The Scent of Green Papaya (1994)

This Vietnamese film is a remarkable piece of film-making. A delight for the senses, there is very little dialogue in this movie and aptly so given that the movements, sounds, facial expressions, etc. are the dominant features of the film. The story's central character is Mui, a ten-year-old girl who has moved to Saigon to work as a house maid. Mui is treated well by the mistress of the house, a woman who is still grieving the loss of her young daughter seven years ago. The fact that Mui is the age her daughter would have been had she lived makes the mistress look kindly upon Mui.

Mui soon learns her way about the household (father, mother, and two sons) under the guidance of an older maid who is also the cook. She learns that the master and mistress are not close to each other, and that the master has occasionally run off with the wife's savings to fool around with other women.

The movie's charms lie mainly in Mui's portrayal of interest in her surroundings watching an ant heave a piece of burnt bread; hearing birds sing; frogs croaking, etc. Viewers also get to see Mui's emotional growth from a naïve young child into a beautiful young woman, who eventually leaves her old household to find her livelihood in another household, where a relationship develops between Mui and her new master. This is a leisurely-paced movie that allows viewers to luxuriate in every little detail, sights, and sounds without being bombarded by non-stop dialogue or too many characters. A true cinematic gem.

I saw this movie on TV back when I was 17, and it floored me. I had never seen a movie with such power; power derived from simplicity and stillness. It inspired me to expose myself to more foreign films, and see what cinema can really portray. This movie is an experience. I would give this movie my highest recommendation (especially on bluray). Also, this directors next movie, "Vertical Ray Of The Sun" is equally as good.

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This film is sort of a cinematic poem and it looks and sounds terrific on Blu-ray. I was very impressed by the picture quality, and the film was great as well. It's not heavy on plot, dialogue or action. It's a simple story about a peasant girl who goes to work for a wealthy family in 1950s Vietnam. Even though she is a poor servant, she is able to take pleasure in the small things (like the scent of green papaya). The cinematography and the performances of the two actresses (the same girl at age 10 and then at age 20) are what make the movie great. Incredibly, the entire film was shot on sound stages in France! In a behind the scenes doc, you can see the sets being built. This film is an impressive achievement and I look forward to viewing more of this director's works on Blu-ray.

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This is a lovely French-Vietnamese film that tells the story of Mui (Man San Lu), a ten year old, illiterate girl with a sweet disposition who becomes a servant in a traditional upper middle class, Saigon household in 1951 Vietnam. Separated from her mother at such a young age, Mui takes the world in stride, enjoying and savoring all that is around her. Even the simple scent of green papaya charms her. She is definitely someone who looks at her glass as being half-full rather than half-empty.

She comes to the household like a breath of fresh air. The household consists of a mother, a father, three sons, and the grandmother, the father's mother. The mother (Thi Loc Truong) seems to be a somewhat unhappy woman. Having lost her only daughter, a child that would have been Mui's age had she lived, the sight of Mui makes her happy. She otherwise has little about which to be happy. The father (Ngoc Trung Tran), a seemingly uncommunicative man, spends his time playing melancholic music. He occasionally leaves the household for months at a time, taking with him the family's money and small valuables in order to carouse and have a good time, leaving the mother to fend for the family as best that she can. The grandmother is given to berating her, blaming her for the father's absences.

There are three sons in the household, two young ones who play pranks and torment others, as well as a much older son, whose best friend, Khuyen (Hoa Hoi Vuong), occasionally comes to dinner. It is there that he first catches Mui's eye, and she is smitten, developing a little crush on him. Ten years later, with the family on the skids, their wealth having dissipated, the father and mother-in-law now dead, the oldest son married to a shrew, a now twenty year old Mui (Tran Nu Yen Khe), who is quite lovely to look at, can no longer remain in the household, as they can no longer afford to keep her. She is to go and work in the household of the wealthy Khuyen. The mother, heartbroken at Mui's leaving, gives her valuable gifts that she would have given her own daughter, had she but lived.

When Mui goes to Khuyen's westernized household, the influence of the French being obvious, Khuyen is engaged to a very cosmopolitan and worldly woman who makes demands upon Khuyen that upset the harmony of his life. Khuyen is an artist, as he is a composer and pianist. Mui quietly walks around the fringes of his life, bringing peace, harmony, and beauty along with her. Comparisons to Khuyen's fiance are inescapable. Mui is now a beautiful young woman who still delights in the simplest things around her. One day she decides to use the valuable gifts that her former employer gave her. The artist in Khuyen cannot help but notice. It is then that Mui's life is transformed and becomes the stuff of fairytales.

Nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Film, this is simply a beautiful film. With a minimum of dialogue, the director, Tran Anh Hung, who also wrote the screenplay, manages to convey much, exacting exquisite performances from the entire cast. It is Mui, however, who captures the heart of the viewer. Mui is a pure delight, patient, joyful, and loving. It is the role of Mui that is central to the film, and both actresses succeed brilliantly in anchoring the film through their respective portrayals. Moreover, although most of the film takes place in the two households in which Mui works, the film does not cease to fascinate. It is hard to believe that this film was shot on a sound stage in Paris, as the sets look so authentic. This is not a film for everyone, however, as the scenes are slow and deliberate and contain little dialogue. For those for whom beauty is of the essence, their patience will be amply rewarded.

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The Blu-ray release of The Scent of Green Papaya is truly cinematic poetry. This is how the film should be viewed ...in all it artistic High-Def glory! It's like night and day compared to the DVD release I own. The details of the sets down to the papaya seeds will leave you breathless. Trust me, if you loved the film back when, you'll love it even more on Blu-ray.

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