This movie by Wong Kar-Wai is set in the socially conservative Hong Kong of the 1960’s. When Su (Mrs. Chan) and Chow both decide to rent a house in Hong Kong, they become neighbours. They both live in apartments with ever-present landladies and Mahjong-playing neighbours but nevertheless they often eat alone in their rooms. Small daily encounters form most of their social interaction. However, when Su and Chow come to the conclusion that their often-away partners are having a secret affair they want to reconstruct and re-enact what has happened. Moreover, Su helps Mr. Chow with writing a book. By doing so they develop an intimate but platonic connection. Their love is shaped by indirect signals, re-enacting their spouses, and cryptic conversations. Their ever-present and ever-suspicious neighbours, and the shame of lowering themselves to the level of their spouses, withholds them from truly admitting and acting out their love.
This is surely one of the most aesthetically pleasing movies I’ve ever watched, with beautiful shots, stills, compositions, and colours. Of course 1960’s Hong Kong forms a handsome scenery. Every screenshot could form a postcard. Moreover, there is this wonderful underlying tension; no people dying or hanging off cliffs, but only very subtle yet intense gestures. There is a lot of love and sensuality present, but not much romantic action. One could say that Asian values are important for the way the love-story acquires its shape; faithfulness in your marriage and community values weigh heavy and form reasons for the characters not to chase their love. In that regard, it’s the opposite of, for example, The Notebook; the ultimate Western love-story. In this movie, love is chased despite of what the parents and the community want. ‘Always follow your heart and chase your love’ seems to be the Western ideal.
Moreover, with regards to sex, it is in this movie definitely true that the lack of physical action makes every subtle gesture, such as touching hands, very tense and important. The lack of sex makes you very sensitive to small interactions, which makes the felt desire become even more burning. In a way it can be said that this movie manages to illustrate love, tension, longing, and desire without using the usual tools of romantic action or explicit conversations. It is impressive how Wong Kar-Wai can make love a desire so visible and burning on screen without the presence of a single kiss.
Maybe this means that sometimes actions are not necessary to keep sensuality and tension present but might actually break it. In that regard In the mood for love is very similar to French movies as Fanfan or La Tendresse. The lack action makes that there is no discharge of tension; the desire is more burning and the sadness is more heart-breaking. Wong Kar-Wai is the master of subtlety. This subtlety makes everything very tender and vulnerable. Is this type of movie preferable over movies such as The Notebook? It surely leads to wonderful silences (made even better by the good use of music), intense connection, beautiful body language. In the end, I think I can conclude that this movie is amongst the most sensual and tender ones but it’s also amongst the most devastating and truly heart-breaking.
For everyone who became curious while reading this article: the movie is on YouTube, and thank god it’s with English subtitles.
By Camille Straatman
The Bell 