Wild Rose

Uneven romantic comedy

Wild Rose was a romantic comedy highly influenced by Japan's invasion of the country. The understandable propaganda due to the crisis, juxtaposed to the comedy could come across as a strange combination.

Wang Ren Mei made a delightful Wild Rose. Living in a small village with her father, Xiao Feng was vivacious and always with a smile on her face. Jiang Bo/Po, an artist from a wealthy family drives his fancy car into town and while painting pictures of the rural landscape becomes smitten with the wild girl. About this time Xiao Feng's father fights with a creepy old creditor who wants to buy Xiao Feng to square his accounts. Her father accidentally kills the man as the hut catches on fire. When he escapes and runs away it leaves Xiao Feng to believe he is dead. Jiang takes the newly orphaned Xiao Feng back to the city with him. He gives her a makeover before taking her home so that his father will accept her. After she commits a faux pas the father orders her out and Jiang went with her.

The coddled Jiang was introduced to how the other 99% live. With two low income friends they found a place to live already housing ten families run by a cranky landlady. Without his father's influence and connections, Jiang was unable to sell his paintings and turned to painting billboards. At first everyone was smiles and holding hands and then the unforgiving winter set in and the more unforgiving landlady. Playing housekeeping in poverty turned out to be a hardship with life and death on the line. Xiao Feng picked up a wallet dropped by a drunk but was chased by the police. Jiang and one of their friends take responsibility and are thrown in jail. Xiao Feng goes to Jiang's father, accepts full responsibility for his son's actions and promises to never see him again if he will save his son. Jiang's father agrees. Afterwards, Jiang and the boys search relentlessly for Xiao. In the end, when the movie takes a 90 degree turn, as support for the volunteer army is being drummed up, Jiang once again leaves home, this time for his country. In the recruiting parade are his old buddies and Xiao Feng. Even war can facilitate romance!

The print I watched was in bad shape with many scenes too dark to make out or cut off mid-frame. The acting overall was good, some better than others. This version had no music accompanying it.

Though it felt like we were supposed to side sympathetically, maybe even politically with the Wild Rose and eschew the filthy rich who focused on keeping the classes divided, the scenes involving the wealthy seemed lovingly luxurious. Only at the end when Jiang stepped away to pay attention to the volunteer parade did the oblivious dancing stop. The aristocrats seemed completely out of touch with what was going on in the streets. The military scenes and even the song and military inspection Xiao Feng performs with the children in her village could be jarring. "To love China is to love your mama!" Given their country was under attack it seemed reasonable to appeal patriotically to the audience even if it caused the movie to shift out of balance at times and could be heavy handed.

Wild Rose had some charming and inspiring moments interspersed, but overall felt uneven emotionally and narratively. As challenging as the degraded film could be to watch, most likely this is a film for silent film buffs or those who are fans of the director and/or cast.

5/11/23

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