The Family is based on the Ba Jin novel (of the same name) published initially as a serial in 1931-2 and as a book in 1933. It is the first mainland film version of the story with a second to follow in 1956. There is also a 1953 Hong Kong version which I have not seen.
The story is about the four generation Gao family in the period 1916-20, set in Chengdu. The family is ruled over by the autocratic grandfather, Old Master Gao [Wang Yuanlong].
The film opens with the entire family gathering to celebrate the Chinese new Year.
The drama focuses on the three brothers in the senior branch of the family (their father is already dead). The oldest Juexin [Mei Xi] is the most compliant with the family rules and has married Ruijue [Gu Lanjun] although he was in love with his cousin Mei [Yuan Meiyun].
The two younger brothers have more freedom to dissent. Juemin [Liu Qiong] is in love with his cousin Qin [Chen Yunshang] while the youngest Juehui [Wang Yinshi] is the most rebellious and involved in student politics. He claims to be in love with the servant Mingfeng [Chen Yanyan] and tells her he wants to marry her.
The film emphaises the clash between the old society, represented by Old Master Gao and his friends, including the obese Mr. Feng, and the younger characters who seek more freedom including the freedom to chose their own marriage partner and attend education.
With an almost three hour running time, the film is able to flesh out the individual stories and is less schematic in its opposition of old and new than the 1956 version.
In the case of Juexin, he is faithful to his wife but realises that he still loves Mei who returns to the town after her husband dies and comes to shelter in the Gao household when violence erupts in the area. She gets sick and slowly dies leaving Juexin with deep feelings of regret and sadness.
A second tragedy involves Mingfeng who is given by Old Gao to Mr. Feng as a concubine. She attempts to get the busy Juehui to help her but he is too taken with his studies to listen. She drowns herself in the family lake to avoid the repulsive Feng and betraying her love for Juehui.
Only Juemin and Qin avoid tragedy though both have to go into hiding to avoid arranged marriages and Qin struggles to convince her mother to allow her to continue her education. Qin provides some comic elements, cutting her hair as a sign of freedom, much to her mother’s horror.
Eventually Old Gao dies, surrounded by his family who are more concerned with their inheritance than his struggle to live. But this leads to further tragedy as the pregnant Ruijue is sent away to give birth and dies in childbirth.
The film is technically much inferior to the 1956 version being stage bound with static camera work. But, for all that, it is a livelier version of the story. The actors are significantly younger than in the 1956 version which makes them more credible in their roles. The women are livelier and more self-confident. Old Gao is shown to be a hypocrite with his concubine and interest in opera singers.
The film ends with Juehui travelling down the river to Shanghai, Juemin and Qin also plan to leave but promise to return to fight for new values, and even Juexin promises to bring his children up in a way different to his own upbringing.
Despite the technical inferiority, for me this version of the film carries much more emotional heft than the 1956 film. The film list numerous directors including Bu Wancang.
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