The Goddess: Wu Yonggang

[Revisit Review]

Wu Yonggang's The Goddess was the fifth movie I ever reviewed on my first film blog Forgotten Classics of Yesteryear. Even back then I was sensitive to its tremendous emotional power. The Goddess may be set in early 20th century China, but its story is universal. This is underscored in the way that most of the principle characters don't have actual names. The protagonist is an unnamed woman. The domineering man is known as "the boss." This makes them more than just characters; they are archetypes. And unlike many films which try to mimic such techniques, The Goddess has the earnestness to achieve it without seeming cheesy, campy, or forced.

9/10