M. Butterfly (1993)

M. Butterfly (1993) (DVD) (*)

~~$22.99~~ $19.98

Screened, competed or awarded at:
Other Film Festival Awards

Language Selections:
Dutch ( Subtitles )
English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 )
English ( Subtitles )
French ( Dolby Digital 2.0 )
French ( Subtitles )
Hebrew ( Subtitles )
Hungarian ( Mono )
Hungarian ( Subtitles )
Italian ( Dolby Digital 2.0 )
Italian ( Subtitles )
Norwegian ( Subtitles )
Polish ( Mono )
Polish ( Subtitles )
Portuguese ( Subtitles )
Romanian ( Subtitles )
Russian ( Subtitles )
Spanish ( Dolby Digital 2.0 )
Spanish ( Subtitles )
Swedish ( Subtitles )
Turkish ( Subtitles )
Bulgarian ( Subtitles )

Product Origin/Format:
Italy ( PAL/Region 2 )

Running Time:
97 min

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen (1.78:1)

Special Features:
Commentary
Interactive Menu
Scene Access
Trailer(s)

Movie filmed in 1993 and produced in:
United States ( USA, Canada )

Directed By:
David Cronenberg

Written By:
David Henry Hwang

Actors:
Jeremy Irons ..... René Gallimard
John Lone ..... Song Liling
Barbara Sukowa ..... Jeanne Gallimard
Ian Richardson ..... Ambassador Toulon
Annabel Leventon ..... Frau Baden
Shizuko Hoshi ..... Comrade Chin
Richard McMillan ..... Embassy Colleague
Vernon Dobtcheff ..... Agent Etancelin
David Hemblen ..... Intelligence Officer #1
Damir Andrei ..... Intelligence Officer #2
Antony Parr ..... Intelligence Officer #3
Margaret Ma ..... Song's Maid
Tristram Jellinek ..... Defense attorney
Philip McGough ..... Prosecution attorney
David Neal ..... Judge

Synopsis:

David Cronenberg's cinematic intensity eviscerates this adaptation of David Henry Hwang's passionate stage production. Based on a true incident involving a French diplomat who carried on an affair for 18 years with a man the diplomat thought was a woman, M. Butterfly begins in 1964 Beijing when French foreign service employee Rene Gallimard (Jeremy Irons) becomes smitten with Chinese opera performer Song Liling (John Lone). Before long, Gallimard is enamored with Song, and they begin an inflamed affair -- bracketed by the stipulation that Gallimard will never be allowed to look upon her in a state of complete undress. Gallimard agrees to the rules, but, as he climbs up the diplomatic ladder, the communist government gets involved, corralling Song to become an informer for the government. When, at last, Gallimard's passion demands nudity, Song flees the relationship. Gallimard, pining for his lost love, then becomes a physical and mental wreck. He leaves China and accepts a two-bit diplomatic position, but then Song appears once again to Gallimard. At that point, Gallimard is arrested and, during the subsequent sensational trial for treason, his affair is exposed for the sham that it is.

The true story of the arrest of a French diplomat for leaking information to a Chinese opera singer he had an affair with for years, who was also a spy. The twist in the story is that the singer was actually a man who deceived the diplomat into thinking he was a woman.

This product was added to our catalog on Monday 17 January, 2022.