"Production:" "Masaichi Nagata and Run Run Shaw." "Script:" "Ton Chin, Matsutaro Kawaguchi," "Yoshikata Yoda, Masashige Narisawa." "Photography:" "Kohei Sugiyama Lighting:" "Koichi Kubota" "Music:" "Fumio Hayasaka Sound:" "Kunio Hashimoto" "Artistic direction:" "Hiroshi Mizutari" "Historic adviser:" "Read Sihau" "Cast:" "Yang Kwei Fei:" "Machiko Kyo" "Emperor Huan Tsung:" "Masayuki Mori" "An Lu-Shan:" "So Yamamura Yang Kuo-Chung:" "Sakae Ozawa" "Yang Hsien:" "Isao Yamagata" "Hung Tao:" "Yoko Minamida" "Tsui Hua:" "Noboru Kiritachi Hung Hua:" "Michiko Ai" "Kao Li-hsi:" "Eitaro Shindo" "Prime Minister Li:" "Tatsuya Ishiguro" "Commander:" "Bontaro Miake Mother Abbess:" "Haruko Sugimura" "Chief of the Musicians:" "Shu Maruyama" "Directed by:" "Kenji Mizoguchi" "CHINA THE EIGHTH CENTURY" "CHANGAN, the capital, is a centre of intrigue and plotting." "The TANG dynasty is in decline after its apogee with Emperor Huan Tsung,  whose love for Kwei Fei, the most fabulous beauty in China,  is still famous today." "Lord, we come to escort you." "Please prepare yourself." "Where are you taking me?" "To the Palace of the West?" "To shut me away there?" "I refuse!" "I want to remain here." "I can hear the sounds of the city." "I find it brings comfort to my solitude." "Tell my son, the so-called Emperor, not to sadden me further because I am already sad enough." "It is he who orders it." "We must take you." "Immediately." "What insolence!" "Leave!" "Fei Kwei!" "My beloved, where are you?" "Can you to see me from beyond the grave?" "Alas, I am too old for the pleasures of this world." "Oh, if we could meet again!" "Every place is sorrowful for me,  because I miss you so much." "Fei Kwei!" "Where are you, beloved?" "Very good, perfect!" "I didn't think that it would be so good." "Now, it pleases me." "One of your finest compositions, Lord." "But it is so melancholic!" "How could I compose more cheerful melodies?" "You are the luckiest man in the Empire." "In appearance only." "Happiness is not within my grasp." "If I was indeed happy," "I would compose more exciting music." "This piece is dedicated to the memory of my late wife." "Let's play the next movement." "Majesty" "Prime Minister Li wishes to appraise you of State business." "Your schedule is very strict." "Please stop playing now, Lord." "One moment!" "I want to try this passage." "Wait a little, Li." "I fear I can not." "Later, you must receive several ambassadors." "It is also necessary to prepare for your journey." "The State comes first, Lord." "You always interrupt my pleasures with your schedule and your ceremonies!" "His Majesty must work." "You must go!" "Look at this, Majesty!" "Korea sent you this statue in homage." "See these gracious curves!" "Who is this?" "Lord, your question honours me." "I chose a young woman, serious and pretty, for your amusement, Lord." "It is useless." "No one can compare to the late Empress." "That's it, the end." "Didn't he want her?" "Did he reject you?" "It is not your fault." "We are the most beautiful women in the city, but not to the eyes of His Majesty." "That is all." "Let's accept our fate willingly." "The Lord An Lu-Shan is here!" "I am sorry," "I hoped that she would please him." "In spite of your kindness, it was a failure." "Our hopes are destroyed." "Don't be precipitous." "I hoped that she would be able to serve you." "I give up!" "All three cousins failed." "I will remain poor and unknown." "Master, take me with you!" "There's no future for me, in the City." "I prefer to become your servant and enrich myself through privilege." "Thought of everything, eh?" "I would not dare to hire you." "Let's not talk business." "Go and enjoy yourself." "Don't worry so much!" "Kao, Chief of the Eunuchs, is at your service." "Stop singing." "We have a visitor." "Who is she?" "My youngest cousin." "From the same family as the others?" "Their half-sister from the provinces." "You are their sister?" "More like their maid!" "Show me your face." "Leave me alone, I'm busy." "But you are very pretty!" "Your place is elsewhere." "Sir, what are you up to in here?" "I discovered a treasure." "This little one." "I apologise for her, really." "I'm glad they were all rejected." "They should stay where they are and not be so ambitious." "How are they "ambitious"?" "Are you happy, here, as you are?" "Me, I want power!" "I know." "You use our cousins