Lust (film)

1940, a part of the territory of China is occupied by Japanese troops and controlled by a puppet government .

A group of young students successfully plays patriotic plays on the stage of a university theater, but they also dream of really contributing to the struggle for the liberation of China. They have a chance when an influential official, Mr. Yi (Yi, Tony Leung Chu Wai ), comes from Shanghai to Hong Kong. Young actors decide to use their art and kill Mr. Yi, who embodies the evil of pro-Japanese power.

Attractive Jiachzhi ( Tang Wei ) impersonates the wife of a successful entrepreneur, Mrs. Mack, and meets Mr. I.'s family. Her goal is to lure the traitor into a trap, where other members of the group could do justice. While yesterday's actors spend their holidays learning to shoot and preparing for the murder, Jyachzhi, playing the most difficult role in his life, is learning the art of intrigue and seduction. She almost succeeds in seducing Mr. And, it seems, he is already ready to make her a mistress, but he is very incredulous and careful. Suddenly, without warning, the family returns to Shanghai, the operation fails, the group is uncovered and its members, having committed a murder, are forced to flee.

Years pass, the injured group is hiding. Jyachzhi returns to his aunt's house in Shanghai, losing the will to live and interest in studying. Her only hope is to leave China, having gone to study in England, where her father had already emigrated, but this was not to be true - she receives news that he will not be able to pay for her education. And now, in her life, a former comrade in the theater, Kuan Yimin ( Wang Lihun ), reappears, having once already dragged friends into a spy adventure. Now he is a member of this underground organization that fights against the Japanese occupation authorities. Jyachzhi needs them again as Mrs. Mack, as a chance to get close to Mr. Yi, now the head of the secret police, unattainable more than before. In exchange, if the operation is successful, they promise to ship it to England.

And so Mrs. Mack, arriving from Hong Kong to Shanghai, asked for a shelter from the family I, with whom she became friends 3 years ago. Its goal is to get close to the lord And as close as possible, collect the information necessary for the group and prepare a trap for him, which will shut only when the leadership deems it necessary. She wants to take possession of his heart, but the opposite is happening. She manages to soften the tough and imperious master And in bed, but at the cost of her own soul. More and more, she feels that he is “like a worm sneaking deeper and deeper into her heart.” The group is still slowing down the destruction of Mr. Yi, while Jiazhi is finally getting used to his role. At the decisive moment, she is no longer able to resist her feelings, gives up and warns Mr. And about the trap at the cost of her own life and the lives of her associates.

It seems that Mr. And really could love Mac, but the work remains more important. All members of the underground group and "Mrs. Mack" are shot.

Recruitment

In the process of searching for an actress for the main role, the director's team examined a lot of candidates - from graduate acting classes to already known actresses. Since the preparation for the film was held in strict secrecy, the applicants did not know which film they were to play, or who directed it. They were offered a script with a similar storyline, as far as the director is concerned, it was known that this was a “large scale”.

The first assistant director, Rosetta Ng, recalled: "When Ang Lee first described Mrs. Mac to me, he said:" I will take what others do not want. " Oddly enough, I understood what he meant: no oval faces, big-eyed Barbies, no lean mannequins. ” The search for the actress for the main female role took several months. The final stage of the casting took place in Beijing, where the directing team finally found the right actress. The first meeting with the future performer of the role of Ms. Ma Rosetta Ng described as follows:

In addition, the film was awarded by Taiwan for an Oscar for the best film in a foreign language , however, AMPAS was disqualified for the insufficient representation of Taiwan citizens among the film’s key personnel.

• Vasiliev A. Review of the film “Lust” // Playbill (October 31, 2007) . - September 28, 2008
• B. Koenigsberg “Lust” (review) // TimeOut Moscow (November 8, 2007) (inaccessible link) . - September 28, 2008
• R. Kulanin. Lust: China is Near // KinoKadr. Ru (November 18, 2007) . - September 28, 2008

• Official site of the film (eng.)
• “Lust” (Eng.) On the Internet Movie Database
• "Lust" (eng.) On the site allmovie