Kawashima Yoshiko (film)

Kawashima Yoshiko (in Chinese 川島芳子) is a 1990 Hong Kong historical drama film directed by Eddie Fong based on the life of Yoshiko Kawashima, a Manchu princess who was brought up as a Japanese and served as a spy in the service of the Japanese Kwantung Army and Manchukuo during the Second World War. The film stars Anita Mui as Kawashima, Andy Lau, Patrick Tse and Derek Yee.

Kawashima Yoshiko
Film poster
Traditional Chinese川島芳子
Simplified Chinese川岛芳子
Hanyu PinyinChuān Dǎo Fāng Zǐ
JyutpingCyun1 Dou2 Fong1 Zi2
Directed byEddie Fong
Screenplay byLilian Lee
Produced byTeddy Robin
StarringAnita Mui
Andy Lau
Patrick Tse
Derek Yee
CinematographyJingle Ma
Edited byHenry Cheung
Music byJim Sam
Production
company
Paragon Films
Distributed byGolden Harvest
Release date
  • 28 July 1990 (1990-07-28)
Running time
105 minutes
CountryHong Kong
LanguageCantonese
Box officeHK$11,798,844

Plot

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Yoshiko Kawashima is the 14th princess of Prince Su of the Qing dynasty. In order to revive Manchu culture, Prince Su sent Yoshiko to Japan to be trained as a spy by Naniwa Kawashima, who also deprived Yoshiko of her virginity. Yoshiko was ordered to marry a Mongol prince, although the marriage was a failure. After breaking with Naniwa, Yoshiko went to Shanghai and, with her beauty and leverage, she attaches herself to Japanese general Tanaka Takayoshi and helps Puyi establish Manchukuo in Xinjing. She becomes a commander of a Manchukuo army unit and a Japanese spy, seeking revenge on revolutionaries. But upon seeing her former lover Cloud, who became a revolutionary, being arrested for assassinating Takayoshi, Yoshiko has a change of mind. But a crisis will ensue.

Cast

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Box office

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The film grossed HK$11,798,844 at the Hong Kong box office during its theatrical run from 28 July to 23 August 1990.

Award nominations

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See also

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