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Flowers of Shanghai (1998): Ratings & Plot

Flowers of Shanghai (1998) movie poster

Flowers of Shanghai is a 1998 drama directed by Hsiao-hsien Hou. It runs 2 hours 5 minutes. Critics gave it 93% on Rotten Tomatoes and 73 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.3/10.

IMDb rating
7.3/10
Rotten Tomatoes
93%
Metascore
73
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Flowers of Shanghai (1998) movie poster
Released
Runtime
2h 5m (125 min)
Director
Hsiao-hsien Hou
Genre
Drama
Original language
Shg
After the credits
No No extra scene
The story

What Is Flowers of Shanghai About?

The premise of Flowers of Shanghai without spoilers. The whole story is in the plot summary further down.

Set in 1880s Shanghai, this film explores the lives of courtesans within four opulent brothels. Elegant women navigate complex relationships and restrictive societal expectations amidst a backdrop of opium dens and gambling. The story follows a delicate balance of desires and deceptions, questioning whether Wang will choose Crimson or the captivating Jasmin. Emerald employs her intelligence to seek independence, while Pearl mentors Jade through the intricacies of love and obligation. The women's destinies intertwine, creating a precarious and captivating drama.

Flowers of Shanghai Themes & Keywords

· 50 tags
  • shanghai china
  • brothel
  • hairpin
  • year 1884
  • courtesan
  • opium pipe
  • opium smoking
  • opium
  • debt
  • sugar daddy
  • slavery
  • banquet
+38 more
  • brothel madam
  • prostitute
  • alcohol abuse
  • jealousy
  • in love with a prostitute
  • emancipation
  • objectification of women
  • drinking alcohol
  • drinking game
  • marriage proposal
  • love
  • decadence
  • deception
  • survival
  • pleasure on demand
  • wealth
  • sensuality
  • love triangle
  • seduction
  • 19th century
  • episodic structure
  • ensemble cast
  • food
  • period piece
  • colonialism
  • freedom
  • loyalty
  • patrician
  • flower girl
  • buying one's freedom
  • game playing
  • 1880s
  • heartbreak
  • sadness
  • desire
  • dread
  • fate
  • rivalry
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Crew

The Director of Flowers of Shanghai

Directed by Hsiao-hsien Hou.

From the director

More from Hsiao-hsien Hou

More films directed by Hsiao-hsien Hou, best-rated first: Flight of the Red Balloon, Three Times, Café Lumière and The Assassin.

Full filmography
Ratings

Flowers of Shanghai Reviews & Ratings

Critics gave Flowers of Shanghai 93% on Rotten Tomatoes and 73 on Metacritic, and IMDb users rate it 7.3/10.

Plot

Flowers of Shanghai Plot Summary

What happens in Flowers of Shanghai from start to finish, spoilers included, with a timeline of 15 key events. The opening is below; the full summary is a 2-minute read.

Spoilers ahead

“Hai Shang Hua Lei Chuang,” a novel penned by Han Zi Yun, first appeared as a series in 1892. Originally written in Wu dialect, which can be challenging for non-speakers, the tale fell into obscurity until translated into Mandarin by Eileen Chang in 1983, subsequently earning its English title, The Flowers of Shanghai.

Full summary

The whole story of Flowers of Shanghai, scene by scene

Read the full summary
Videos

Flowers of Shanghai Trailers & Videos

The trailer of Flowers of Shanghai.

Flowers of Shanghai | Restoration Trailer | Opens July 2
Quiz

How Well Do You Know Flowers of Shanghai?

10 questions about the story, each with a hint if you get stuck. Pick an answer to see whether you were right.

Question 1 of 10

  1. Question 1: not answered
  2. Question 2: not answered
  3. Question 3: not answered
  4. Question 4: not answered
  5. Question 5: not answered
  6. Question 6: not answered
  7. Question 7: not answered
  8. Question 8: not answered
  9. Question 9: not answered
  10. Question 10: not answered

Who is the central figure that reigns supreme at the College of Zhau?

Details

Flowers of Shanghai Also Known As

13 alternative titles, including “Hai shang hua” and “해상화”.

Also known as
  • Hai shang hua
  • 해상화
  • フラワーズ・オブ・シャンハイ
  • Les Fleurs de Shanghai
  • Die Blumen von Schanghai
  • The Flowers of Shanghai
  • Şangay'ın Çiçekleri
  • Hải Thượng Hoa
  • Шанхайские цветы
  • Flores de Shanghai
  • Die Blumen von Shanghai, შანხაის ყვავილები
  • Flores de Xangai
+1 more
  • ฟลาวเวอร์สออฟเซี่ยงไฮ้

Seen Flowers of Shanghai?

FAQ

Flowers of Shanghai FAQ: Runtime, Release Date & Director

Runtime, release date, director, ratings, post-credit scenes and language of Flowers of Shanghai, each answered in a sentence.

How long is Flowers of Shanghai?

Flowers of Shanghai runs 2 hours 5 minutes (125 minutes).

When was Flowers of Shanghai released?

Flowers of Shanghai was released on October 5, 1998.

Who directed Flowers of Shanghai?

Flowers of Shanghai was directed by Hsiao-hsien Hou.

More films by Hsiao-hsien Hou

How is Flowers of Shanghai rated?

Flowers of Shanghai has 7.3/10 on IMDb, 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, 73 on Metacritic and 69% on TMDB.

Does Flowers of Shanghai have a post-credit scene?

No. Flowers of Shanghai has no extra scene during or after the credits.

What language is Flowers of Shanghai in?

The original language of Flowers of Shanghai is Shg.

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