In his review of “2046”, a Wong Kar-wai movie that is practically a sequel to “In the Mood for Love”, Roger Ebert wrote: “It is always too early or too late for love in a Wong Kar-wai film, and his characters spend their days in yearnings and regrets.” This may be a starting point to understand “In the Mood for Love”, and the eroticism and romance that permeate the movie.
The mood it creates is that of longing; a mixture of feelings of desire and regret over things done, or not done. The film follows Mr. Chow and Mrs. Chan as they form a bond that is characterized by their strong romantic feelings toward each other. They suspect, obviously correctly, that their spouses are having an affair, and form a bond based on mutual affection and the shared experience they are going through.
What makes this film distinct and unique when compared to most romantic movies is that it deals with a relationship that is never going to happen, but nevertheless, a great loss is experienced.
A portrayal of a couple agreeing to keep their bond “platonic”, and yet suffering great sadness over the loss of each other that spans over years, is a recipe for a love story long to be remembered. Its flavor is a tragic one. In “2046” we learn how Chow deals with the loss years after. He engages in one night stands and refuses to be emotionally involved with another woman on a deeper level.
The fact that it was too late or too early for love is symbolically portrayed in various scenes in which only a clock is shown on the screen. Visually, and in terms of a distinct cinematic style, the moments of intimacy and sadness are captured with perfection.
In this article, seven reasons will be presented for why “In the Mood for Love” may be considered the most romantic movie of this century; the uniqueness of its narration and its characters’ most intimate feelings are depicted with great care, sincerity, and artistic vision, making it a stunning accomplishment.
1. A tragic choice and its consequences
It is safe to assume that “Romeo and Juliet” wouldn’t be an everlasting love story with an influence that spans over centuries if it were a drama about a happily married couple in Verona. Its tragedy, with both lovers ending up dead believing they lost each other, makes it appealing to readers and viewers of countless transpositions.
For Aristotle, the aim of tragedy is to bring “catharsis” to the spectators, to arouse in them the sensations of pity and fear, and cleanse them of these emotions. Catharsis is brought by witnessing a disastrous change of fortunes in the protagonists of a drama.
“In the Mood for Love” can be considered tragic since the fortunes of Mr. Chow and Mrs. Chan changed dramatically in a way that shaped their lives in a deeply unfortunate manner. They experienced a bond, a connection, but ultimately they lost each other. The movie opens with a caption: “It is a restless moment. She has kept her head lowered… to give him a chance to come closer. But he could not, for lack of courage. She turns and walks away.”
The film may be considered tragic since the protagonists are faced with a tragic choice. Either they will resist the temptation to be together and stay loyal to their spouses, or they will be courageous enough to leave together.
The virtues of loyalty and courage are mutually exclusive in this instance; it is either the one or the other. Mrs. Chan says “We won’t be like them,” implicating that she puts the emphasis on loyalty.
Nevertheless, both characters later show great desire to leave together, to be courageous enough to start a new life, and yet they do not. In his book “Moral Dilemmas”, Daniel Statman writes: “Tragic choices are situations in which ‘whatever a person does, he would irreparably damage one of the projects or relationships which he pursued and which shape his life.’”
Whether courageous or loyal, both characters would most certainly lose each other, or bring an end to their respective marriages; both relationships seem to have considerable impacts on their lives. The romantic mood and emotional tension of the film have roots in the tragic choice the protagonists are forced to make. In “2046” Chow says: “Some years back I had a happy ending in my grasp, but I let it slip away.”
2. It shows how “it’s already happened” before our eyes
When Mr. Chow and Mrs. Chan begin to see each other, one of them makes an advance. We do not know who it is, since both his and her advances are shown. After Mrs. Chan says she cannot “say it,” Mr. Chow says: “I understand. After all, it’s already happened. It doesn’t matter who made the first move.” This scene shows how romantic feelings just happen, and there is no need to rationalize them or put them in the “right context”.
Later in the film, when their feelings toward each other evolve in a more deep and profound way and they have already made their choice to not be together, Mrs. Chan says: “I didn’t think you’d fall in love with me.” He replies: “I didn’t either. I was only curious to know how it started. Now I know. Feelings can creep up just like that.”
He explains the nature of romantic feelings, how there is no possibility at all to understand them rationally, or find a certain point in time in which they arose. They just happen. These thoughts present the romance in the movie as an atmosphere, a certain mood that is felt by the protagonists, and that affects the viewer as well. This mood may be reflected upon or discussed, but just like joy or sadness, it speaks for itself.
In Plato’s “Symposium”, Aristophanes describes the great joy of lovers: “And when one of them finds his other half, whether he be a lover of youth or a lover of another sort, the pair are lost in amazement of love and friendship and intimacy… yet they could not explain what they desire of one another.”
