Lust, Caution is Ang Lee’s 2007 wartime espionage drama, adapted from a story by Eileen Chang. It follows a young woman recruited to help assassinate a powerful intelligence official in Japanese-occupied China; the assignment grows more complicated as she infiltrates his circle and becomes emotionally entangled with him.
What is Lust, Caution about?
The story moves between Japanese-occupied Hong Kong and Shanghai during World War II. A student resistance cell recruits a young woman to help kill Mr. Yee, a secretive intelligence official. She assumes the identity of a cosmopolitan woman and repeatedly enters his social orbit, using performance and seduction to advance the operation. As her relationship with Yee deepens, the line between her role and her feelings becomes harder to maintain, putting the political plan and the people involved at risk.
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The film is an espionage tragedy as well as a story of desire, political duty, power, and betrayal. Its sexual material is explicit, but it is not the whole subject: the plot is also rooted in resistance and the danger of life under occupation.
Cast and credits
Ang Lee directed the film. The writing credits on Focus Features’ listing name James Schamus, Wang Hui Ling, and Eileen Chang; the film is based on Chang’s story. Tony Leung Chiu-Wai and Tang Wei lead the cast, with Joan Chen and Wang Leehom also listed.
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#1 Best Overall
Runtime, release and rating
Focus Features and Universal Pictures At Home list a runtime of 2 hours 35 minutes (155 minutes). Film at Lincoln Center and the Cinémathèque québécoise list 158 minutes, while the BBFC specifies 158 minutes 3 seconds. These listings differ, and the sources do not explain the discrepancy or establish a universal cut. Check the runtime given for the particular screening or edition.
Focus Features gives the US release date as September 28, 2007. Universal Pictures At Home lists the US rating as NC-17 for some explicit sexuality. That is a US classification, not a rating that applies in every country. The film includes a scene of sexual assault; viewers who want to avoid that content may wish to take this into account.
Rank #2
Awards and recognition
The Cinémathèque québécoise lists the film’s major 2007 awards as:
- Golden Lion, Venice International Film Festival.
- Golden Osella for Best Cinematography, Venice International Film Festival.
- Golden Horse Awards for Best Film and Best Director.
Language and viewing editions
Film at Lincoln Center’s listing for its 35mm presentation identifies Mandarin, Shanghainese, Cantonese, and Japanese, with English subtitles. Universal’s formats section lists digital and DVD, but those format labels do not confirm current retailer stock, a particular edition’s cut, or availability on a specific streaming service.
Rank #3
If comparing a screening or copy, check its territory and rating authority, stated runtime and edition, language and subtitle options, and whether it is a DVD or digital presentation. The sources cited here do not provide a complete comparison of territory-specific edits.
Quick Recap
Best Value
Rank #4
Sources
- Focus Features: film credits, US release date, and runtime
- Universal Pictures At Home: US rating, runtime, and formats
- Film at Lincoln Center: synopsis, setting, languages, and screening runtime
- Cinémathèque québécoise: synopsis, runtime, and awards
- BBFC: classified runtime
- Gene Siskel Film Center: content information
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