Is Flowers of Shanghai sad?

Yes. More sad than 88% of well-known films. This describes how the film comes across as a whole, measured against other well-known films; it is not a content list.

Does Flowers of Shanghai end with hope?

Barely. Less hopeful than 83% of well-known films. This describes how the film comes across as a whole, measured against other well-known films; it is not a content list.

Is Flowers of Shanghai violent?

Barely. Less violent than 76% of well-known films. This describes how the film comes across as a whole, measured against other well-known films; it is not a content list.

Is Flowers of Shanghai scary?

Not especially. Less frightening than 58% of well-known films. This describes how the film comes across as a whole, measured against other well-known films; it is not a content list.

Is Flowers of Shanghai easy watching?

About average. Almost exactly mid-range for a well-known film. This describes how the film comes across as a whole, measured against other well-known films; it is not a content list.

Flowers of Shanghai

Name: Flowers of Shanghai
Genre: Drama
Released: 1998
Duration: 113 min
Rating: 6.9
Cast: Tony Leung Chiu-wai, Michiko Hada, Carina Lau, Michele Reis, Jack Kao

Directed by Hou Hsiao-hsien

Produced by 3-H Films, Shochiku

1998113 min6.9 / 10

A contemplative period drama set within the insular world of 19th-century Shanghai's courtesan houses, exploring power, desire, and the constrained lives of women within a rigid social hierarchy.

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”.

Clusters

Slow Character Dramas About Loneliness Bittersweet Doomed Romances Forbidden Love Story Loneliness and Longing Asian City Movies

Genres

Drama

Keywords

Shanghai, China Brothel Courtesan 19th Century

Questions people ask

Is Flowers of Shanghai sad? Yes. More sad than 88% of films.
Does Flowers of Shanghai end with hope? Barely. Less hopeful than 83% of films.
Is Flowers of Shanghai violent? Barely. Less violent than 76% of films.
Is Flowers of Shanghai scary? Not especially. Less frightening than 58% of films.
Is Flowers of Shanghai easy watching? About average. Almost exactly mid-range.

These describe how the film comes across, measured across the whole film and compared with other well-known films. They are not a content list — nothing here was counted or checked scene by scene, so for age-suitability or specific content use a classification board or a dedicated content-warning service.

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