A Movie Review of “Mona Lisa Smile” and “And the Spring Comes”
Posted: Tue Apr 14, 2020 12:28 am
Cheng Jinghan
Mona Lisa Smile is a drama film produced by the American revolution film studio, directed by Mike Newell, the film stars Julia Roberts, Kirsten Dunst and Julia Stiles. The film was first released in the United States on December 19, 2003. And the Spring Comes is a drama film directed by Gu Changwei, starring Jiang Wenli, Li Guangjie and Jiao Gang, released on April 11, 2008. These two films are of great educational significance in the pursuit of self and ideal.
Mona Lisa Smile tells the story: In 1950s America, Catherine, a UCLA art graduate, chose to teach art history at Wesleyan college, an ancient and traditional girls' school. In the face of America's brightest young women, in the face of old Wesleyan stereotypes, Catherine, full of ideals and passion, boldly challenged the outdated teaching system, giving female students in school and herself, a new perspective on art life and love. And the Spring Comes tells the story of Wang Cail ing, an elderly literary women, who taught music in a small county school in the 1980s. Although her appearance was not attractive, she had a touching voice and was especially fascinated by opera. Unwilling to lead a mediocre life like those around her, she is determined to root in Beijing. After many hardships, she finally bowed to life and shook hands with the world in her own way.
As far as I’m concerned, two movies’ themes are about dream and reality. Although Catherine and Wang Cailing struggle painfully in the process of the contradiction between dream and reality, they all have a positive spirit of pursuing themselves and their ideals.
In Mona Lisa Smile, although the status of women was gradually valued in the 1950s, the feudal ideology of the upper class was still very serious. At the famous Wesleyan University, students' success was defined as their future marriage. Unlike other teachers, Catherine not only challenged school practices and rules, but also encouraged students to explore their own interests and boldly pursue ideals, knowledge and rationality. However, when Catherine was teaching her students, one of the students disagreed with her. This student thought that family is the most important thing and being a mother is the happiest thing. Even in the face of great challenges, Catherine still struggled with the stale reality and backward thoughts. In the end, her struggle undoubtedly awakened some female students like Betty to pursue higher life ideals.
In And the Spring Comes, although Wang Cailing lived in a shabby worker's dormitory and ate instant noodles, she never tired of practicing Italian, played the piano and sang songs that clearly expressed the fullness and firmness of her inner world. Full of ideals and fighting spirit, she was defending her artistic ideals in what she considered the most dignified way. The ironic scenes of the film mainly base Wang's dream of "singing in the Roman opera" on the reality with a great distance from it, which made her confidence and desolation all the more bitter. When Wang Cailing found the personnel department of Beijing conservatory of music to introduce herself, she was rebuffed and desperate to sing in an attempt to prove their strength. Beijing was the refuge of her real life, the only satisfaction to distinguish "mediocrity". Her pride stemmed from her incompetence, her ugly appearance and withdrawn character, so she could only rely on ideals to support self-esteem.
The difference between the two films is the result of two protagonists. Wang Cailing fails. She gave up her dream and chose to make peace with the world in her own way. The scene of Wang singing (fantasy) at the end of the film becomes the highlight of the characters' struggle and insistence on their dignity. However, Catherine succeeds. Catherine persistently influenced his students and led them to find themselves to realize their value. Finally, she won the respect and love of students with her straightforward and enthusiastic teaching style, and was called "Mona Lisa" by female students.
Both films have achieved good performances in terms of the function of music, which enhances the film effect, rendering atmosphere with certain symbolic significance.
In Mona Lisa Smile, the selection of background music and interweaving sublimate the effect of the film. Catherine's first art history lesson began when Betty said to her teacher, "if you don't have anything else to teach, we'd rather teach ourselves." This sentence highlights the atmosphere at the beginning of the background music. When Catherine's ideal is frustrated by reality, the melody makes people feel her helplessness and sadness, alluding to her struggle between ideals and reality.
And the Spring Comes combines the music and the story, promotes the development of the story and depicts the inner contradictions of the characters. Firstly, the music highlights the personality of Wang Cailing and her continuous pursuit of opera art. At the beginning of the film, Wang Cailing's opera "late spring" is playing on the loudspeaker. The director introduces Wang's work and dreams to the audience with "late spring", which defines the theme of the film. Spring is a symbol of hope, and the song implies that the protagonist Wang Cailing is full of hope for her dreams. Secondly, the music depicts Wang Cailing's dissatisfaction with the reality and helplessness. The film reinforces this emotional experience with very sad and somber lyrics, revealing the huge gap between the reality and the ideal of art.
What’s more, both films contain the use of visual elements, which imply the development of the story, enhance the theme of the film, and guide the audience to feel the unique artistic charm of the film.
From the perspective of color, in Mona Lisa Smile, the warm and cold colors are well combined. Catherine listened with rapture as the students discussed their views on the Mona Lisa in class. The dazzling sunlight penetrates the glass and shines all over the classroom. Here the film uses the symbolic method: the brilliant sunshine represents the light of knowledge and independent personality, shining on this group of new women seeking knowledge. It's like Catherine bringing hope to everyone.
Additionally, And the Spring Comes in the camera language is very rich, a variety of shots with each other to create the film atmosphere. The collocation of different lens shows the twists and turns of the Wang's way of pursuing her dream. In the section of Huang Sibao and Wang Cailing taking a train to Beijing, the director uses a long shot to show the train coming quickly from a distance. At the end of the film, Wang Cailing's imaginary self sings in the grand theater. The director takes a long and medium shot to close-up of her face, showing Wang's difficulties in pursuing her dream and the helpless fact that she finally gave in to the real life after all kinds of disillusionment.