This joy is, for the most part, denied for Mr. Chow and Mrs. Chan, since they see their relationship as forbidden, yet they feel a strong longing for each other, without a possibility or need to explain what it is about each other for which they yearn.
3. Scenography and prevailing colors intensify the emotions
The film opens with a bright red screen and ends with it, suggesting an erotic and passionate atmosphere. In the very beginning, the walls are white; beige or gray colours prevail, and they suggest indifference. The dresses Mrs. Chan wears suggest a mild passion, possibly depicting her marriage. When Mr. Chow and Mrs. Chan start to meet each other, warmer colours, mostly red, dominate the screen, portraying intense emotions.
The place in which they reside is one of tight spaces, small rooms, and a narrow hallway that suggest intimacy; as an example, Mr. Chow and Mrs. Chan are “trapped” in a room all night while the neighbours are playing a card game. It also suggests a lack of privacy; their relationship is not possible in their perspective, since others might suspect something and treat them as adulterers.
When Mr. Chow moves to another place where there is more space, this suggests their detachment at that very moment, but also a need for privacy so their relationship can succeed. The curtains are intensely red, portraying the passion they feel for each other, but to also show how distant they are, as well as the fleeting nature of their relationship, since the curtains move in the wind.
When they finally depart from each other, cold colours dominate the screen, like a blue sky or green clothes, depicting sadness and loss. In the film’s final scene, the monk’s robes are yellow, in sharp contrast to the nature of the scene in which the halls of the temple are vast and made of stone.
4. Music passionately captures moments
The music that follows the protagonists’ movements and key moments is Yumeji’s theme, filled with erotic sadness that is a prevailing mood throughout the film. This music serves as a leitmotif, giving the movie a certain tempo, a pace in which the characters follow in their conducts. String instruments amplify the feeling of longing, and a repetitive rhythm gives the scenes in slow motion an almost playful note.
Nat King Cole’s “Quizas, Quizas, Quizas”, which means “perhaps”, accompanies the scene near the end of the movie when Mrs. Chan calls Mr. Chow, but does not reach him. The song is filled with erotic sadness; it opens up a possibility of happiness, but suggests it will not happen, with a deep voice full of blues.
Contrary to the melancholic but passionate music throughout the film, the music in the final scene is solemn. String instruments dominate again, but they depict a feeling of loss rather than opening possibilities and eroticism.
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FAQs
What was the point of In the Mood for Love? ›
“In the Mood for Love” operates on instinct and intuition, engendering a tender sensation that is ultimately transient but creates the illusion of permanency. It's a love story about love itself and how it lingers in the minds of its subjects far longer than any one relationship ever can.
Is it In the Mood for Love worth watching? ›In the mood for love (2000) is a masterpiece and I urge you all to watch it. Whether you watch cheesy romcoms as a guilty pleasure or have an aversion to them you should watch this piece of art by Wong Kar Wai. The movie is around 1:30 hours and it feels like so much happens in that much time.
What is the conflict in In the Mood for Love? ›Major Conflict
Chow and Su find out that their spouses are carrying on an affair with each other. In the course of working together to try and figure out how it happened, they become dependent on one another for companionship.
Romantic films serve as great escapes and fantasies for viewers, especially if the two leads finally overcome their difficulties, declare their love, and experience their "happily ever after", often implied by a reunion and final kiss.
In what ways does In the Mood for Love utilize color to convey meaning? ›While Red is used to give that romantic feel of looking at the world through a rose-colored glass or a rose-colored window as seen in many of the frames. Blue and green are used in their workplace showing the contrast between their boring work life and for when they are together, even with a wall between them.
Why do scenes repeat in In the Mood for Love? ›The repetition of scenes highly involves conversations between the protagonists. The film has a mystery element, through the conversations where the duo tries to replicate each other's spouse and try to uncover the origin of their adultery, while themselves trying to maintain a platonic connection.
How long is in the mood for love? › How do I watch in the mood for love? ›In the Mood for Love, a drama movie starring Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Maggie Cheung, and Kelly Lai Chen is available to stream now. Watch it on HBO Max or The Criterion Channel on your Roku device.
When did in the mood for love come out? › Who is the antagonist in In the Mood for Love? ›Despite being the two primary antagonists of the piece, the characters of Mr. Chan and Mrs. Chow are never physically seen onscreen, except for Mrs. Chow briefly from behind.
Is there a sequel to In the Mood for Love? ›
Wong has already teased “Blossoms” as a spiritual sequel to his landmark 2000 romance drama “In the Mood for Love,” similar to his 2004 directorial effort “2046.” The feature film is based on Jin Yucheng's 2013 novel and follows the lives of three Shanghai residents from the end of China's Cultural Revolution in the ...
How do movies affect relationships? ›The study indicated that higher exposure to romantic movies was associated with a stronger belief that “love finds a way.” Greater exposure to marriage-themed reality TV shows was associated with belief in “love at first sight” and “true love,” which did not surprise the researchers given the genre's focus on early ...
