of a wealthy lord, and must learn to live with the strict rules and tensions within the household.A young woman becomes the fourth wife of a wealthy lord, and must learn to live with the strict rules and tensions within the household.

IMDb RATING
8.1/10
32K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Yimou Zhang
  • Writers
    • Tong Su(original novel "Wives and Concubines" by)
    • Ni Zhen(scriptwriter)
  • Stars
    • Gong Li
    • Jingwu Ma
    • Saifei He
Top credits
  • Director
    • Yimou Zhang
  • Writers
    • Tong Su(original novel "Wives and Concubines" by)
    • Ni Zhen(scriptwriter)
  • Stars
    • Gong Li
    • Jingwu Ma
    • Saifei He
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 131User reviews
    • 48Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 Oscar
      • 25 wins & 16 nominations total

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 3:23
    Official Trailer

    Photos104

    Gong Li in Da hong deng long gao gao gua (1991)
    Gong Li in Da hong deng long gao gao gua (1991)
    Gong Li in Da hong deng long gao gao gua (1991)
    Gong Li in Da hong deng long gao gao gua (1991)
    Gong Li in Da hong deng long gao gao gua (1991)
    Gong Li in Da hong deng long gao gao gua (1991)
    Gong Li in Da hong deng long gao gao gua (1991)
    Da hong deng long gao gao gua (1991)
    Gong Li in Da hong deng long gao gao gua (1991)
    Gong Li and Saifei He in Da hong deng long gao gao gua (1991)
    Gong Li in Da hong deng long gao gao gua (1991)
    Gong Li in Da hong deng long gao gao gua (1991)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Gong Li
    Gong Li
    • Songlianas Songlian
    Jingwu Ma
    • The Masteras The Master
    Saifei He
    Saifei He
    • Meishan (Third Wife)as Meishan (Third Wife)
    Cuifen Cao
    • Zhuoyan (Second Wife)as Zhuoyan (Second Wife)
    Qi Zhao
    • Housekeeperas Housekeeper
    Lin Kong
    • Yan'eras Yan'er
    Shuyuan Jin
    • Yuru (First Wife)as Yuru (First Wife)
    Weimin Ding
    • Songlian's Motheras Songlian's Mother
    • (voice)
    Zengyin Cao
    • Old Servantas Old Servant
    • (as Zhengyin Cao)
    Zhigang Cui
    • Dr. Gaoas Dr. Gao
    • (as Zhihgang Cui)
    Chu Xiao
    • Feipuas Feipu
    Espérance Pham Thai Lan
    Espérance Pham Thai Lan
    • Kids - Concubinesas Kids - Concubines
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Yimou Zhang
    • Writers
      • Tong Su(original novel "Wives and Concubines" by)
      • Ni Zhen(scriptwriter)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    China in the 1920's. After her father's death, nineteen year old Songlian is forced to marry Chen Zuoqian, the lord of a powerful family. Fifty year old Chen has already three wives, each of them living in separate houses within the great castle. The competition between the wives is tough, as their master's attention carries power, status and privilege. Each night Chen must decide with which wife to spend the night and a red lantern is lit in front of the house of his choice. And each wife schemes and plots to make sure it's hers. However, things get out of hand... —Mattias Pettersson <seaman@sbbs.se>
    • 1920s
    • power struggle
    • tradition
    • teenage girl
    • female protagonist
    • 191 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • China, 1920. One master, four wives.
    • Genres
      • Drama
      • History
      • Romance
    • Certificate
      • PG
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      This film was banned in China for a short time in the early 1990s.
    • Goofs
      Around 01:18:59, there is a lot of smoke in front of the third wife. And there is almost no smoke in front of the second one.
    • Quotes

      The Third Concubine: Good or bad, it's all playacting. If you act well, you can fool other people; if you do it badly, you can only fool yourself, and when you can't even fool yourself, you just can fool the ghosts.

    • Connections
      Featured in At the Movies: Straight Talk/Rock-a-Doodle/Thunderheart/Beethoven/Raise the Red Lantern (1992)

    User reviews131

    Review
    Top review
    10/10
    A Lyrical Beauty
    "Raise the Red Lantern" is set at a Chinese baronial estate, the time, the 1920s. But, as the family-servant dynamics are placed on display, the viewer begins to feel it could be a thousand years earlier. The story is shown through the eyes of a young college-dropout played by Gong Li. Family misfortune has forced her into concubinage as the "fourth mistress" of the Chinese lord. A headstrong woman, her relationship with the lord's household, especially the other three mistresses, form the basis of the story. But it's telling is as important as the story itself. This is a beautiful, well-acted, well-directed movie. Slow-paced, it ingratiates itself with you, drawing you in deeper and deeper. I can't think of anything that warrants improvement. A masterpiece.
    helpful•52
    16
    • gbheron
    • Dec 26, 2000

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 18, 1991 (Italy)
    • Countries of origin
      • China
      • Hong Kong
    • Language
      • Mandarin
    • Also known as
      • Đèn Lồng Đỏ Treo Cao
    • Filming locations
      • Taiyuan, Shanxi, China
    • Production companies
      • ERA International
      • China Film Co-Production Corporation
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $2,603,061
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $22,554
      • Mar 15, 1992
    • Gross worldwide
      • $2,603,061
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      2 hours 5 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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