Raise the Red Lantern Poster

Raise the Red Lantern (1991)

12/18/1991 Drama 2h 5m
79%
User
Score
8.1/10
97%

China, 1920. One Master, Four Wives.

Overview

In 1920s China, 19-year-old Songlian becomes a concubine of a powerful lord and is forced to compete with his three wives for the privileges gained.

Zhang Yimou

Director

Ni Zhen

Writer

Top Billed Cast

Gong Li

Gong Li

Song Lian

Ma Jingwu

Ma Jingwu

Chen Zuo Qian

He Saifei

He Saifei

Mei Shan

Cao Cuifen

Cao Cuifen

Zhuo Yun

Kong Lin

Kong Lin

Yan'er

Jin Shuyuan

Jin Shuyuan

Yu Ru

Chu Xiao

Chu Xiao

Fei Pu

Ding Weimin

Ding Weimin

Mother Song

Cao Zengyin

Cao Zengyin

Old Servant

Full Cast & Crew →

Media

Raise the Red Lantern (1991) ORIGINAL TRAILER [HQ]

Raise the Red Lantern (1991) ORIGINAL TRAILER [HQ]

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Reviews

A review by Filipe Manuel Neto

Written on March 8, 2023

**In the context of oriental cinema, it's a good film... but it's very different from the cinema that we, in the West, are used to, and this difference ends up killing our interest in this work.**

I think this movie was the first Chinese movie I saw, I'm not really sure. I am not an expert on the cinema of this country, but I can say that it is one of those films that you see without much special interest. Of course, I'm talking about the standard audience, because there are really oriental film lovers who will be more interested in this material.

The script is based on the story of Song Lian, a very young and well-formed girl who, after her father's death, is coerced into finding a rich man to marry. She ends up being the fourth wife of a man, having to live with the other wives and...

Read the full review on TMDb →

A review by Priscilla Chu

Written on June 9, 2025

**Raise the Red Lantern:**

Directed by Zhang Yimou, Raise the Red Lantern (大红灯笼高高挂) stands as a seminal work in Chinese cinema, premiering in 1991 and adapted from Su Tong's novel Wives and Concubines. The film achieved international acclaim, winning the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival and earning nominations for the BAFTA Award for Best Foreign Language Film, solidifying its status as a landmark critique of feudal patriarchy.

**Theme: Critique and Reflection on Feudal Ethics**

The theme of Raise the Red Lantern is profound and weighty, offering a comprehensive critique and reflection on feudal ethics through its portrayal of women's fates in the Chen family compound. While feudal ethics once played a role in social stability and development in Chinese histor...

Read the full review on TMDb →
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