Why do I love watching romantic movies? ›- They make our hormones work for love.
- They show anyone can be king of the world.
- They make us cry the good cry.
- They feed our brains with endings.
- They give clues on the shapes of love.
- They make us feel memories.
Romance or romantic love is a feeling of love for, or a strong attraction towards another person, and the courtship behaviors undertaken by an individual to express those overall feelings and resultant emotions.
What does red symbolize in the mood for love? ›Passion and Desire
Perhaps not surprisingly, red is also linked to passion, love, and desire.
Red is often used to show the burgeoning love between Mr. Chow and Mrs. Chan, as Mrs. Chan dresses in seductive red dresses, or as Mr.
Why do authors use color symbolism? ›Colour symbolism in literature is when a writer uses colour to represent something outside of its literal sense. Colour is an essential tool in storytelling having the power to instantly set a tone and mood. Used symbolically to infuse a deeper meaning in writing, it creates a richer reading experience.
How does In the Mood for Love end? ›The story Chow told earlier will prove to be a setup. At the very end of "In the Mood for Love," Chow travels to Angkor Wat, a Buddhist temple in Cambodia, originally constructed a Hindu monument and the largest religious shrine in the world. Chow whispers a secret into a hole in the wall and covers it with mud.
Where is In the Mood for Love set? ›His most recent film, ''In the Mood for Love,'' is set in 1962 amid Hong Kong's exiled Shanghai community, but Mr. Wong shot most of the film in Bangkok; the one or two Hong Kong locations he used during filming two years ago have already vanished as the city continually rebuilds itself.
Who is the guy at the End of Days of Being Wild? ›The movie's final, mysterious sequence takes an unexplained leap into another time and place, as we watch an entirely different young man (Tony Leung) in a cramped apartment buffing his nails and combing his hair, apparently preparing for a night of being wild.
Are you in the mood meaning? ›
: feeling a desire for something or to do something I'm in the mood for sushi.
Who wrote In the Mood for Love? ›I'm In The Mood For Love
Where can I watch In the Mood for Love in India? ›Watch In the Mood for Love | Netflix.
Where can I watch in the mood for love Canada? ›Currently you are able to watch "In the Mood for Love" streaming on Crave, Criterion Channel.
Is in the mood for love on Criterion channel? ›In the Mood for Love - The Criterion Channel.
Where can i stream in the mood for love Australia? ›Watch In The Mood For Love | Netflix.
How is 2046 a sequel to In the Mood for Love? ›2046 is the number of the hotel room in In the Mood for Love in which Chow Mo-wan (Tony Leung Chiu-wai) and Su Li-zhen (Maggie Cheung) meet to write their kung fu novel serial. It is the number of a hotel room occupied by Lulu, and later by Bai Ling at the Oriental Hotel, while Mo-Wan's room number is 2047.
Is In the Mood for Love a trilogy? ›'In the Mood for Love' directed by him, which is considered as one of the best films from this century, forms the 2nd part of the informal trilogy- which started with 'Days of Being Wild' (1990) and then ended with '2046 (2004)' (2004). From these 3 films, which one is closest to your heart?
Was In the Mood for Love shot on film? ›The movie In the Mood for Love, released in 2000 and directed by Kar-Wai Wong, was shot on film using ARRIFLEX 35 BL4 Camera, ARRIFLEX 535 Camera, NAC Image Technology Cameras and Zeiss Lenses with Christopher Doyle, Pung-Leung Kwan, Ping Bin Lee as cinematographer and editing by William Chang.
What is the significance of 2046? ›2046 refers to a sci-fi story that Chow is writing, and in this story 2046 is a place “where nothing ever changes” and people go there to be trapped by their memories. The inspiration for 2046 is clearly taken from a hotel room right next to Chow's, a room where he originally met Mrs.
What is 2046 about the movie? ›
Do men like romance movies? ›By Reuters Life! NEW YORK, Jan 31 (Reuters Life!) - Men might protest when they're dragged along to the latest “chick flick” but really they enjoy romantic movies almost as much as women, according to a new U.S. study.
Do romantic movies set unrealistic standards? ›How romantic comedies create unrealistic expectations. Romantic comedy is a genre that frequently depicts exaggerated plot lines and unrealistic outcomes, like when he fills your room with more roses than you can count, or when he chases you down at the airport to express his undying love—just in time!
What is the effect of romantic movies on a child? ›So, in the case of romantic movies, children tend to hold idealistic views about love, relationships, dating etc., leading to frustration, high expectations, disappointment, aggression and the like, when the reel life does not match real life.
What is the best romantic love story? ›- "Wuthering Heights" by Emily Brontë ...
- "Anna Karenina" by Leo Tolstoy. ...
