City of Life and Death

Lu Chuan's beautiful black and white film recounts the grim horrors of the Rape of Nanking, where hundreds of thousands of Chinese were killed, and tens of thousands of women were raped (and forced to become "comfort women") by the Japanese army in 1937. Nanking (now Nanjing) was the Chinese capital and part of Japan's plans to conquer Asia as Nazi Germany was conquering Europe. Interestingly, although a Chinese film, it does not seek to demonize the Japanese, and in fact portrays one particular soldier sympathetically. Kadogawa does his job, but does not descend to barbarism himself unlike his savage commander. Meanwhile, Chinese citizens are being protected by well-meaning and connected Chinese and foreigners (including a German, who's able to use the Germany-Japan alliance as a way of protecting Chinese civilians). Mr. Tang, an aid to the German, and his family are beset with terrible tragedy as they and others try their best to survive (and help other survive) the horrors of war. A sobering film that says, sadly, these are the terrible things that happened. (7.5/10)