Two Stage Sisters (1965)

This film is available in two versions. A shorter, less propaganda-fueled version (clearly the superior edit), and a lengthier, more politically exaggerated one. The film is about two female friends who have a sibling-like bond while living in the 1930s and 1940s with a destitute Chinese opera group. Politics causes a schism between two ladies who later achieve fame and fortune. Many fans of the film have expressed concern over the film's probable gay implications.

It's easy to dismiss this picture because of its state-sponsored propaganda and the way it nearly appears to hijack its sense of creative integrity. Looking past the overpowering political influences, "Two Stage Sisters" is a poetic and wonderfully produced narrative about comradeship and personal integrity. What it lacks in political ambiguity, it more than makes up for with its enigmatic and sensitively handled study of a bitter-sweet romance.

Detailed information:
Directed by: Xie Jin
Starring: Xie Fang, Cao Yindi, Shangguan Yunzhu
Release date: 1964
Running time: 114 minutes