Hwang's M. Butterfly Clip 3

Hwang's M. Butterfly Clip 4

Victimization of the Orient

Rene Gallimard (Mr. Hwang's name for M. Boursicot) consistently paints a picture of how victimized he is, how innocent to the ways of the world he was, and how his love was so pure for his "Butterfly," Beijing opera star Song Liling. The embassy workers choose to ignore reality -- whether it be to the plight of the Chinese people, their government's motivations for being in this slowly disintegrating colony, or to the fact that they are all cheating on their spouses with each other, the sentiment is basically "Don't ask, don't tell." And even the American government -- about to embark on the Vietnam War -- is given the insightful view of "The Americans always like to hear how welcome they are." A delusion we seemingly still enjoy today. And finally the epicenter of the scandal of the diplomatic community, Song Liling (wonderfully done by J. Hiroyuki Liao) lives a delusion of his/her own. Alternately treating M. Gallimard with condescending haughtiness and child-like need, he wonders why Rene has no desire or use for him when his charade has been revealed. The only one who views life with any sense of honesty is Kelly Brady's Renee, a college student studying in China whom M. Gallimard meets at an embassy party. Her earthiness and openness soon turns M. Gallimard off -- it's too difficult for him to hear her words. When she sums up their world politics discussion with "That's what we call civilized society. The whole world run by guys with pricks the size of pins." you have a feeling she is on to something. And it's this contentment to live lies that makes the story so interesting and yet, at times, so tedious and seemingly longer than its two hours and forty-five minutes. (Source)