Apple TVFarewell My Concubine (1993)
Bias Rating
Analyzing...
Progressive
Viewer Rating
Rating: 8.4
Overview
Two boys meet at an opera training school in Peking in 1924. Their resulting friendship will span nearly 70 years and endure some of the most troublesome times in China's history.
Starring Cast
Where to watch
Apple TV
Google PlayBias Dimensions
Political: Center
Diversity: High
LGBTQ: Positive
Overview
Two boys meet at an opera training school in Peking in 1924. Their resulting friendship will span nearly 70 years and endure some of the most troublesome times in China's history.
Starring Cast
Where to watch
Apple TVGoogle PlayDetailed Bias Analysis
Analyzing...
Progressive
Primary
The film receives a Neutral/Centrist rating because it consciously critiques ideological extremes from various political systems (traditional brutality, KMT instability, CCP fanaticism) and focuses on the apolitical themes of art, love, and identity, highlighting the universal human cost of political upheaval rather than promoting a specific political agenda.
The movie features an authentic Chinese cast reflecting its setting. Its narrative profoundly explores themes of identity, gender fluidity through traditional opera roles, and unrequited homosexual love, set against a backdrop of significant political and societal upheaval. The film critiques the oppressive forces that suppress individual expression and non-heteronormative identities.
Secondary
The film offers a deeply empathetic and complex portrayal of Cheng Dieyi, whose unrequited love for his opera partner is central to his identity and artistic expression. Despite a tragic end, the narrative affirms the dignity and worth of his queer identity and profound devotion, framing his suffering as a result of external forces and unreciprocated affection.
The movie does not contain any action or adventure elements.
The film adapts Lilian Lee's novel, portraying its main characters—Cheng Dieyi, Duan Xiaolou, and Juxian—with the same genders as established in the source material. Dieyi's portrayal of female roles in Peking Opera is a performance within the narrative, not a change to his canonical male gender.
The film "Farewell My Concubine" is a historical drama set in China, featuring characters who are canonically and historically Chinese. The cast, including the main actors, are all of Chinese descent, accurately reflecting the characters' established race.
Viewer Rating Breakdown
8.4
Viewer Rating
Combines user and critic ratings from four sources
User Ratings
8.1
8.0
Critic Ratings
9.1
8.4
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