to get it." "What's bad about that?" "My plans involve all of us." "I want to make you happy." "There's no pain in that." "If it goes wrong there'll be pain!" "Put on my dress." "Don't be obstinate." "You want to ridicule me!" "When my mother died," "I came here and you kept me in the kitchen as a slave!" "I understand how you feel." "My father was foreign and everyone maltreated me." "One must learn to recognize good fortune, or else be lost for the whole of one's life." "Here is a magnificent opportunity for you." "Let's go, dress yourself." "And then?" "Ride your luck." "You never realised you were pretty?" "No, never." "Well, I shall endeavour to convince you of it now." "A woman must be conscious of her beauty." "Hurry up." "Don't scorn his generosity." "The others may envy us but our low-birth stops us from succeeding." "Can the Li family alone aspire to glory?" "Don't aspire to anything in that direction." "No one can oppose the Prime Minister." "Why was she unable to interest the Emperor?" "He cannot forget the late Empress Wu-Hui." "She was marvellous." "If only a new Wu-Hui existed!" "Another Wu-Hui does exist!" "You are not the only ones who want to see her reincarnated." "The Emperor's supporters wish it too." "And did you find her?" "Certainly, watch!" "Yu-Huan!" "Splendid!" "What madness to have hidden such a jewel!" "Who is it?" "My young cousin Yu-Huan." "We are going to Mount-Li." "The Mother Abbess will arrange to present you at Court." "The Emperor has confidence in her." "Kao is there already." "It is a magnificent opportunity." "You will attract his attention." "And, as reward, he will elevate me." "Maybe a Minister!" "You will have a glorious life, the highest rank!" "Take advantage of the good fortune to be born pretty." "Why this silence?" "If you become Empress your cousins will have status, your sisters too." "I will always be your toy." "As it was when I worked for you." "Not at all!" "You will act for yourself." "Compared to your rewards, ours will be minimal." "Don't you understand?" "It's working marvellously." "We will succeed!" "Now, all your past is wiped away." "What do you think of her?" "She is charming." "All is ready." "Here is your maid." "She will obey you." "Please follow me to your room, Miss." "Will she be pleasing to His Majesty?" "What do you think?" "Just as they did with Empress Wu-Hui, the women of the convent must produce a suitable bride." "Does his Majesty rely more on you than on me?" "No." "But be sure to do..." "What are you saying?" "The Emperor trusts me completely." "What do you mean?" "I didn't mean to..." "So, measure your words." "I instructed Empress Wu-Hui." "I will also mould this one to make her worthy of the Emperor." "His Majesty is here!" "The Emperor is crossing the Plum Tree Garden." "It is time for you to meet him." "Do I look good enough?" "You are marvellous." "If I don't awaken his interest, they will send me to the harem, to finish my days there." "Don't worry." "Your beauty will strike His Majesty." "What kind of man is the Emperor?" "What does he like?" "How did Wu-Hui capture his heart?" "The Emperor possesses a generous heart." "He searches for sincerity." "You will hear it in his music." "It is time for tea, Lord." "I am busy admiring the flowers of the plum trees." "Doctor's orders, Majesty." "Why do you harass me?" "Can't you let me enjoy nature in peace?" "I only follow the etiquette of the Court." "Please come in for tea." "The flowers are beautiful from here too." "And not only the flowers but a girl in full blossom." "I want to capture this landscape in music." "I wish to be left alone." "You can go." "Thank you." "Why don't you go?" "Lord, you must stop mourning Empress Wu-Hui." "She is dead, gone forever." "Spare me your sermons!" "Didn't I tell you to leave?" "I want to think about her, alone." "Who are you?" "Who allowed you in to my room?" "I understand..." "It was Kao I suppose?" "I speak so much of my dead wife that he sent me a woman who looks like her." "The resemblance is strong." "But it is not her body that I weep for." "It is her soul" "No one can replace that." "Don't destroy my memories." "Go now..." "It is the piece I composed in the Plum Tree Garden!" "You play very well indeed." "You learned it to impress me?" "To show me your cleverness?" "No, Majesty." "Why, then?" "I wanted to calm your poor heart, if only