San Francisco Chronicle, Daily Datebook: `River' Opens Window Into Historic Tibet >>
BY Peter Stack, Chronicle Staff Critic
RATING: (POLITE APPLAUSE)
Filmed entirely in Tibet, the scenery alone in "Red River Valley," opening today at the Four Star, is stunning. But this Shanghai--produced adventure-romance has more -- well realized characters, a fascinating plot and a glimpse of Tibet's ancient religious flavor.
The turn-of-the-century story (in Mandarin and English with English subtitles) has an old-fashioned Hollywood-style western feeling -- horsemen, cavalry charges, grandeur of setting. But director Feng Niaoning depicts Tibet's deep spiritual life with great care, using nonprofessional Tibetans as actors.
The story is of a young woman (Ying Zhen) of the warring Han people who is rescued in Tibet by an old woman. She meets a handsome young livestock man (Shao Bing) and eventually they become lovers.
But there is strife and tragedy. The beautiful daughter of a local tribal chief (Ning Jing, "Red Firecracker, Green Firecracker") is smitten by the livestock man, and sees the pretty Han refugee as a rival. Their story is threaded through another -- the visit and subsequent invasion by the British military intent on claiming Tibet. One major character is a young English soldier-scholar (Dawson Cutler) driven to madness by the British's brutal massacre of Tibetans. (The not-rated film contains scenes of graphic violence.) "Red River Valley" is a beauty to watch. 10/01/99
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