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Madame Butterfly

Play trailer Poster for Madame Butterfly Released May 3, 1995 2h 15m Romance Play Trailer Watchlist
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70% Tomatometer 10 Reviews 78% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
U.S. military officer Pinkerton (Richard Troxell) falls for Cio-Cio-San (Ying Huang), a geisha known as "Butterfly," in early 20th-century Japan. Having learned he can wed the teen and then have the union dissolved by simply leaving the country, Pinkerton marries the girl. Despite his callousness, Butterfly falls for Pinkerton, and, after he leaves for America, she gives birth to his child. In this take on Puccini's opera, Butterfly will learn stunning news upon her reunion with Pinkerton.

Critics Reviews

View All (10) Critics Reviews
Russell Smith Austin Chronicle Rated: 3/5 Jan 1, 2000 Full Review Roger Ebert Chicago Sun-Times As a treatment of the story, as an evocation of the emotions of love and the wound of betrayal, it is close to Puccini's intentions, and very moving. Rated: 3/4 Jan 1, 2000 Full Review Andy Seiler USA Today Besides a visual combination of authentic Japanese realism and picturesque, dream-like cinematography that matches the lushness of Puccini's music, director Frederic Mitterrand gives the opera a distinctively cinematic gravity and subtlety. Rated: 3/4 Jan 1, 2000 Full Review Emanuel Levy EmanuelLevy.Com Rated: 2/5 Jun 11, 2005 Full Review Andy Klein Los Angeles CityBeat Rated: 4/5 Jun 19, 2004 Full Review Bill Thompson Post and Courier (Charleston, SC) Rated: 2/5 Feb 12, 2003 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (31) audience reviews
andy h Despite its problematic elements, it's quite a cinematic experience you will never find before or after witnessing this tragedy. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member This is a great movie based on a famous opera Madame butterfly. This movie was made in Tunisia according to Wikipeia.It looked like real Japan. i am from Japan.There was nothing strange. Everything looked like real Japan. Why madam butterfly is still popular. We love the music.Sadly, I can't sing the songs. The music was not written in Japanese.It was written in Italian.Great exotic and simple story.We can't laugh.We have to cry. I am from Japan. I really want to promote this great story in Japan. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/24/23 Full Review Audience Member (*** 1/2): [img]http://images.rottentomatoes.com/images/user/icons/icon14.gif[/img] An unique and fascinating piece of work. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 01/18/23 Full Review Audience Member An excellent movie adaptation of this clasical Puccini's opera. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 02/23/23 Full Review Audience Member Sweeping scenery and impressive performance make this already stellar opera a joy to watch on the big screen. I can't say the opera really benefited from being adapted to film, but I found it as captivating as the live performance. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/31/23 Full Review Audience Member Saw this musical by complete accident and have to admit that it is one of the best adaptions of the one of the most tragic operas. The Score was very well done. The heartstrings are pulled at the right moments and makes this a must see Rated 5 out of 5 stars 02/17/23 Full Review Read all reviews
Madame Butterfly

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Cast & Crew

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Frédéric Mitterrand

Director

Ying Huang

Cio-Cio-San

Richard Troxell

Pinkerton

Ning Liang

Suzuki

Richard Cowan

Sharpless

Jing Ma Fan

Goro

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Madame Butterfly

Madame Butterfly (1995) Madame Butterfly (1995) Madame Butterfly (1995) Madame Butterfly (1995) Madame Butterfly (1995) Madame Butterfly (1995) View more photos

Movie Info

Synopsis U.S. military officer Pinkerton (Richard Troxell) falls for Cio-Cio-San (Ying Huang), a geisha known as "Butterfly," in early 20th-century Japan. Having learned he can wed the teen and then have the union dissolved by simply leaving the country, Pinkerton marries the girl. Despite his callousness, Butterfly falls for Pinkerton, and, after he leaves for America, she gives birth to his child. In this take on Puccini's opera, Butterfly will learn stunning news upon her reunion with Pinkerton.
Director
Frédéric Mitterrand
Producer
Pierre-Olivier Bardet, Daniel Toscan du Plantier
Screenwriter
Giuseppe Giacosa, Luigi Illica, Frédéric Mitterrand
Distributor
Public Broadcasting Service, Arrow Releasing Inc.
Production Co
Sony Pictures Classics
Genre
Romance
Original Language
Italian
Release Date (Theaters)
May 3, 1995, Original
Release Date (DVD)
Jul 7, 2015
Runtime
2h 15m
Sound Mix
Surround