Both movies, "To Live" and "Morning Sun" taught me a lot about the rise of communism in China as well as the support harnessed by Mao during his rise. I did feel that the movies were somewhat different in their views on the Red Party. For instance, in "To Live" it seems that there was plenty of food and the Chinese embraced the community kitchens while "Morning Sun" discribed communism in China as a terrible institution where anyone could disappear. Along this line, I felt that "To Live" tried to do this, but by choosing Long'er, who I came to see as a bad person, I no longer saw the evil in the party. Instead, I felt that Long'er had finally been punished for being a calous individual early in the movie and throughout his life (as I presume based on his character).
I do believe that to live showed the fear that the Communist Party instilled on its people but why was Fugui not scared to attack the Head of his District. I realize that his son had just been killed by this man but weren't Fugui's actions still against the Party. I know that in Nazi Germany that officers were carefully watched and sympathy to Jews was seen as punishable offense no matter the situation. While this isn't Nazi Germany, the Communists were always watching for traitors and thus why was the District Head's sympathy to someone cursing a Party Official allowed. Before this, Fugui is very careful to be a loyal member of the party and even scolds his son in public to show his loyalty.
"Morning Sun" really helped me to understand "To Live." It was interesting to see how traitors to the party were quickly purged and how others voiced their opinion through fake names. I wonder what sorts of checks the party had on its people and how it controlled those with different views. Like Valery, I assume that concentration camps of some short were set up as they were in both Germany and United States during WWII.
As far as I can tell, the Communist Party seemed to be efficient but I would like to know how its officials such as town leaders and District Heads were chosen. Why was a man like Long'er not chosen as a leader and instead put to death. i know he opposed the party but was his opostion simply a plot by the party to purge the landlord class?
Posted by john at October 20, 2004 01:41 PMJohn, your point is well taken, but the Germans were fascists, not Communists. Still, Stalin did purge his party for similar offenses and I too was shocked by Fungui's behavior.
Posted by: carlos at October 20, 2004 09:52 PMAfter watching the second half of both movies, I gather that Mao's motive was not necessarily to purge the landlord class but to gain complete control. Looking at the footage in Morning Sun of Mao looking out over the sea of people, its evident that he has convinced him that he is the way. Further, the marriage in To Live was almost laughable because of the number of references to Communism and its glorious promise. Long'er's refusal to give up part of his house indicates that he possesses the will power to stand up to the government, and history shows that revolutionaries are afraid of nothing more than counterrevolutionaries. The suspiciousness of the revolutionaries suggests their insecurity and need for total control. When Long'er burned his house down, he showed a resistance to authority, and so the Chinese Communist government decided to make an example out of him.
Posted by: Pierce at October 21, 2004 07:38 PMCarlos,
I apologize for my slip and will never let it happen again. Thank you for correcting such an inexcusable error...I am temporarily shamed.
I think they probably put Long'er to death because he refused to let the communists have access to part of his property. But the real threat seems to be of having any property, or any visible advantage, for that matter. Remember the scene after Long'er's execution where the protagonist is talking with his wife in soft voices to make sure they would no longer be considered part of the landlord class.
Posted by: Matt Kaufmann at October 25, 2004 08:29 PM