In summary, these two films are of great educational significance in the pursuit of self and ideal. So I think you might as well try it if you have time.
Mona Lisa Smile is a drama film produced by the American revolution film studio, directed by Mike Newell, the film stars Julia Roberts, Kirsten Dunst and Julia Stiles. The film was first released in the United States on December 19, 2003. And the Spring Comes is a drama film directed by Gu Changwei, starring Jiang Wenli, Li Guangjie and Jiao Gang, released on April 11, 2008. These two films are of great educational significance in the pursuit of self and ideal.
Mona Lisa Smile tells the story: In 1950s America, Catherine, a UCLA art graduate, chose to teach art history at Wesleyan college, an ancient and traditional girls' school. In the face of America's brightest young women, in the face of old Wesleyan stereotypes, Catherine, full of ideals and passion, boldly challenged the outdated teaching system, giving female students in school and herself, a new perspective on art life and love. And the Spring Comes tells the story of Wang Cail ing, an elderly literary women, who taught music in a small county school in the 1980s. Although her appearance was not attractive, she had a touching voice and was especially fascinated by opera. Unwilling to lead a mediocre life like those around her, she is determined to root in Beijing. After many hardships, she finally bowed to life and shook hands with the world in her own way.
As far as I’m concerned, two movies’ themes are about dream and reality. Although Catherine and Wang Cailing struggle painfully in the process of the contradiction between dream and reality, they all have a positive spirit of pursuing themselves and their ideals.
In Mona Lisa Smile, although the status of women was gradually valued in the 1950s, the feudal ideology of the upper class was still very serious. At the famous Wesleyan University, students' success was defined as their future marriage. Unlike other teachers, Catherine not only challenged school practices and rules, but also encouraged students to explore their own interests and boldly pursue ideals, knowledge and rationality. However, when Catherine was teaching her students, one of the students disagreed with her. This student thought that family is the most important thing and being a mother is the happiest thing. Even in the face of great challenges, Catherine still struggled with the stale reality and backward thoughts. In the end, her struggle undoubtedly awakened some female students like Betty to pursue higher life ideals.
In And the Spring Comes, although Wang Cailing lived in a shabby worker's dormitory and ate instant noodles, she never tired of practicing Italian, played the piano and sang songs that clearly expressed the fullness and firmness of her inner world. Full of ideals and fighting spirit, she was defending her artistic ideals in what she considered the most dignified way. The ironic scenes of the film mainly base Wang's dream of "singing in the Roman opera" on the reality with a great distance from it, which made her confidence and desolation all the more bitter. When Wang Cailing found the personnel department of Beijing conservatory of music to introduce herself, she was rebuffed and desperate to sing in an attempt to prove their strength. Beijing was the refuge of her real life, the only satisfaction to distinguish "mediocrity". Her pride stemmed from her incompetence, her ugly appearance and withdrawn character, so she could only rely on ideals to support self-esteem.
The difference between the two films is the result of two protagonists. Wang Cailing fails. She gave up her dream and chose to make peace with the world in her own way. The scene of Wang singing (fantasy) at the end of the film becomes the highlight of the characters' struggle and insistence on their dignity. However, Catherine succeeds. Catherine persistently influenced his students and led them to find themselves to realize their value. Finally, she won the respect and love of students with her straightforward and enthusiastic teaching style, and was called "Mona Lisa" by female students.
Both films have achieved good performances in terms of the function of music, which enhances the film effect, rendering atmosphere with certain symbolic significance.
In Mona Lisa Smile, the selection of background music and interweaving sublimate the effect of the film. Catherine's first art history lesson began when Betty said to her teacher, "if you don't have anything else to teach, we'd rather teach ourselves." This sentence highlights the atmosphere at the beginning of the background music. When Catherine's ideal is frustrated by reality, the melody makes people feel her helplessness and sadness, alluding to her struggle between ideals and reality.
And the Spring Comes combines the music and the story, promotes the development of the story and depicts the inner contradictions of the characters. Firstly, the music highlights the personality of Wang Cailing and her continuous pursuit of opera art. At the beginning of the film, Wang Cailing's opera "late spring" is playing on the loudspeaker. The director introduces Wang's work and dreams to the audience with "late spring", which defines the theme of the film. Spring is a symbol of hope, and the song implies that the protagonist Wang Cailing is full of hope for her dreams. Secondly, the music depicts Wang Cailing's dissatisfaction with the reality and helplessness. The film reinforces this emotional experience with very sad and somber lyrics, revealing the huge gap between the reality and the ideal of art.
What’s more, both films contain the use of visual elements, which imply the development of the story, enhance the theme of the film, and guide the audience to feel the unique artistic charm of the film.
From the perspective of color, in Mona Lisa Smile, the warm and cold colors are well combined. Catherine listened with rapture as the students discussed their views on the Mona Lisa in class. The dazzling sunlight penetrates the glass and shines all over the classroom. Here the film uses the symbolic method: the brilliant sunshine represents the light of knowledge and independent personality, shining on this group of new women seeking knowledge. It's like Catherine bringing hope to everyone.
Additionally, And the Spring Comes in the camera language is very rich, a variety of shots with each other to create the film atmosphere. The collocation of different lens shows the twists and turns of the Wang's way of pursuing her dream. In the section of Huang Sibao and Wang Cailing taking a train to Beijing, the director uses a long shot to show the train coming quickly from a distance. At the end of the film, Wang Cailing's imaginary self sings in the grand theater. The director takes a long and medium shot to close-up of her face, showing Wang's difficulties in pursuing her dream and the helpless fact that she finally gave in to the real life after all kinds of disillusionment.
In summary, these two films are of great educational significance in the pursuit of self and ideal. So I think you might as well try it if you have time.