for a short moment." "My poor heart?" "I am not here of my free will." "If my presence pleases you, others will be made happy." "Those that brought me here." "I am only a puppet in their hands." "I believed that my destiny was to end my life, shut away in your harem." "But, while learning, how much you loved the late Empress," "I was ashamed of myself." "Empress Wu-Hui was fortunate indeed." "I didn't imagine that one could be loved so much." "I envy it." "I would like to find a man such as you, a commoner that I could love." "Please forgive me..." "Wait a moment!" "I had believed that only Wu-Hui was able to please me." "But you comforted me while playing my music, without my ordering you to do it." "You look for no reward." "Above all, you spoke to me frankly, and with sympathy." "Wu-Hui herself never did that." "What is your name?" "Yu-Huan Yang, Lord." "Yang Yu-Huan henceforth remain close to me." "As a friend." "That is, if you wish to." "I am starting to like you." "So you agree to remain with me?" "It is settled." "Open the Basin of the Lotus tomorrow morning." "Mistress..." "You are the first to bathe here since the Empress's death." "His Grace says that Spring has returned to the Court!" "I must leave in the morning." "But I regret going back to my old job without any news of her." "My presence embarrasses you!" "A Governor is a Governor, Master." "Me, I want a senior position here!" "If the Prime Minister dies, who him succeed him?" "Do you have that in your sights?" "That, and maybe higher, the throne!" "The throne?" "If that little trollop can become Empress anything is possible." "I won't abandon my ambitions." "If she has any influence, you won't remain here much longer." "She is already his mistress." "But, in truth, that means nothing." "The main thing is that she gets a title." "Your future depends on it." "Don't forget it!" "According to the law, Madame Cheng, must die, Lord." "Why must she die?" "You are the servants of a prisoner!" "How dare you interrupt His Majesty?" "You absolutely forbid the women of your harem to interfere in politics, on pain of death." "This one conspired to gain favoured status with me." "I only quote your own law, Lord." "The law must apply to everyone." "Perhaps this situation can be to our advantage?" "Make similar laws and we will follow them with pleasure." "But the fact on which I insist..." "That's enough!" "Leave me." "Can't you do whatever you desire?" "Not long ago, yes, I was all-powerful." "But, henceforth, the laws that I have enacted bind me too." "You should take more time to rest, to forget everything." "To forget everything?" "Let's leave together, Lord." "And go where?" "The city." "It is New Year's Day." "Everyone is celebrating." "Don't let go of my hand!" "Servants from the Palace!" "They didn't see us!" "Wait, I'll take this off." "No one will recognize you here." "Taste this." "Tonight, you obey me!" "Do you like it?" "It's strange to me." "It tastes very good!" "I never felt so free." "Happy with this escapade?" "It's good, this sweet." "Young lovers, don't pass us by!" "Not until you take a drink." "Tonight, everybody has fun!" "Here, celebrate your marriage." "After a drink, you can dance!" "You dance marvellously!" "Why have you not danced for me before?" "It was your lute that made me dance so." "Our two rhythms harmonize, do they not?" "We are in unison." "I enjoyed myself greatly." "I feel rejuvenated." "My blood flows more quickly." "Your joy makes me happy." "I forgot that I am Emperor." "I felt like an ordinary man among the people." "As did I, the people's girl." "Give us tea." "I feel like this is my true home, and that we have lived here for years!" "As Governor Generals, you must defend our borders against neighbouring barbarians." "For a long time, they have been troublesome." "War seems unavoidable." "But it is more important to win their friendship without fighting." "All depends on your cleverness." "His Majesty relies on you completely." "It is your duty to succeed." "I hope that the reception given by His Majesty encourages you." "General An Lu-Shan!" "Welcome to the capital!" "Thank you..." "Chao." "The Emperor gave me a new name." "Use it." "Minister Yang Kuo-cheng" "Getting a sniff of the throne, are you?" "Those upstart women!" "They live in luxury, paid for with our taxes." "Taking advantage of His Majesty's love for