Sign in
Trailer

Farewell My Concubine

1993Movie2 h 51 min

Drama
86
ExcellentGoodWatch score
IMDb8.1Metacritic849.0Rotten Tomatoes90%93%

A deeply moving, profoundly sad drama movie about history and show business, with standout direction and performances.

Good for friends night · thought-provoking · adults

Skip it if you need an uplifting mood · you want fast pacing · you want to half-watch while scrolling

Where to watch

Fingerprint

Not for warmth, laughs or comfort.

Movies with

Story

The passionate triangle of two lifelong friends and the woman who comes between them!

In an epic tale of theater, gender, love and class, two Beijing opera actors navigate political turmoil as their friendship evolves over decades.

Feels like

  • Tragic Opera Epic
  • Gender Identity & Performance
  • Historical Political Drama
  • Devastating Emotional Weight
  • Masterpiece of Acting
  • Chinese Cultural History
  • Obsession and Betrayal
  • Visual Poetic Realism
  • Sweeping Time Span Narrative
  • Art vs. Survival Conflict

Cast

24 of 24

Crew

Directed by
Chen Kaige
Written by
Lilian Lee Bik-Wah, Lu Wei
Produced by
Hsu Feng
Music by
Jonathan Lee, Zhao Jiping

Everyone

Pick a department, or search for a name or a job (“editor”, “stunt”).

Facts

January 1, 1993 · 2 h 51 min · Violence, Sexual Content, Suicide Themes, Disturbing Imagery

Released
January 1, 1993
Runtime
2 h 51 min
Content
Violence, Sexual Content, Suicide Themes, Disturbing Imagery
Genres
Drama
Original language
Chinese
Made in
China, Hong Kong SAR China
Budget
$4 million
Box office
$6 million
Available in
16 countries

Tropes

Surprisingly Sudden Death, Heterosexual Life-Partners, Duet Bonding +9

  • Surprisingly Sudden Death
  • Heterosexual Life-Partners
  • Duet Bonding
  • Single-Target Sexuality
  • Adaptation Expansion
  • Culture Police
  • Idiot Ball
  • Lost in Character
  • Training from Hell
  • Depraved Bisexual
  • Parental Abandonment
  • Double-Meaning Title

12 of 48 tropes. From TV Tropes.

Q&A

6 questions, like "Where can I stream Farewell My Concubine?"

Questions about Farewell My Concubine

Quick answers from GoodWatch data.

Where can I stream Farewell My Concubine?

KanopyHooplaMUBIFilm Movement+BFI Player

In the United States, Farewell My Concubine streams on Hoopla, MUBI, Film Movement+, and BFI Player, and it is free with ads on Kanopy. You can rent or buy it from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, and Fandango At Home. It also streams in 12 other countries.

Is Farewell My Concubine worth watching?

86
ExcellentGoodWatch score

Yes, it's widely acclaimed, with a GoodWatch score of 86 (IMDb 8.1, Rotten Tomatoes 90%, and Metacritic 84).

Will I feel good after watching Farewell My Concubine?

BleakHopeful

Probably not: the title analysis rates it 9 of 10 for bleakness and 9 for melancholy, against 2 for hopefulness.

Is Farewell My Concubine plot-driven or character-driven?

CharactersPlot

Mostly character-driven: it leans on character depth (10 of 10) and pathos (10 of 10) more than on its plot.

Is Farewell My Concubine in English?

Chinese

No, it was made in Chinese.

What tropes does Farewell My Concubine use?

Surprisingly Sudden DeathHeterosexual Life-PartnersDuet BondingSingle-Target SexualityAdaptation ExpansionCulture PoliceIdiot BallLost in CharacterTraining from HellDepraved BisexualParental AbandonmentDouble-Meaning Titleand 36 more

TV Tropes lists 48 tropes for it, including Surprisingly Sudden Death, Heterosexual Life-Partners, and Duet Bonding.