Adaptations from Classic Literature

Red Rose White Rose

Dir: Stanley Kwan
Orig Story: Eileen Chang's Red Rose, White Rose
Scr: Edward Lam
Prod Cos: First Organisation, Golden Entertainment
Cast: Joan Chen, Veronica Yip, Winston Chao
1994 | Colour | DCP | Cantonese | Chi & Eng Subtitles | 116min

Eileen Chang is renowned for her incisive commentary on love and marriage, as well as her sharp criticisms of Chinese traditions. Her literary works often carry layers of irony and sarcasm, making them difficult to adapt for the screen. Edward Lam, who had previously adapted her work for the stage, masterfully addresses this challenge in his screenplay for Red Rose, White Rose. He even incorporates textual descriptions of characters' inner thoughts from the original novella, as well as elements from Chang’s other writings, adding an extra dimension to the film's interpretation of her work.

Chen-pao (Winston Chao), freshly returned to Shanghai after studying abroad, falls for his friend’s wife, the seductive and passionate Chiao-jui (Joan Chen). Though he knows he should resist the affair, he cannot escape her allure. After leaving behind his ‘red rose’ Chiao-jui, Chen-pao marries Yen-li (Veronica Yip), his ‘white rose’, only to find their marriage stifling and dull.

With Stanley Kwan’s precise and imaginative mise-en-scène, Pan Lai’s elaborate art direction, and Christopher Doyle’s evocative cinematography, the glamorous yet melancholic world of old Shanghai in Chang’s story is brought vividly to life. The film went on to win five Golden Horse awards, solidifying its reputation as a masterful cinematic adaptation of one of Chang’s most acclaimed works.

Courtesy of First Distributors (HK) Limited

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