Flowers of Shanghai

(1998)

★ 6.9 IMDb · 118 votes

Genres: Drama

Year: 1998

Runtime: 113 мин

Country: Taiwan

Director: 侯孝賢

Cast: Тони Люн Чу-Вай, 羽田美智子, Карина Лау, 李嘉欣, Гао Цзе, Ребекка Пань, 方璇, 伊能靜, 魏筱惠, Firebird Liu

Plot

At the end of the 19th century, Shanghai is divided into several foreign concessions. In the British concession, a number of luxurious “flower houses” are reserved for the male elite of the city. Since Chinese dignitaries are not allowed to frequent brothels, these establishments are the only ones that these men can visit. They form a self-contained world, with its own rites, traditions and even its own language. The men don’t only visit the houses to frequent the courtesans but also to dine, smoke opium, play mahjong and relax. The women working there are known as the “flowers of Shanghai”.