Seven Years in Tibet
| Seven Years in Tibet | |
|---|---|
| File:SevenYearsinTibetposter2.jpg Seven Years in Tibet film poster. | |
| Directed by | Jean-Jacques Annaud |
| Written by | Heinrich Harrer (book) Becky Johnston |
| Produced by | Jean-Jacques Annaud Iain Smith John H. Williams |
| Starring | Brad Pitt David Thewlis |
| Music by | John Williams |
| Distributed by | TriStar Pictures |
Release dates | October 8, 1997 (USA) |
Running time | 139 min. |
| Languages | English German Mandarin Tibetan |
| Budget | $70,000,000 US (est.) |
Seven Years in Tibet is an adventure story written by Austrian mountaineer Heinrich Harrer based on his real life experiences in Tibet between 1944 and 1951 during the onset of the Second World War and the Chinese People's Liberation Army Invasion. Originally published in 1953, in 1997 it was made into a Hollywood blockbuster film starring Brad Pitt and David Thewlis.
Seven Years in Tibet tells the story of how Austrians Heinrich Harrer and Peter Aufschnaiter, having been imprisoned by the British while mountaineering in the north of India at the beginning of World War II in 1939, eventually escape across the border into Tibet in 1944 and cross the treacherous high plateau. There in Tibet, whilst initially being ordered to return to India, they are welcomed at Lhasa and they become acquainted with a completely different way of life. There Harrer is introduced to the Dalai Lama, who is still a boy, and he becomes a tutor and then close friend to the young spiritual leader during his time in Lhasa. Harrer and Aufschnaiter remain in the country until the Communist Chinese invasion in 1950.
Two films have been made of the book; the first, in 1956, was directed by Hans Nieter, in which Heinrich Harrer appears as himself. The second, released in 1997, was directed by Jean-Jacques Annaud and starred Brad Pitt and David Thewlis. The score was composed by John Williams and features cellist Yo Yo Ma.
Film synopsis
Introduction to the Dalai Lama
The film starts with introductory footage of the young Dalai Lama aged 4 receiving gifts from Tibetan monks as he is recognized as the reincarnation of the lama. One gift he receives, an ornate music box, has special meaning to him. Later in the film, this treasure becomes a symbol of his affection for Heinrich Harrer; he gives it to Heinrich to give to his own son in Austria.
During the progress of Heinrich Harrer through India and Tibet on his trek across the high plateau to Lhasa, footage of the important historical events is interwoven with the story of the young Dalai Lama growing into an 8 year old boy who becomes the spiritual leader of Tibet, with a thirst for western knowledge and eventually into an adolescent. The Dalai Lama is portrayed by three different actors as he grows up.
Introduction to Heinrich and Ingrid Harrer
The film shows Heinrich Harrer (Pitt) and his wife Ingrid being driven to the train station in Graz in a car, for Harrer's departure on an expedition to Nangar Parbat. It becomes evident that his wife, who is pregnant, is particularly unhappy and resents Heinrich for leaving her, arguing with him all the way to the station. On arriving at the station it becomes clear that Harrer is a particularly arrogant young man, barging his way through the crowds of people, rudely ordering them to move to let himself and his wife, who he is dragging by the hand, through. On being greeted warmly by Peter Aufschnaiter (Thewlis), Harrer shows resentment to him on learning that he is the leader of the expedition and will have to follow his orders.
Photographs of Harrer and Ingrid are taken with his wife looking miserable, and refusing to speak to him in her anguish. Harrer at the train station in 1939 also seems to be hostile to the Nazi Party which attempts to portray him as a German mountaineer, reluctantly taking their flag. This was contrary to real life; Heinrich Harrer personally admitted he had Nazi sympathies at the time which he later regretted.
Harrer leaves by train, leaving behind his distressed wife, now in tears, in the arms of Worst Immerdorf whom she later marries. Heinrich also shows his disinterest in the other members of the group by refusing to join their carriage, preferring to sit by himself on the journey to India.
Mountaineering
On arriving in India by train, Heinrich Harrer, Peter Aufschnaiter, and the expedition group begin climbing Nangar Parbat. Harrer falls, injuring his leg, but hides his injuries from the group. Later Harrer leads and places Aufschnaiter's life in danger by his inability to pull him safely up a cliff due to the pain of his injury, worsening relations and causing resentment between the two. After an avalanche, Aufschnaiter orders the group to retreat back to the base, against Harrer's wishes to reach the summit despite the danger.
