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The Vertical Ray of the Sun (2000)

Mùa hè chieu thang dung (original title)
PG-13 | | Drama | 24 May 2000 (France)
The Vertical Ray of the Sun Poster
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With the brilliant Vietnamese summer as a setting Vertical Ray of the Sun is beautiful from beginning to end. The plot centres around three sisters, two of whom are happily married (or so ... See full summary »

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2 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Credited cast:
Tran Nu Yên-Khê ... Lien
Nhu Quynh Nguyen ... Suong
Le Khanh ... Khanh
Quang Hai Ngo ... Hai
Chu Hung ... Quoc
Manh Cuong Tran ... Kien
Tuân Anh Lê ... Tuan
Ngoc Dung Le ... Huong
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Doan Viet Ha
Long Le Vu
Aidan Nguyen
Anh Tuan
See full cast »
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Storyline

With the brilliant Vietnamese summer as a setting Vertical Ray of the Sun is beautiful from beginning to end. The plot centres around three sisters, two of whom are happily married (or so it appears). The youngest sister is single and living with her cute older brother, whom she is desperately in love with. A second sister is married to a man who has another woman and child elsewhere whom he loves just as much as his wife -with a few conditions, she agrees to carry on with the marriage. The third sister and her husband are overjoyed to discover she is pregnant, and though he is tempted, her husband remains loyal to her. Charming, slow-paced, face value, family saga film. Written by K Wedgwood

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

marriage | hanoi | sibling incest subtext | extramarital affair | writer | See All (19) »

Taglines:

One day. Many lives. A family. Lovers. An eternity. A hope. A delay. A secret. Happiness. Lies. One summer.

Genres:

Drama

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for thematic elements and some sex-related material | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

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Details

Official Sites:

Lazennec (French, english) [France]

Country:

| |

Language:

Release Date:

24 May 2000 (France)  »

Also Known As:

The Vertical Ray of the Sun  »

Filming Locations:

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Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$29,339, 8 July 2001, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$456,387, 30 December 2001
See more on IMDbPro »

Company Credits

Production Co:

, ,  »
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Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

|

Color:

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1
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Did You Know?

Connections

Referenced in At the Movies: Venice Film Festival 2010 (2010) See more »

Soundtracks

Pale Blue Eyes
Written by Lou Reed
Performed by The Velvet Underground
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User Reviews

 
Stunning, sensual and unique
30 December 2002 | by – See all my reviews

A visually-stunning look at the lives of three modern-day Vietnamese sisters and their families, living in Hanoi. The intersection of modernism (in particular, Western) influences alongside tradition is a theme. This does not appear to be a rigid Stalinist society but an austere but comfortable developing one. A sound track which mixes Lou Reed and traditional Vietnamese music accentuates the way tradition and modernity meld in this setting.

And it is the setting which takes your breath away. Even the interiors are visually rich with colors and textures. The film's use of rain, heat, and flowing water all add to the sensuality of the country and the characters.
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