A romantic, yet tragic story about the relationship between 3 sisters which would ultimately shape the future of China.Beautiful cinematography, excellent cast, even to the tiniest details about the lives of the sisters were well done.A scene where the characteristics of the 3 sisters were laid out for all to see was the demonstration that they attended at a very young age. We recall how the father, Charlie Soong had asked them to throw away their dolls as they were foreign made. The youngest refused, so the second took her doll and her youngest sister and threw it into the raging fire. The eldest on the other hand hid her doll in her sleeve. A testament to the characters of the girls.The show makes us love the second sister, Ching-ling for her passion and dedication to her country. It makes us look at all 3 sisters and feel that the luckiest was the one motivated by greed and thus married a banker. We cry as we see Ching-ling lose her baby, then her father, and finally her husband, as if it was the price she paid, for loving her country.The show makes you feel sorry for the Communists as Chiang Kai shek went around persecuting them while Japan was fighting a war with China. Cries from his own party members to unite with the Communists to fight the Japanese went unheeded until he was abducted. One wonders if Chiang ever realised that his true enemy was himself, and not the Communists.One feels sorry for Sun (acted well by Winston Chao, and he looks uncannily like the man himself), perhaps because his true vision of China was probably realised at a very heavy price, the price of freedom. While Soong Ching-ling remained loyal till the very end to her country, a question lingered long in her mind and the minds of her sisters...did they find the new China their father had wanted them to find? All 3 lead actresses displayed their acting prowess in the show. The youngest (played by Vivian Wu), who thought it was romantic of her sister to elope with Sun though life with him would have been very unstable, yet who had no qualms about standing by her husband in the quest for greater power. The role of the second sister was well played by Maggie Cheung as she showed her love for her country, her wit (when she said that both she and the plane were made in China, so why could they not trust made in China goods) and her loyalty to the memory of Sun (when she stepped down from the party, feeling that its true principles had been betrayed.Michelle Yeoh acted well as the eldest sister, she even looks the part (as a mentor to her younger sisters). Her approval of the match between Chiang and May-ling showed that she let greed get the better of her. She knew Chiang would be powerful, and what better business deal to do than to strike one with the most powerful man in China? Hsing-kuo Wu did well as Chiang kai shek. Not only did he look the part, the manner in which he exude wickedness made you believe that Chiang is there at the scene in the movie! So one loved money, one loved power, and one loved her country. And the country's future depended on the relationship of these sisters. Is that why the story never truly ended?

On the eve of the turnover to China, Mabel Cheung decides to soft-pedal (some might say "warp") history in favor of the party line. This is not so much the story as legend of the Soong Sisters, three well-educated Chinese women who (as the saying goes) respectively married for a love of wealth, a love of power, and a love of China.As a soft-hued, Stanley Kwan-ish period piece, the melodrama works well enough. As a character study of these singular women, it is disturbingly deficient; only Maggie Cheung as Ching-Ling, the socially conscious husband of Sun Yat Sen figures close to what we know. As history...well, let's just say that the film is oblivious to the oldest sister's well-documented draconian schemings, not to mention the youngest's public charisma crossed with spoiled petulance.It's critical to the film that these three extraordinary women be portrayed as personable; as Ai-ling, the oldest sister, Michelle Yeoh is always engaging and instantly likable. The real Ai-ling may have put on a show for friends and diplomats, but the record tells a different story, which includes political assassination and worse. A film has to be evaluated on its honesty, the The Soong Sisters -- perhaps consciously, perhaps not -- tells lies that brutalized generations.This film does have extraordinary set-decoration and photography, and its story is quietly engaging. A few even sniffled at the poignant finish. I can imagine there's just as much reason to react in anger. If you must, see it for the high-budget glory, but dismiss it as anything but fiction.

9* out of 10This stunning non-fiction epic is filled with cinematic splendour. Base on accounts of the social upheavals in various points and eras in Chinese history, it is filled with gorgeous cinematography, great score by Kitaro and great cast. Historically accurate if not, a few minor point may be incorrect, but as a whole, it shows you the big picture.With some of the best stars there is from China, Taiwan and Hong Kong. Maggie Cheung, Michelle Khan and Vivian Wu portrayal as the three sister are excellent. But the most powerful in performance are from the men. Jiang Wen (outspoken Charlie Soong) also a favourite actor of mine, Winston Chou (charismatic Sun Yatsen) and Kuo Chiuwu (commanding Chiang Kaishek) are powerful and haunting.Despite an 18 minute footage cut from the original, still its a great direction from Mabel Cheung. As a loyal fan of great movies from China, in likes of directors Yimou, Kaige, XieFei and HePing, Soong Sisters to me will be one of my personal favourite masterpiece, one of the few from Hong Kong.Genghiz

Mabel Cheung's abuse of her talents for a tribute(or bribery) to main China. Her femini-nationalism has shifted from warm and sympathetic episodes of Chinese emigrants to a bravado of Song sisters' historic activities during the political turmoil of modern China. Kitaro's music and all-star castings are just a whip of exceedingly sweet cream decorated on a clumsy cook's cake, in order to hide the black burnt sides. They did not want cream but cake for the celebration of Chinese retrieval of Hong Kong!