"To Live"

Life under Mao's communist rule would undoubtedly be tough. The Great Leap Forward revolutionized the idea of family and community, and "To Live" depicted both the successes and the stresses of the system. The communal system in the movie showed how the communist plan was to create a single family out of many families. This was shown with the communal canteen scene, but it also showed the disadvantages that the density brought. Since families had very little independence, and were constantly surrounded, altercations were inevitable. Adults may have been able to work together in harmony, but the children did not fit well into the new system. The critical junction of communism is a perfectly balanced society; since the children often fought, the parents would follow into disagreement. Another accurate representation of life in “To Live” was the close interaction between families. When the backyard campaign was in full swing, raw materials were in high demand. The collection of materials took belongings away from families, but donations had to be made. Families understood the importance and gave everything they could spare. “To Live” also delineated the close relationship between families during the puppet scene. Most of the village was gathered around a small stage where several men were performing a puppet show. This shows both the willingness of the people to share a skill, and also how something so simple could bring together the entire population of a planned village. That interaction between families is the cohesive force that allows communists villages, which is why “To Live” accurately depicted life in Mao’s communist China.