M. Butterfly (film)

For the play, see M. Butterfly.

M. Butterfly
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	David Cronenberg
Produced by	Gabriella Martinelli
Screenplay by	David Henry Hwang
Based on	M. Butterfly by David Henry Hwang
Starring	Jeremy Irons John Lone
Music by	Howard Shore
Cinematography	Peter Suschitzky
Editing by	Ronald Sanders
Studio	Geffen Pictures
Distributed by	Warner Bros.
Release date(s)	October 1, 1993 (1993-10-01)
Running time	101 minutes
Country	United States
Language	English
Box office	$1,498,795

M. Butterfly is a 1993 romantic drama film directed by David Cronenberg. The screenplay was written by David Henry Hwang based on his play of the same name. Jeremy Irons and John Lone star, with Ian Richardson, Barbara Sukowa, and Annabel Leventon.

Plot

Loosely based on true events (see Bernard Boursicot), the film concerns René Gallimard (Jeremy Irons), a French diplomat assigned to Beijing, China in the 1960s. He becomes infatuated with a Chinese opera performer, Song Liling (John Lone), who spies on him for the Government of the People's Republic of China.

Their affair lasts for 20 years, with Gallimard all the while apparently unaware (or willfully ignorant) of the fact that in traditional Chinese opera, all roles are performed by men. Eventually, Gallimard betrays his country and is tried for treason, which forces him to face the truth about his relationship. Faced with the unbearable truth that his lover is actually male, he himself takes on the role of Butterfly, the woman who died for the sake of an illusory love.

Cast

• Jeremy Irons as René Gallimard
• John Lone as Song Liling
• Ian Richardson as Ambassador Toulon
• Barbara Sukowa as Jeanne Gallimard
• Annabel Leventon as Frau Baden
• Shizuko Hoshi as Comrade Chin
• Vernon Dobtcheff as Agent Entacelin

Themes

One theme of the film (as with the play) is Orientalist stereotypes, but Cronenberg removed many of the political overtones from the story in order to focus more intensely on the relationship between Gallimard and Song. A key line in the film is "Only a man knows how a woman is supposed to act."

Reception

M. Butterfly grossed a mere $1,498,795 in the domestic box office.

The film currently holds a 42% 'Rotten' rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It also holds a 43 on the 'normalized' scale from Metacritic.

See also

• M. Butterfly
• Cross-dressing in film and television
• Transvestism

External links

• M. Butterfly at the Internet Movie Database
• M. Butterfly at AllRovi
• M. Butterfly at Box Office Mojo
• M. Butterfly at Rotten Tomatoes
• M. Butterfly at Metacritic