Shina no Yoru /China Nights (Blog 1)

Plot Summary:

Shina no Yoru or China Nights is a film produced by Manchukuo Film Production in 1940. The film tells a love story between a Japanese marine officer and a rebellious Chinese street girl. Mr. Hase travels to Shanghai and stays at Shanghai hotel with his colleagues. He is  an honest and humble gentleman and seldom goes out to the dance rooms and bars like his colleagues do. Keiran is a young Chinese lady who lost her father because of the war. She is an anti-Japanese but is saved by Mr. Hase. The relationship between the two develops as they know and understand each other better. Finally Mr. Hase decides to marry with Keiran. But the happy gathering turns into a tearing ending as Mr. Hase has to leave for business. Keiran waits for Mr. Hase but only sad news comes back. The couple finally reunites at the end as Keiran about to commit suicide.  

Historical Background:

Establishing in 1937, Manchukuo Film Production is a national policy company in order to produce films that promote “friendship” between Japan and China. The film sets in 1940s’ Shanghai and it does not only show the modern life of Japanese officers and people who are living in Shanghai, but also the aftermath and remnants on both Chinese and Japanese side. The movie was popular among Japanese audiences, but the same reaction was not as expected from the Chinese audiences.

Mise-en-scene: the flowers:

This is the scene when Keiran goes back to where she used to hang out with her father. She sees newly grown flower on the ruined ground with broken buildings at background. The flower buds are signs for new life and rebirth. The flower is also a reminder for Keiran of her past happy life with her family. A flashback of her being with her father is shown right after this scene as follow:

This scene is almost like a replication of the previous scene. However, the trees and flowers are flourishing and Keiran is dressed in a beautiful cheongsam. Her bright smile in the flashback is a comparison to her tears in the reality. Everything she loves is destroyed and she can not live the life that she used to live. And just from this flashback and comparison, the audience could have a better understanding of her hate towards Japanese people and her refusal of people’s help.

The flower is being used several times in the movie. After Keiran and Mr. Hase fall in love, Mr. Hase picks blossoms for her. And at the couple’s wedding, the blooming flowers implies their passionate love towards each other.

During this scene, although it is blur to see, the tree leaves or the blossoms at the background are falling as Keiran hears the sad news about Mr. Hase. His colleague comes and shows her a pair of earrings that she gives to Mr. Hase before he leaves. No one believes that Mr. Hase is going to come back despite Keiran. The falling blossoms reveals Keiran’s desperation and misery, and also implies the death of Mr. Hase and their marriage at the same time.

Gathering & Parting:

One of the classic themes of melodrama is separation of people who love each other. To make it more melodramatic, it almost always follows a happy event or big gathering. In China Nights, the parting scene is right after Keiran and Mr. Hase’s wedding. While the couple is sharing a private and loving moment at the balcony, Keiran sings the first verse of the song Shina no yoru.

Then the officer and friends come in to congratulate the couple, and the officer brings the bad news about the ships and Mr. Hase leaving tonight. Keiran doesn’t have the time to weep but to send her newly married husband away. This sudden twist breaks the happiness of the couple and story and makes it more melodramatic until the end as audiences worrying about Mr. Hase’s safety along with Keiran.