Kwei Fei!" "Who do they think they are, these jumped-up servants?" "Make way for the Mistress!" "Ruffian!" "The Yang family corrupts the whole Court!" "Death to the Yangs!" "Some rioters hit me!" "They declared that all the Yang family should be stoned!" "It is infamy, to treat the friends of His Majesty this way!" "No one tried to stop them?" "They ran away!" "What about the guards?" "The guards are useless!" "You are responsible!" "Where is Kwei Fei the very High Lady?" "You said that one had to aim for the top." "You have been promoted even further than we hoped." "Governor General of three provinces!" "You must be satisfied." "It is nothing compared to your promotion." "To what do you attribute this success?" "To whom?" "To myself." "It was extremely difficult." "Ridiculous!" "You owe it to Kwei Fei." "And she owes all she has to me." "Promote me to the government." "Make me a Minister." "It is His Majesty who decides such things, not me." "Arrange it so that Kwei Fei asks him." "You would be wise to retain my friendship, if you wish to remain in power..." "Please ask the Emperor what we should play." "Thank you for your agreeable suggestion." "The musicians ask what they should play." "I, myself, will play for my friend the new Governor General." "I trust that you are well, Mistress?" "I am delighted by your promotion." "I am a little worried, myself." "I retain ambitions for a position in Government." "Listen, Yu-Huan!" "From now on, you are very powerful." "And I want to be a Minister." "I have a right to expect your help." "Please, not here..." "You are too proud to listen to me?" "Too selfish to think of anyone but yourself?" "Look at your sisters!" "Chao has become Minister Yang Kuo-cheng!" "Am I to be the only exception?" "Not so loud, please." "You are indeed very beautiful!" "I didn't appreciate it before." "If I had not given you the opportunity, you would not be here today." "I belong to His Majesty." ""Very High Lady!"" "Yu-Huan, remind yourself that I found you in a kitchen." "His Majesty has rewarded you generously." "Do you really think so?" "Do you know that the entire country curses the Yang family?" "Heavy taxes crush the people." "And Chao fills his pockets!" "Your three sisters live in obscene luxury." "Revolution could explode at any moment." "Even here, people are turning against your family." "The Emperor is no longer secure." "After all, an Emperor is but a fortunate warlord." "Only, the strong can become masters of the World." "A bright future awaits me." "Come in my fortress." "You will be safe there!" "His Majesty has finished playing..." "But it is inconceivable, why?" "The nation turns its anger against us Yangs." "Let me return to my humble origins." "Also send away my cousin and my sisters." "Your sisters are of no importance." "As for Chao, I have my reasons for retaining him in his post." "I am not so weak as to allow my love for you to cause harm to the State." "I am not thinking only of my own safety." "I worry for both of us." "Kwei Fei!" "You interfere in politics." "Do you know the consequences of this?" "I know them." "Punish me as you wish." "Is it so easy for you to leave me?" "Maybe I have committed a crime." "I don't deserve my title anymore." "You listen to the others, but not me?" "You were alone with An Lu-Shan the other evening." "The whole Court knows it." "I would never betray you." "Are you determined to leave?" "Yes, Lord." "Very well, then..." "Lead her to the harem, immediately." "Obey me!" "What do you want, Li?" "They say that you repudiated Kwei Fei." "I admire your decision and I congratulate you." "Is that all you came for?" "You take advantage of my illness to act in my name." "Supported by His Majesty." "Why don't you retire?" "A Prime Minister must be physically strong." "You should go take a holiday." "What insolence!" "What are you up to..?" "Her Highness did not go to the harem but to the house of her cousin Hsien." "The Very High Lady must not live as a commoner." "Shall I go to find her?" "We shall bring Her Highness back here immediately." "I am so happy to see you back here." "It is better for Chao and your sisters." "You are welcome to stay here." "I will defend you." "What are your plans?" "To become Yu-Huan again." "You rose too high, too fast, that is your misfortune." "When did you arrive?" "Last year." "Do you like it here?" "Mistress, this