Mùi đu đủ xanh - The Scent of Green Papaya

Ah, Mui... Older Female Servant

☆☆☆☆☆ Masterpiece 

Mùi đu đủ xanh - The Scent of Green Papaya (1993) is a visual poem.


Directed by Tran Anh Hung.

Starring Tran Nu Yen Khe, Man San Lu and Hoa Hoi Vuong among many others.


Hung's film can best be described as cinematic contemplation. The kind of film that ignores plot and focuses on a state of being. The two female lead characters behave as non judgemental observers like the camera that filmed them. If you are familiar with buddhist themes you will have a deeper understanding of Hung's observational style of filmmaking. The visual style and direction make it easy to follow the plotless story that gradually unfolds.

Basically, the story is about a woman who is a servant in a wealthy home in Vietnam and who would be labeled as an Enlightened one by Buddhists. The beauty of the film comes for me from the way the camera has the viewer become a non-judgemental observer throughout the film. We see the world as the character sees it without being prejudiced about what is observed.

Both leads Man and Tran, who play the lead characters at 10 years apart are simply stunning in both their performances and their resemblance to each other. The camera captured their slightest internal thoughts that radiated through their eyes. Hung also used sounds to give the viewers a subtle understanding of what is happening offscreen. When Tran is busy doing housework we suddenly hear a loud jet flying low. This alludes to the Vietnam war that is gaining momentum around them and will eventually consume them.

The scene below best illustrates for me how Hung uses music to fill the screen with unspoken words. Watch how the mistresses words are drowned out by the loud piano playing. After a few moments the mistresses like we understand that their relationship is over. No long melodramatic soliloquies, just classical music that tells her that its over between these two mismatched lovers.      

Film Scene

Trivia - The film was shot completely on a soundstage in Boulogne, France.

Film Trailer

Film Photos - Posters

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Film Transcript

Note - If you would like to view Mùi đu đủ xanh - The Scent of Green Papaya to rent or buy please click on the link below the comments. It is sponsored by Google, so it is the safest and most secure way to get a copy for your film library.

True Romance

"You're an actor. Act, motherfucker." Nicholson

☆☆☆☆☆ Classic 

True Romance (1993) is a mixture poetic violence and language that oddly assaults the senses pleasurably.

Directed by Tony Scott from a Quentin Tarantino screenplay.

Starring Christian Slater, Patricia Arquette, Dennis Hopper, Gary Oldman, Christopher Walken among many others.

True Romance is my favorite Tarantino script. Tony wisely chose to let his star cast improv and take their scenes to new heights. The violence at times is unnerving, but never out of place. The dialogue  is as good as Aaron Sorkin's in David Fincher's, The Social Network (2010).

The list of memorable performances is truly astounding. Starting with the trailer home scene between Christopher Walkin and Dennis Hopper. Followed closely by Gary Oldman's freaky Jamaican pimp, drug dealer. Brad Pitt's memorable stoner stole every scene he was in. While James Gandolfini's hit man with a conscience was scary to watch. Christian's best film work. Slater owned the role that had originally been offered to Brad. Patricia makes you fall deeply and madly in love with her honest, off center performance. Tom Sizemore and Chris Penn are dynamite together.

In the scene below Christopher and Dennis bring to new heights Quentin's magnificent dialogue. I love the playfulness of both actors. As the scene progresses their bond strengths and so does their admiration for each others work and the extraordinary dialogue.

Film Scene

Trivia - Dennis Hopper has said that the only words improvised in his scene with Christopher Walken were "eggplant and cantaloupe".

Original Film Trailer

Original Script

Natalie Portman Leon: The Professional Audition

"Is life always this hard, or just when you're a kid?"  Mathilda

☆☆☆☆☆ Winning Audition

Natalie Portman's original audition for the film Leon: The Professional (1994).

Directed by Luc Besson.

Stars Jean Reno, Gary Oldman and Natalie Portman among many others.

I enjoy watching, studying and learning from other actors auditions. In this audition you can already see that Natalie at such a young age had a good grasp of the character Mathilda during the audition. Natalie has very expressive eyes and face. The audition also shows off young Natalie's ability to let forth the subtext of the character. This is amazing considering how young Natalie was. Little Ms. Portman is also showing through her expressive eyes an actor who is constantly thinking. Watch Natalie in her Oscar winning role in Darren Aronofsky's, Black Swan (2010) and you will see how well she has developed her ability to express her characters thoughts through her eyes.

There seems to be about three parts to the audition from the breaks in the tape. Auditioning requires poise, stamina and fearlessness to survive multiple auditions. Sometimes the director knows right off you are what they are looking for. Other times you end up having to come back several times over many days, weeks and even months. Auditions make job interviews seem like an afternoon nap at the park. Enjoy!

Film Scene

Trivia - Natalie was 11 years old at the time of the audition and was turned down by casting director Todd M. Thaler. She re-auditioned and the director, Luc Besson was, so impressed with her emotional range that he offered Natalie the part on the spot.