Willem was totally wasted here, as were quite a few of the cast. I think that's why he wasn't up to his usual mark, I suspect he was aware of the 'we're gonna dumb down to rock bottom levels on this one!' attitude that prevailed in this production.I suspect he really needed to pay some bills.The musical score was woeful, really hideous.It was filmed beautifully, all wasted.What was with the voices? It seemed like Mr Wu and friends were badly dubbed with crassly exaggerated US accents.I accepted that it wasn't going to be as poignant as the book. Whenever an American movie of this type puts 'adapted from' on anything, it always means 'light years away from', and you know it's going to be an immature travesty. Yup, it was.It could still have been great, even with the story changes, but it was so clumsily executed, with such a heavy hand on everything. The characters were made into caricatures, and the ending was a very strange thing. It was like a bad outfit, where you just say, ''what were they thinking?''.I thoroughly enjoyed all the costumes, and would give a kidney to live in that house with that garden. All the stone and stunted pine had me drooling. Just goes to show how much you can enjoy a good set, when the movie is immature pap, being spoon fed to the mob.Even, so, if it had been treated properly, it could have been a much better film, even as it was. If Merchant-Ivory had done this, it would have been a stunner.

OK, I see that someone filmed _Pavilion of Women_. Interesting choice. Then I look at the credits: No Tsemo, no Rulan, and... what in the name of Hong Xiuquan is a Japanese general doing in _Pavilion of Women_!? They seem to have this confused with _Dragon Seed_ or something...And I was really looking forward to seeing who they cast as those two. The Tsemo-Rulan story arc was easily my favorite part of the book, and with their very good Fengmo, I had high hopes...In short: this sounds like it's *nothing* like the book. Perhaps I'll get this comment deleted for having been posted without seeing the film, but frankly, with a departure like *this* (not to mention Brother Andre utterly abandoning his original character -- ugh, the fact that the fellow doesn't actually exist doesn't mean that he shouldn't sue), I'd say that seeing the film is probably far too steep a price to pay. Let's hope for a *real* adaptation of _Pavilion_ someday -- or, to be more practical, something like _Kinfolk_, or ideally _Sons_.(Yes, on that subject, well, a _Sons_ movie would be nothing to stab one's treacherous but extremely beautiful kitsune concubine over, but it would be about as close to that as a film would be likely to get...)

I just watched this movie for the first time, August 2006, and was left wanting more. I found Willem Defoe charming and real. I will watch it again and again. I am glad it was "Americanized". I think showing the true characters of the far east would have made it boring and too callous in some situations. I prefer an idealized version for a "Romantic MOVIE", I'm tired of all the Realism in real life and this is a wonderful escape with just enough reality to snap you back. I can get all the reality I want with the news. The scenery was spectacular. The way of life for women showed to some degree how men treat women China. Made me feel that if I were a man, that is where I would want to be living. To be pampered all the time and not have to answer to anyone except mother. I was however, surprised how much respect was shown the the mother. Guess the father was dead? Definitely see this movie if you can appreciate a romantic movie. Excellent chick flick.Thank you for reading my review. A romantic at heart.

but it is not bad. This movie seems to play like an opera. There is much exaggeration. Except there is no singing. If there was singing, it would excuse the simplification of the story. Also, there are no scenes were the camera pulls back and allows the viewer to appreciate the landscape and sceneryHowever, the film is still entertaining. It has some touching moments although the ending was definitely over the top. It is worth watching if you like melodrama.