is ridiculous!" "Come back to the Palace with Kao and me." "I don't want to see any one." "It is the Emperor who sent me." "I order you to come back." "Prepare yourself." "Your palanquin is there." "I won't leave." "I'll stay here forever." "You are responsible, Hsien." "Aren't you terrified?" "Everybody curses you." "A man of State can't please everyone." "You want to reign over the entire country!" "Resign!" "She wants it too." "You understand nothing of her feelings." "She worries for you..." "Would you see our country run down to its ruin?" "Kill the Yangs and save the Empire!" "His Majesty is guilty of protecting the Yangs." "To be saved, the Nation must have a new leader!" "March on Changan!" "Let's take the capital!" "I am in charge of this." "Go to see His Majesty." "Let me do this." "He is tired." "Take him some tea." "I'm sorry, but this is all that I can offer you." "And my men?" "They must be hungry." "They have been fed." "Look, my friends!" "The three sisters were dead!" "All killed together!" "The country demanded their deaths!" "Why have we retreated without fighting?" "We are dishonoured, we, the Royal Guards." "General An consolidates his position." "The malcontents join him, united in hatred for the politicians!" "We don't oppose His Majesty." "We killed the three sisters to help him." "The enemy it is not An, but the family Yang." "Let's chop Yang Kuo-cheng down to size!" "Commander, advance without delay." "An has crossed the river and advances on Chengtu." "What's going on here?" "Prime Minister Yang is responsible for everything." "The soldiers won't attack unless he is punished." "Who stirred them up?" "Kill him!" "It is a spontaneous movement." "Mutiny is breaking out." "No one can stand against it." "Kwei Fei, I'm sorry for this hellish situation." "Being alone with you like this, and the memory of our night at the Festival, makes me happy again." "It pleases me to see you at peace." "It takes more than this to knock me down." "The Prime Minister and the three women, have been killed by your soldiers!" "The four Yangs?" "I can't control them." "Dismiss me." "Soldiers surround you, Majesty." "Is this revolt against me?" "The Army remains faithful to you." "But see for yourself, Kwei Fei..." "Please leave us..." "Why does she have to leave?" "Lord, please excuse me." "What is it you have to say?" "The death of the four Yangs didn't pacify them." "They want Kwei Fei too." "Do they require her death?" "Oh, no never!" "She is my wife." "She has no political responsibility." "On this occasion, she is considered like any Yang." "By you too?" "You brought her to me, and you want me to kill her?" "Your own life is in danger, Lord." "You must do what is necessary to save the country!" "You ridicule the Country!" "You are only afraid that, you may be the one to die." "Be reasonable, Lord!" "The soldiers are hysterical." "They have lost lose their reason, and it is to you that they turn to for leadership!" "This traitor must die!" "Forgive me for killing him." "I will pay the price for it." "I am going to speak to the soldiers..." "Give us Kwei Fei!" "We remain faithful to you!" "Wait, silence!" "Listen to me!" "She has nothing to do with politics." "Kwei Fei is also a Yang..." "You are in danger!" "Make your decision, quickly!" "All of you around me here... pray for His Majesty and for the return of peace." "Myself, I pray for happier days when you can enjoy the flowers and the festival of New Year." "That is what I pray for from the bottom of my heart." "Take this to the Emperor." "Tell him that I will be at his side forever and forever!" "Prepare yourself." "I am ready." "Kwei Fei!" "May this death bring peace to my people!" "You had gone." "And what remained of me?" "Soon, An Lu-Shan was destroyed." "But I was already deposed by my own son." "He is no different from An Lu-Shan." "There was never much affection between us." "How cold this world has become!" "Kwei Fei..." "My darling..." "I'm coming to look for you." "I've awaited this day for many years." "At last it has arrived!" "Give me your hand,  let me guide you to me." "I am so impatient!" "We shall be together forever." "You won't ever leave me again." "Do you remember..." "This time no one will separate us." "Our true happiness is at hand." "Yes, our true happiness,  a happiness that never ends." "You can smile,  we can laugh!"