- "Romeo and Juliet" by William Shakespeare. ...
- "Casablanca" by Murray Burnett. ...
- "A Midsummer Night's Dream" by William Shakespeare. ...
- "Doctor Zhivago" by Boris Pasternak. ...
- "Sense and Sensibility" by Jane Austen.
- Casablanca (1942)
- Gone With the Wind (1939)
- West Side Story (1961)
- Roman Holiday (1953)
- An Affair to Remember (1957)
- The Way We Were (1973)
- Doctor Zhivago (1965)
- It's a Wonderful Life (1946)
Neurochemicals in the brain, such as dopamine and norepinephrine—also known as the "feel-good" chemicals—are released. 2 These chemicals make us giddy, energetic, and euphoric, sometimes leading to decreased appetite and insomnia. You actually can be so "in love" that you can't eat or sleep.
Which type of love is best? ›Agape — Selfless Love. Agape is the highest level of love to offer.
What is the difference between romance and love? ›Love is a feeling or emotion felt by an entity towards another, but it can also be shared with another entity. In contrast, romance as a feeling and is characterized as a thrill, excitement, and exhilaration.
What happened at the end of In the Mood for Love? ›In the end, there's a huge empty void left to be filled. Su moved back to her old building because part of her missed those times. Aside from her husband cheating on her, that was also the time when she met Chow. Therefore, she can't help to feel a certain nostalgia regarding that period of her life.
Does In the Mood for Love have a happy ending? ›
The movie's ending is the purest crystallization of its themes. In short, it becomes clear that any romance between Su and Chow will never be. The latter tells Su he loves her and when he has to leave for a new job, he asks her to come with him; he waits but eventually leaves, and she arrives too late.
Is In the Mood for Love depressing? ›The song is filled with erotic sadness; it opens up a possibility of happiness, but suggests it will not happen, with a deep voice full of blues. Contrary to the melancholic but passionate music throughout the film, the music in the final scene is solemn.
Do they ever kiss in In the Mood for Love? ›They never make love or even kiss onscreen. The most affection we see is when Mrs. Chan leans her head on his in the backseat of a taxi. They're most bold with each other when they wonder how their spouses became romantically and sexually involved, and eventually, play it out themselves.
Who Shot In the Mood for Love? ›Wong Kar-Wai took 15 months to shoot In the Mood for Love, due to his notorious approach to filmmaking. He doesn't use scripts or storyboards for his films, nor does he allow his actors to rehearse.
What significant event do Mrs Chan and Mr Chow reenact in one of the scenes of the film? ›Much of the film moves in a circular pattern, as Mr. Chow and Mrs. Chan attempt to reenact how their spouses got together. Many times these reenactments are without warning, and from each person's perspective.
How long is In the Mood for Love? › What year is In the Mood for Love set in? ›His most recent film, ''In the Mood for Love,'' is set in 1962 amid Hong Kong's exiled Shanghai community, but Mr. Wong shot most of the film in Bangkok; the one or two Hong Kong locations he used during filming two years ago have already vanished as the city continually rebuilds itself.
Who is the guy at the End of Days of Being Wild? ›The movie's final, mysterious sequence takes an unexplained leap into another time and place, as we watch an entirely different young man (Tony Leung) in a cramped apartment buffing his nails and combing his hair, apparently preparing for a night of being wild.
Is In the Mood for Love a trilogy? ›'In the Mood for Love' directed by him, which is considered as one of the best films from this century, forms the 2nd part of the informal trilogy- which started with 'Days of Being Wild' (1990) and then ended with '2046 (2004)' (2004). From these 3 films, which one is closest to your heart?
How do I watch in the mood for love? ›In the Mood for Love, a drama movie starring Tony Leung Chiu Wai, Maggie Cheung, and Kelly Lai Chen is available to stream now. Watch it on HBO Max or The Criterion Channel on your Roku device.
What nationality is in the mood for love? ›
A co-production between Hong Kong and France, it portrays a man (Tony Leung) and a woman (Maggie Cheung) whose spouses have an affair together and who slowly develop feelings for each other. It forms the second part of an informal trilogy, alongside Days of Being Wild and 2046.
How was Chungking Express filmed? ›The camera movement in Chungking Express gives the film an almost documentary-like feel: shots frequently start by tracking or panning towards the relevant action as if catching it for the only time, and many shots appear to be recorded on handheld cameras.
Who wrote In the Mood for Love? ›I'm In The Mood For Love
Was In the Mood for Love shot on film? ›The movie In the Mood for Love, released in 2000 and directed by Kar-Wai Wong, was shot on film using ARRIFLEX 35 BL4 Camera, ARRIFLEX 535 Camera, NAC Image Technology Cameras and Zeiss Lenses with Christopher Doyle, Pung-Leung Kwan, Ping Bin Lee as cinematographer and editing by William Chang.