Imprisonment in India
Harrer eventually agrees to retreat due to the difficult weather and on his descent he encounters a Tibetan traveller who symbolically gives him a photograph of the Dalai Lama for his protection. However, on reaching the base the other members of the expedition have been captured by British soldiers and Harrer learns that Germany has invaded Poland. The group including Harrer are escorted by truck to British Dehra Dun prison camp over a hundred miles east. While imprisoned Harrer sends a letter to his wife Ingrid in Austria, telling of his capture, who replies by sending him divorce papers telling him she wishes to marry Immerdorf immediately. She says that his son named Rolf is now over 2 years old. While imprisoned Harrer attempts to escape over four times but is always caught by the guards, becoming something of a celebrity amongst the Dehra Dun camp. In mid 1942 several inmates, including Aufschnaiter, tell Harrer that they have stashed away a significant supply of food and announced that they were planning to escape in September 1942. Harrer initially declined but eventually joined in the plan that Aufschnaiter had conjured up. Aufschnaiter managed to steal a British army uniform to play a false guard and the others smeared their faces with shoe polish and donned Indian turbans and clothes to represent workers and managed to walk their way out of the prison with a cart pretending that they were suppliers, hiding their luggage at the bottom of the cart.
On escaping the group departs on their separate ways with Heinrich Harrer going off on his own. Despite some close calls with searching guards and sniffer dogs from the prison (Harrer hid himself up a tree on one occasion), Harrer managed to get away from the camp and work his way into northern India.
Escape into Tibet
On reaching northern India in 1943, Harrer steals food from a religious offering including a dead animal and stale crackers. Nearly getting caught in the act, he escapes but is later violently sick around his campfire from food poisoning. Aufschnaiter finds Harrer, and offers him tablets and informs him that their fellow inmates had been caught. During a discussion Harrer reveals that he has no wish to return to Austria, and Aufschnaiter reveals he plans to travel to China to find permanent work. Harrer, who has now run out of food, places a bet with Aufschnaiter who has an abundant supply that Tibet is 68 km away rather than 65 kilometres. On reaching the border, Aufschnaiter finds that Harrer is indeed correct but by this time they had exhausted their supplies.
Harrer and Aufschnaiter cross the border into Tibet and set out east. But they are soon met by two hostile Tibetan men on horseback who tell them they must turn back. Aufschnaiter attempts to speak to them in Tibetan that he learned while in prison but the Tibetan men tell them strongly that foreigners are strictly forbidden in Tibet. Harrer humorously attempts to emulate their language and after a fracas they escape. However, on reaching the next town and after requesting food they once again are confronted by the two men, learning much to the anguish of Harrer, that one of them is the garpon, leader of the province. A translated script in the town tells them that the reason that foreigners are forbidden from Tibet is that there is a threat of attack from outside forces. Harrer attempts to appease the situation by offering the garpon a photograph of the holy Dalai Lama that was given to him on Nangar Parbat. The garpon, dressed in a bright orange robe and turban, however forces them to return back towards India, escorted by two guards who are told to shoot them if they try to escape.
Harrer and Aufschnaiter are escorted to a small town near the border with India where they are forced to trade in what little they have in return for food to keep themselves alive. At the bazaar Harrer convinces Aufschnaiter to trade in a sentimental watch that was given to him on climbing Mont Blanc for the first time. Harrer, seeing one of the guards trying on a Chinese army uniform has an idea of escape by offering him his German army boots which were particularly heavy to carry anyway. The guard takes a liking to the boots and puts them on, and Harrer undertakes a demonstration of a strutting German soldier and emulating the pose of Adolf Hitler. Harrer and Aufschnaiter then pretend to demonstrate how German soldiers run in front of the crowd of Tibetan people and they trick the guards by running out of the village to the mountainside where the guards, clad in the heavy boots and uniforms are unable to stop them.
Repentance
While recovering from the escape on the hillside, Harrer leaves his backpack unattended and Aufschnaiter discovers that Harrer all along did indeed not only have one watch but actually had three, strung together. This is perhaps the lowest point in their relationship, leaving Aufschnaiter furious at Harrer's selfishness in refusing to give even one watch away. Aufschnaiter informs Harrer that he is a lying bastard and a selfish brat who has no principles. Harrer merely smirks at him and Aufschnaiter departs after informing him that the reason why he is all alone in the world is because nobody can stand his miserable company. This scene is particularly symbolic in the film and suddenly Harrer becomes aware of his highly selfish past and ignorant deeds. As Brad Pitt said in an interview about the film, "At first Harrer is a very selfish man, you know it's all about himself but he later works things out" [citation needed]. Harrer runs after Aufschnaiter and begs for his forgiveness for his deeds. He offers all three of the watches to Aufschnaiter who in return acknowledges his apologies and offers him a valuable ring which Harrer declines. The two then start on their way over the high Tibetan plateau to Lhasa.
