The Soong Sisters [Digitally Remastered]

With China on her way to unity, Sun dies of illness in his exiled home of Japan. Chaos resumes with Qing Ling pledging to carry the flag of democracy in the tradition of her late husband. Chiang Kai Shek seizes power under the Nationalist Party and temporarily unites with the Communists to vanquish the Japanese invaders. However, civil war disrupts as Communism grows as a threat to Chiang. Qing-ling disagrees with Chiang's stand, in her role as martyr and wife of a deceased national hero. Qing-ling and Mei-ling's relationship falls apart in the process to their dying days.

The film concentrates more on character development, in particular delving into the personal relationships that are caught up in an era of historical significance. As such, the story of the Soong family is emphasized at the expense of political commentary, which is presented in broad brushstrokes. The stellar cast gives uniformly strong performances. Maggie Cheung is superbly cast as the Mother of Modern China, in her transition from impetuous girl in love to a martyr exuding graceful nobility. It is a role which won her a second Taiwanese Golden Horse Award for Best Actress (the first being for Stanley Kwan's Centrestage). Parts of the story are told in flashback and as such impart a dreamlike quality. Vivian Wu is also appropriate as the bitchy youngest daughter, vying for her place in history in what must be sibling rivalry of historical proportions. Winston Chao is serenely strong as Sun Yat Sen, while Wu Hsing Kuo is suitably arrogant with the machismo of Nationalist Leader Chiang Kai Shek.

The sets are of epic proportions as one may expect from a production of this grand scale. The costumes are sumptuously designed by Academy Award Winner, Emi Wada, noted for her work with Akira Kurosawa.