In the Mood for Love - Essay Example

In the Mood for Love Dale Hudson s in his reading “When asked about how she goes about creating a character, Cheung remarks: ‘ I start with an image: her body language, how she would walk and talk. You have to be able to physically feel that person before you can get into her heart’(Dale Hudson P224).” It is true, that only when an actor can truly envisage the character they are playing, can they really capture the spirit of their role. Maggie Cheung delivered a near flawless performance of a beautiful, elegant, but traditional Chinese woman in the film “In the Mood for Love”, The story of the film takes place and unfolds in 1960’s Hong Kong.

At that time, Hong Kong was a very conservative place to exist. At the time when the film was set, it was a commonplace for women to wear Qipao dresses, which have a high neck. This is to emphasize a womans elegance. We can see in the film that Maggie Cheung has a very clear image of her character - Su Li-zhen (Mrs Chan). Her portrayal of Su Li-zhen is a masterwork of a woman who is fragile, in a traditional Chinese society. Maggie Cheung exploits her body language to demonstrate the charm and charisma of an Oriental lady, whether this is assisteed by the geometric print or enchanting, floral patterns of the Qipao dress.

In addition, Maggie Cheung delivers an excellent interpretation of the relationship between men and women. Such depiction might have drawn attention during the 1960’s Hong Kong. The movie depicts the platonic relationship between Su Li-zhen and Chow Mo-wan. They have made a conscious decision to stay faithful to their adulterous spouses. In the Mood for Love, truly embodies and exudes a nostalgic atmosphere for 1960s Hong Kong. There is an aestheric pleasure of watching this movie, which brings joy be it for the pretty dresses or the unfulfilled, platonic love story.