Journey to Lhasa
The long arduous journey to Lhasa is one of the most atmospheric of the entire film with footage actually secretly captured by director Jean Jacques Annaud in Tibet. The footage shows Harrer and Aufschnaiter trekking through luscious green valleys in the spring and climbing sheer precipices of the high Tibetan plateau in fierce snowstorms. Harrer's narrative is emotional too in that he uses the time to reflect on his new son Rolf and the Tibetan custom that the longer and more difficult the journey in a pilgrimage, the greater the repentance of past sins. High in the Himalayas, Harrer and Aufschnaiter are abducted by bandits who imprison them briefly in a nomadic tent but they escape on horseback. In the novel of Seven Years in Tibet the pair are not actually captured by the bandits but rather are followed. Such is the desperate state of the situation of hunger later that Harrer and Aufschnaiter are forced to eat the raw heart and organs of their horse.
By this time, the incredible journey had taken its toll on the explorers who had grown shoulder length hair and equally long beards, their faces damaged by the weathering and the biting winds of the Himalayan plateau. Somewhere west of Lhasa the pair encounter a pilgramage travelling to the holy city and attempt to persuade the group to permit them to join. Although initially rejected because of the strict rule of no foreigners in Tibet, Aufschnaiter cleverly persuades the Tibetan group that his medical instructions from a first aid kit are indeed a special permission for entering the forbidden city of Lhasa which they accept. Eventually they reach the gates of the city.
Arrival in Lhasa
On arriving in Lhasa, Harrer and Aufschnaiter pull their garments and headgear across their faces to avoid recognition in Lhasa as foreigners. They succeed in passing the great gates and on browsing through the markets of Lhasa and the various stalls they take a newspaper cover which coveres the latest events of World War II, which read "D-Day for Allied Troops" learning that the war is far from over. While walking past a garden in the back streets they see two dogs being fed a bowl of food and enter, attempting to feed themselves. The dogs begin to bark and an elderly women begans yelling at them in rapid Tibetan. Immediately the calming character of Kungo Tsarong, played by Mako, who calms his wife down and seeing the condition of the travellers invites them to stay for dinner.
Kungo Tsarong leaves to request an audience with the Regent and asks for permission for the two explorers to remain in Lhasa. At first the Regent is curious but Tsarong is adament that the men should remain in Lhasa indicating his respect for the men for having survived such an ordeal. Meanwhile Harrer and Aufschnaiter take several hours to clean themselves up from their unkempt state, being bathed by the elderly Tibetan women, having serious haircuts and shaves. The conversation was overheard by the secretary to the regent Ngawang Jigme, portrayed by B.D. Wong, who had earlier attempted to persuade the minister to revert his policies towards China and Tibetan monasteries, symbolic for his deeds later in the film.
However Ngawang Jigme decides to offer Harrer and Aufschnaiter a gift of new clothes and at the guest quarters of Tsarong's home a Tibetan tailor named Pema Lhaki arrives to measure the two men up for their new clothes. On seeing that the Tibetan woman is attractive the two explorers immediately spring to their feet, not having seen a woman for several years. They immediately begin to win her affections, particularly Harrer who states how beautiful her clothing is. She shows them a brochure of traditional gentleman's clothing remarking that she is the only tailor in Lhasa to have trained in Calcutta, to become acquainted with European dress. Harrer selects a tweed jacket and woolen trousers (at which point his German accent seriously falters) and Aufschnaiter asks Pema to choose an outfit for him much to the light-hearted mild annoyance of Harrer. Harrer removes his robe for the tailor to measure him, seemingly using his body to impress the Tibetan.
Settled in Lhasa, Harrer continues to attempt to impress Pema Lhaki by demonstrating his climbing techniques on the side of a Tibetan house. When finished he also shows her a scrapbook containing his outstanding achievments back in Austria in skiing and his gold medal at the 1936 Winter Olympics. However, quite contrary to his expectations, Lhaki is seemingly unimpressed by his actions and achievements, stating that climbing is a foolish pleasure and informing Harrer that Western civilization is very different from Tibet, where a man is far more respected for abandoning his ego. This is part of a learning curve for Harrer, who gradually becomes less arrogant and self-obsessed as he becomes acquainted with a very different civilisation during his seven years in Tibet.
Life in Lhasa
Harrer, still interested in the Tibetan tailor, purposefully rips out a jacket pocket as an excuse to visit her and have it repaired. Harrer enters the store and finds that Peter Aufschnaiter has already beaten him to it. Harrer laughs at the situation and Aufschnaiter appears very embarrassed.
Walking through the town, Harrer and Aufschnaiter display their new clothes to the Tibetan public arousing their attractions. They are greeted by Nwagang Jigme who addresses them personally and they thank him in Tibetan for his personal gift of new clothes. Later the explorers and Pema Lhaki travel to the local market and encounter a pair of ice skates which the Tibetan vendor believed to be used for placing on your feet to cut meat. Highly amused, Harrer still attempting to win the Tibetan women's affections offers to buy the skates and they go ice skating. Aufschnaiter's constant eye contact with Pema, which is reciprocated, suggests that the two are deeply attracted to one another.
