ReviewoftheSandPebbles

一个美国朋友推荐我看此片，另外还有thepaintedveil,这是看后的回复：DearJim,Thankyouforthemoviesyoulentme.Botharegreatmovies.ButifIwereAmerican,IwouldenjoyitmorebecausethesemoviesareveryAmericaninthewayheroesaredefinedandmade.ButasaChinese,SandPebblessometimesupsetsmebecauseitseemstomakeChineselooklikenothingbutmobswhotwistsituationsfortheirgoal(suchasthekillingofthepregnantwoman).ThemoviemakesitlooklikethereislesshumanityintheChinesethanintheAmericanswhoareaboardthisship.ChineseatthistimeweremadetolooklikeintimidatingforcesthreateningAmericans,butonecannothelpwondering:Whyistheshipthereinthefirstplace?OurdescriptionofhistorytellsusastorymuchfromtheperspectivesimilartothatofJamerson.Ourcollectivememorytellsexactlytheoppositethings:wethoughtthattheforeignersatthistimeinthesemilitaryorpolicticalmissionswereprovocative,andareunfairlyprivileged,andcausedusgreatsufferings,whichjeopardizesthegoodwillandgoodworkthatcouldhavebeendone,suchasteachingandmissionwork.AndasyourecallfromMadamJiangKai-sheksarticleintheAtlanticMonthly,Chinawasstrugglingwithissueofforeignexploitationatthistimeofnationalawakening.Wethoughtthatistheexploitationandalltheunfairtreatiesthatleadtoalltheanti-foreignsentiments.Themovieisverytrueonthislevel.UsuallytheChinesegovernmentsarequitedocileinfrontofforeignpowersinspiteofalltheirslogansfornationalinterests(exceptduringMaostime).Itsthepeoplethatcanturnagainstforeignersbecausetheyarefrustratedthattheirgovernmentsarenotdoingenoughtoprotectthemagainstforeigninvasionorintrusion.IseethesamethinghereintheUS.AlladministrationsstartwithChinabashingofsomesortstogetvotes,butonceinpower,theywentontogetalongfairlywellwithChina.YetitisthepeoplewhoturnagainstChina,ChinesepeopleorChinesegoods.Unlessthatchanges,thetwonationscannotactuallygetalongwitheachother.Itisgreatifthepeoplesfindwaystogetalongwitheachother,becausethatmattersmore.Iamalittlepuzzledthatthenationalistsgovernmentareturnedagainsttheforeignersatthistime.Iamnotsureifthatistruetohistory,becausetheclosealliancewiththeAmericansiswhatthecommunistpartyoftenfaultsthenationalistswith.AnditisprettywellknownlateronthatthenationalistsusedUS-armedforcesagainstthecommunistsinthenationalist-communistcivilwar.ThenationalisttakeoverofNanjingshouldnothavebeenacausefordistressforSandPebbles.IamwonderingifthereisatimeinhistorywhenthenationalistsareagainsttheUSaswell.Becausetheothermovie(paintedveil)seemstosaythesamething.Ineedtolookintothat.IrememberthePearlBuckbooksayssomethingaboutthataswell?Thatsalotofreflectionsfornow.Butbothmoviesareverymuchthought-provoking.Thanksforsharingthem.Haveagreatweek!Berlin