8.3/10
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94 user 21 critic

To Live (1994)

Huo zhe (original title)
Not Rated | | Drama, War | 16 December 1994 (USA)
To Live Poster
After Fugui and Jiazhen lose their personal fortunes, they raise a family and survive difficult cultural changes during 1940s to 1970s China.

Director:

Yimou Zhang

Writers:

Wei Lu (screenplay), Hua Yu (novel) | 1 more credit »

Stars:

You Ge, Li Gong, Ben Niu | See full cast & crew »
Reviews

On Disc

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Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 5 wins & 4 nominations. See more awards »

Photos

See all 211 photos »
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Edit

Cast

Cast overview:
You Ge ... Xu Fugui
Li Gong ... Xu Jiazhen
Ben Niu Ben Niu ... Town Chief
Wu Jiang ... Wan Erxi
Deng Fei Deng Fei ... Xu Youqing
Tao Guo ... Chunsheng
Tianchi Liu Tianchi Liu ... Xu Fengxia, as an adult
Zongluo Huang Zongluo Huang ... Fu Gui's Dad
Yanjin Liu Yanjin Liu ... Fu Gui's Mom
Dahong Ni ... Long'er
Lian-Yi Li Lian-Yi Li ... Sgt. Lao Quan
Cong Xiao Cong Xiao ... Xu Fengxia, as a teenager
Lu Zhang Lu Zhang ... Fengxia, as a child
Yan Su
See full cast »
Edit

Storyline

Fugui and Jiazhen endure tumultuous events in China as their personal fortunes move from wealthy landownership to peasantry. Addicted to gambling, Fugui loses everything. In the years that follow he is pressed into both the nationalist and communist armies, while Jiazhen is forced into menial work. They raise a family and survive, managing "to live" from the 40's to the 70's in this epic, but personal, story of life through an amazing period. Written by docraven

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

chinese history | cultural revolution | gambling | chinese opera | mao tse tung | See All (232) »

Genres:

Drama | War

Certificate:

Not Rated | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

View content advisory »
Edit

Details

Country:

China | Hong Kong

Language:

Mandarin

Release Date:

16 December 1994 (USA) See more »

Also Known As:

To Live See more »
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Box Office

Gross USA:

$2,332,728
See more on IMDbPro »

Company Credits

Production Co:

ERA International,Shanghai Film Studios See more »
Show more on IMDbPro »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Dolby | Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
See full technical specs »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Ranked number 41 non-English-speaking film in the critics' poll conducted by the BBC in 2018. See more »

Quotes

Xu Fugui: If Youqing does as daddy says, our lives will get better and better. Our family is like a little chicken. When it grows up, it becomes a goose and that will turn into a sheep. The sheep will turn into an ox.
Xu Youqing: And after the ox?
Xu Fugui: After the ox is Communism, and there will be dumplings and meat every day.
See more »

Connections

Featured in The 52nd Annual Golden Globe Awards (1995) See more »

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User Reviews

 
Such a moving piece
31 March 2006 | by jedmalkavian – See all my reviews

This movie, which was banned in mainland China for "Questionable" outlooks on the communist party, is one of the best movies I have seen thus far.

It is easy to dismiss this movie as a "Sad period piece," but with another look, one sees that this is a story about triumph... of taking heart in the fact that one lives. The title, "To Live," is very apt, as we see the rises and falls of one small family living through the ups and downs of China during the pre-revolutionary era, the civil war, the Great Leap Forward, the Proletariat Cultural Revolution, and beyond.

This movie is at turns dramatic, humorous, touching, chilling, heart-wrenching, and triumphant. A true roller coaster of emotions, played out in the subtle tones only Chinese film can truly capture.
13 of 14 people found this review helpful.  Was this review helpful to you? | Report this
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