Movie version of Giacomo Puccini's Opera:
Madame Butterfly
Starring: Soprano Ying Huang, tenor Richard Troxell, Ning Lang, Richard Cowan
Banzai! Viva! Hurrah! This movie is something fantastic! Though frankly speaking, I've always been a little unwilling about operas. But this one turned my head, indeed. The actors and actresses are really wonderful. Especially soprano Ying Huan was wonderful as a humble, and melacholic Madama Butterfly.
The story begins when B.F Pinkerton (Richard Troxell's character), American officer of navy gets familiar with his new house in Japan, near Nagasaki. He is getting married with Japanese girl, the one who is working as a geisha (Ying Huang). And he makes his indesprectful intensions very clear for audience even at the beginning. The role of Pinkerton's assistent, Sharpless is rather interesting, I think. He have suspicions that the marriage with Pinkerton wouldn't lead to any good situtation. And he is, afterall, only one American who stands for young Butterfly.
The movie contains very beautiful scenes, like the sakura flowers flying in the air in the spring time, the huge toori gate of Nagasaki in evening flame and the touching view when Butterfly's father is preparing to seppuku. Though this film is sing as Italian, the atmosphere is very japanese. Wich can be considered, as a wonderful thing ofcourse.
All Japan facts are in their places, and this movie version of the opera is really carefully made. You wont find any missing piece from this film, and even the little odd scene when Bonzo's, ancestors of Butterfly get's angry for her, was specially wonderful. I believe that these kind of feelings people felt in Japan towards people who were interested about other religions as well.
However, once again the setting is the same, stupid and arrogant American comes and conqueres heart of young and innocent Japanese girl. I wonder why it seems always this how in many many novels, movies and even operas! I'm not trying to guess the thoughts of the writer of this opera, but let's not forget the fact, that many young Japanese girls fell in love with American soldiers during the war, and many families left missing their daughters when war with America had took it's preys on this way.
This movie is great, wonderful and really well made. This can be recommend for anyone, as a wonderful drama.
See also: Madame Butterfly at IMDB.
