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Average Rating: 7.5/10

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Flowers of Shanghai (1998)

Directed by Hou Hsiao-hsien

Most recently watched by sleestakk

Overview

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”.

Rated NR | Length 113 minutes

Actors

Tony Leung Chiu-Wai | Michiko Hada | Carina Lau | Michelle Reis | Jack Kao | Rebecca Pan | Stephanie Fong Shuan | Annie Shizuka Inoh | Vicky Wei | Firebird Liu | Hsu Hui-Ni | Shuan Fang | Hsiao-Hui Wei | Hsu Ming | Josephine A. Blankstein | Simon Chang | Tony Chang | Yiu-Ming Lee | Yu-han Lin | Wei-kuo Chiang | Yu-Hang Lee | Tsai-erh Luo | Moon Wang | Xie Yang