The Red Detachment Of Women: Film Analysis

The Red Detachment of Women is a propaganda film directed by Xie Jin that portrayed the utopic change the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) would bring through the Cultural Revolution. The stark contrasts shown between the lives of the proletarian and Chinese capitalist bourgeoisie helped fuel Mao Zedong’s Cultural Revolution. The film focuses on gender equality, wealth disparity, and the importance in the annihilation of individualism.
Pre-Mao China enforced strict gender protocols which placed women well below the standing of men. Mao realized early on that gaining the support of women would not only ascertain the winning over of ~50% of the population, but would also influence future generations into giving him support. The movie starts with the main female protagonist Qiong Hua being captured and tortured by Nan Batian’s men. Batian is a very rich, upper class slave owning capitalist, and thus is the main antagonist of the film. The movie ends with an army of women, led by Hua, killing Batian and his men. The transition between Hua being a helpless, yet determined character, to becoming a commanding, confident, and most importantly empowered
Therefore all acts in the film focused on the cause rather than personal desire. The two main characters were very obviously fond of one another, but rather than falling in love and fulfilling their lust, they choose to work together passionately for the Communist cause. Sacrifice, the complete opposite of individualism, is the very basis of the entire movie, starting from the beginning and ending with the male protagonist’s death, sacrifice is very much present. The coins Hua received were not used for selfish wants, rather she used them to reach the communist camp, to buy a uniform, and then for inspiration for the