M. Butterfly (film)


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

Plot

Loosely based on true events, the film concerns René Gallimard, a French diplomat assigned to Beijing, China, in the 1960s. He becomes infatuated with a Peking opera performer, Song Liling, 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 of the fact that in Peking opera, Dan roles are traditionally performed by men.

Cast

One theme of the film 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 $1,500,000 in the domestic box office.
On review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 43%, based on 21 reviews, and an average rating of 5.56/10. On Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 43 out of 100, based on 19 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".