一个美国朋友推荐我看此片，另外还有the painted veil,这是看后的回复：Dear Jim,Thank you for the movies you lent me. Both are greatmovies. But if I were American, I would enjoy it morebecause these movies are very American in the wayheroes are defined and made. But as a Chinese, Sand Pebbles sometimes upsets mebecause it seems to make Chinese look like nothing butmobs who twist situations for their goal (such as thekilling of the pregnant woman). The movie makes itlook like there is less humanity in the Chinese thanin the Americans who are aboard this ship. Chinese atthis time were made to look like intimidating forcesthreatening Americans, but one cannot help wondering:Why is the ship there in the first place? Ourdescription of history tells us a story much from theperspective similar to that of Jamerson. Ourcollective memory tells exactly the opposite things:we thought that the foreigners at this time in thesemilitary or polictical missions were provocative, andare unfairly privileged, and caused us greatsufferings, which jeopardizes the good will and goodwork that could have been done, such as teaching andmission work. And as you recall from Madam JiangKai-shek's article in the Atlantic Monthly, China wasstruggling with issue of foreign exploitation at thistime of national awakening. We thought that is the exploitation and all the unfairtreaties that lead to all the anti-foreign sentiments. The movie is very true on this level. Usually theChinese governments are quite docile in front offoreign powers in spite of all their slogans fornational interests (except during Mao's time). It'sthe people that can turn against foreigners becausethey are frustrated that their governments are notdoing enough to protect them against foreign invasionor intrusion. I see the same thing here in the US. All administrations start with China bashing of somesorts to get votes, but once in power, they went on toget along fairly well with China. Yet it is thepeople who turn against China, Chinese people orChinese goods. Unless that changes, the two nationscannot actually get along with each other. It isgreat if the peoples find ways to get along with eachother, because that matters more.I am a little puzzled that the nationalists governmentare turned against the foreigners at this time. I amnot sure if that is true to history, because the closealliance with the Americans is what the communistparty often faults the nationalists with. And it ispretty well known later on that the nationalists usedUS-armed forces against the communists in thenationalist-communist civil war. The nationalisttakeover of Nanjing should not have been a cause fordistress for Sand Pebbles. I am wondering if there isa time in history when the nationalists are againstthe US as well. Because the other movie (paintedveil) seems to say the same thing. I need to lookinto that. I remember the Pearl Buck book sayssomething about that as well?That's a lot of reflections for now. But both moviesare very much thought-provoking. Thanks for sharingthem.Have a great week!Berlin
