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Why Did Wong Chia Chi / Mak Tai Tai Join?

posted 16 years ago by Multipleh
8 replies | jump to latest

This is one of the main plot holes in the film. You don't really know why she joined the group. It just seems that she was swept up in this secret group activity. The second time we see her join because of a more serious reason yet, we don't really get the sense of her belief and her convictions. It's like she happens to get herself in this situation. Maybe that was the writer's message to show two people wrapped up in situations and in circumstances? I don't really get the sense that Wong Chia Chi / Mak Tai Tai is passionate about her mission.

[–] lbatista81 16 years ago

Yeah this is one of the reasons I couldn't get into the film a little more as well. I mean I think its a very good film, just not excellent or brilliant. In the end I felt like Wong's character was a bit too superficial. I never felt like I really understood why she let herself get so deeply involved, as she never seemed that politically inclined. As a matter of fact the film kinda lets on otherwise i.e. the scene where she suggests a classic drama instead of the propaganda filled play they end up doing, also the scene where she's looking at the scenery and they tell her to come up. I felt they could have handled her backstory a little better.

Perhaps her lack of a father made her want to look for something. I don't know, maybe this is what they wanted us to think.

[–] Multipleh 16 years ago

Perhaps her lack of a father made her want to look for something. I don't know, maybe this is what they wanted us to think.

I think that was probably the reason.

[–] dagrattle 16 years ago

Perhaps her lack of a father made her want to look for something. I don't know, maybe this is what they wanted us to think.

This is a huge part of what was going on, and key to the film.
Think about her relationships with all the men in her life...

[–] expiry223 16 years ago

In the beginning she is very interested in Kuang, and it seems to me she went into the whole deal in the first place because of him. In an earlier conversation she also says something like "He's very devoted", and then later it seems like he is able to glow the little spark that is needed for her to join.

But then because of all the serious things that are happening, and because she is drawn more and more into the whole scheme, they are drawn apart, and eventually she runs away when they have to kill the guy in the house. As you maybe remember from the scene where Kuang kisses her in the last part, she says "Why did you not do that 3 years ago?". It's apparent she wanted to be with him back then, but he was too scared to approach her, and now it was too late. And at the same time it was also too late for her to go back.

[–] skateking64 16 years ago

I think it was because she didn't have anything special going on in her life, the fact that she liked Kuang, and the fact that Mr. Yee intrigued her.

[–] junktom 16 years ago

In the original book, Wong didn't felt for Kuang, he's just one among the students. She said herself later that she felt stupid upon the whole assisination project, including losing her virginity.

On the contrary, Wong felt for Yee (in the book) because he's the only one who felt her importancy, taking her out and things...

[–] littleteakettle 13 years ago

Oh but I think it speaks volumes about her personality. She wanted to belong, have some sort of grounding. If she hadn't joined, she would have been all alone.

[–] Elisabet Jonsson 12 years ago

So just because she isn't a demagogue, like the leader of the acting group, you think there was no conviction? What about fleeing the Japanese and coming to HongKong, just after losing her mother? Perhaps the mother was killed by the Japanese -- I think a Chinese viewer can read the undertext better than we can. Also the Chinese I know do not speak easily about their inner feelings.