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Cast:
Wang
Hung
Li
Lin
Lei
Kesheng
Siqin
Gaowa
Yu
La
Producer:
Wang
Hung
Director:
Wang
Hung
Score:
 
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A
FATHER WITH HIS TWENTY-FIVE CHILDREN
AKA:
A Father With His 25 Children
Year:
2002 Reviewer: Andrew
Saroch
Zhao
Guang is greeted as a local hero by his home village after
making a modest amount of money from breeding chickens and
finds himself thrust into the media spotlight. During one
interview, Guang mentions that he is an orphan and is indebted
to the villagers who raising him from an early age. These
words are misunderstood though, and on his wedding day he is
faced with twenty-five young children who have heard Guang's
words and are looking for adoption by him. Having to briefly
postpone his wedding after his mother-in-law walks off in
disgust, Guang decides to use the free time to find the
families of the children and return them to their homes.
However, he discovers that many of the children are orphans
and a few live on the streets with little or no protection for
them. Remembering his own upbringing, Guang decides to take
responsibility for the children and asks the local villagers
if they will afford the same help to these twenty-five
youngsters as they did to him. Unfortunately Guang finds
himself on his own after the villagers refuse to help, but the
proud local refuses to let this set-back defeat his
objectives. Instead, Guang converts his humble house into a
home for the small army of children and provides for all of
their needs. Naturally this challenging assignment is not
without its problems and Guang often has to discipline his
charges to gain their respect. Over time a bond does form
though and the children look to Guang as they would a father.
Chinese
cinema, as has often been mentioned on this site, has the
remarkable ability to craft a gentle storyline into something
far more substantial. 'A Father With His Twenty-Five Children'
is another film that manages to fit into this mould despite a
few unsteady steps. Before concentrating on the praise, it's
important to understand that there are faults here. The most
obvious of these is the inherent difficulty in making a film
about twenty-five very different children - little time can
ever be afforded to anyone one of them, therefore some plot
strands are started and then dropped. Never is this more
apparent than during a few brief scenes featuring the eldest
child who is not given an adequate history and whose problems
are quickly forgotten. As director, Wang Hung also falls foul
of an unnecessary need to over-stylise even the most basic
moments; pointless camera tricks are needlessly employed when
a more straight-forward touch is required.
Even
though 'A Father With His Twenty-Five Children' is not the
apex of Chinese film-making, it once again shows numerous
qualities. Some may argue that the basic premise, along with
the use of a very magnetic troupe of child actors, is obvious
in its intentions to pull the heart-strings. This may be true,
but it doesn't negate the quality of the production or its
effective concentration on very genuine human emotions. It's
also a more accessible production than some of the better
known Chinese films as it doesn't slip into political rhetoric
or social criticism; there may be subtle proddings towards the
importance of the state, but this isn't the main thrust of the
film. Director Wang Hung instead conjures up a few powerful
moments that even the most cynical viewer will be touched by,
utilising his excellent cast and some exceptional village
scenery. Enough warmth is present within this film to make
viewing a rewarding experience.
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