Lust, Caution (2007)
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The story
Set during World War II, the film follows a group of Chinese students who plot to assassinate a high-ranking official in the puppet government of Japanese-occupied Shanghai. They plan to lure the official into a 'honey trap' to carry out the mission. A student named Wong Chia Chi is chosen to play the role of 'Mrs. Mak,' the wife of a local businessman, to infiltrate the official's social circle. As she prepares for the mission, she must navigate the complexities of her undercover role, eventually finding herself caught in a web of political intrigue and personal complications as the plot unfolds in the tense atmosphere of occupied China.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1938, student Wong Chia Chi joins a drama club in Hong Kong and is recruited by Kuang Yumin to infiltrate the social circle of Mr. Yee, a high-ranking official in the puppet government of Japanese-occupied Shanghai. She assumes the identity of 'Mrs. Mak' to lure him into a trap. Three years later, in 1942, she encounters Kuang again, who is now a KMT agent. They resume the plot to assassinate Yee, who is now a head of the secret police. Their relationship becomes physically intimate, and Wong finds herself emotionally conflicted. When a deal for a rare diamond ring is struck to facilitate the assassination, Wong realizes the danger and tries to warn Yee, but he escapes. The resistance members are captured and executed. The film explores the themes of sacrifice, the use of sexuality as a political tool, and the blurring lines between duty and desire.
- Original title
- 色，戒 (Sè, Jiè)
- First release year
- 2007
- Runtime (minutes)
- 158
- Production countries
- United States; China; Taiwan; Hong Kong
- Original languages
- Mandarin
- Directors
- Ang Lee
- Writers
- Wang Hui-ling · screenplay; James Schamus · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Tony Leung Chiu-wai · Mr. Yee; Tang Wei · Wong Chia Chi/"Mrs. Mak"; Joan Chen · Mrs. Yee; Wang Leehom · Kuang Yumin; Tou Chung-hua · Old Wu; Chin Kar-lok · Assistant Officer Tsao; Chu Chih-ying · Lai Xiujin; Kao Ying-hsuan · Huang Lei
- Genres
- erotic; spy; thriller
- Themes
- Sexuality and power; Patriotism; Identity; Sacrifice
- Tone and mood
- tense; sensual
- Premise and plot tags
- Espionage; Historical Fiction; War
- Source material / true-story basis
- 1979 novella by Eileen Chang
- Reception
- The film received generally positive reviews from critics and was a box office success in several regions, including Hong Kong and mainland China, despite its controversial content and NC-17 rating in the United States.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 73% · scale: percentage · review count: 149; Metacritic · score: 61 · scale: 100 · review count: 35
- Awards and nominations
- Best Film · 44th Golden Horse Awards · Won; Best Director · 44th Golden Horse Awards · Won; Best Actor · 44th Golden Horse Awards · Won; Best New Performer · 44th Golden Horse Awards · Won; Best Adapted Screenplay · 44th Golden Horse Awards · Won; Best Makeup & Costume Design · 44th Golden Horse Awards · Won; Best Original Film Score · 44th Golden Horse Awards · Won; Outstanding Taiwanese Filmmaker of the Year · 44th Golden Horse Awards · Won; Best Asian Film · 27th Hong Kong Film Awards · Won; Best Foreign Film · 44th Guldbagge Awards · Won; Best Actor · 2nd Asian Film Awards · Won; Best Film in a Foreign Language · BAFTA Awards · 2008 · Won; Freedom of Expression Award · ShoWest convention · Won; Best Actress · 44th Golden Horse Awards · Nominated; Best Art Direction · 44th Golden Horse Awards · Nominated; Best Cinematography · 44th Golden Horse Awards · Nominated; Best Editing · 44th Golden Horse Awards · Nominated; Best Foreign Film · 65th Golden Globe Awards · 2008 · Nominated; Best Costume Design · 61st British Academy Film Awards · Nominated
- Production trivia
- The title has a double meaning in Chinese, where 'lust' can mean 'color' and 'caution' can mean 'ring'.; The film was the highest-grossing NC-17 film of all time at the time of its release.; The actors spent six months of preproduction in Hong Kong to get into character.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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