During ice skating Harrer once again attempts to demonstrate his abilities in sport but is ignored and even when the tailor falls and he offers to help her, he is rejected whilst she kindly accepts Aufschnaiter's hand. Harrer, quite taken aback and surprised that his talents and advances are not appreciated, throws himself to the ground in frusration that Aufschnaiter succeeded in winning the Tibetan woman's love rather than himself. Towards the end of the scene Harrer helps and guides a monk on skates across the ice, watched through a telescope by an impressed Dalai Lama from the nearby Potala Palace. Harrer later sends another letter home to his son Rolf in Austria informing him that contrary to his mother's tale that he was lost in the Himilayas he is very much alive and is his father and misses him greatly.
Meanwhile Nwagang Jigme visits the Chinese embassy in Tibet and becomes acquainted with the Chinese ambassador at the Chinese mission headquarters. Jigme was sent by the Tibetan government to persuade Chinese officals to stop sending financial gifts to Tibetan monasteries as they are becoming suspicious of Chinese intentions and increased involvement in Tibet. However, the elderly Chinese official tells Jigme that his talents are wasted as a secretary and should be promoted greatly, a very important scene in what is later to come in the film in his relationship with the invading Chinese.
By May 1945, Harrer visits Peter Aufschnaiter and Pema Lhaki in the Tibetan countryside on horseback. He congratulates them on their marriage and is invited in the share a meal with them. They discuss the fact that the Chinese Communist Party had already taken over north and central China. Then Lhaki asks Harrer about his life in Lhasa and he reveals he is very busy and moved out of Tsraong's house five months ago into his own settlement. She then asks him if he has found love and jealously says no and makes a remark that reveals his resentment of Lhaki and Peter Aufschnaider's marriage.
Meanwhile Harrer returns to Lhasa as it interrupted during an outdoor photography session by Ngwang Jigme that World War II is now over and that Germany has surrended. Heinrich immediately begins packing for home when Kungo's elderly wife arrives with a letter for him from Austria. The letter devastates Harrer, from his son Rolf telling him to stop writing and that he is not his father. A depressed Harrer sleeps outside when he again receives another letter this time from a Tibetan man on horseback who informs him it is from the Great Mother of His Holiness, the Dalai Lama.
The Dalai Lama
Harrer puts on his best suit and as requested visits the mother of the Dalai Lama in a beautiful Deyangsar courtyard. There he greets the Great Mother (Played by Jetsun Pema. Jetsun Pema is the sister of the living 14th Dalai Lama, and she was portraying her mother in the film). She informs Harrer of the very strict rules when in the presence of the Great Lama, to always sit lower, to never look him in the eye and to always bow down to him before speaking. She informs Harrer that the young Dalai Lama has learned of his presence in Lhasa and would like to meet him personally. Harrer is thrilled and states that he would be deeply moved and honoured at such a privilege.
A dark atmosphere is created by deep chanting of Tibetan monks as Harrer enters the interior halls of the Potala Palace in the build up to the meeting. Turning into a dark chamber the mysterious Dalai Lama is seated on a throne at the end. Harrer nervously enters behind the Great Mother and bows down to him touching the floor time and time again seemingly embarrassed much to the amusement of the young Lama. Harrer walks up to the throne and the Dalai Lama plays with Harrer's mop of blond hair teasing him as a yellow head.
Shortly after meeting Harrer the Dalai Lama asks him if he is interested in film. Then the Dalai Lama asks a surprised Harrer if he can build a movie cinema at the monastery for himself and other monks. And he asks Harrer if he can teach him about western civilization and become his private tutor during the building process. Harrer replies: I am glad to be of service your Holiness.
Harrer immediately begins building the theatre but soon the workers encounter a problem with worms in the earth, believing that each and every one of them could have beeen a mother or a loved one in a past life. An amused Harrer again visits the Dalai Lama, who emphasizes that religious concerns are paramount, and that he must honor them and find a solution. As the movie house is built, Harrer begins tutoring the boy in world geography and the ways of the west.
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Controversy
The film was not well received by the government of the People's Republic of China. They claimed that Communist Chinese military officers were intentionally shown as impolite and arrogant, brutalizing the local people. The Dalai Lama, regarded as a traitor and an imperialist tool by the PRC government, was shown as somewhat of a hero in the film.[1] As a result, the director and the starring actors Brad Pitt and David Thewlis were banned from ever entering the Chinese mainland. [2] [3]
Also at serious controversy is the use of "Chinese Embassy in Tibet" and the "occupation of Tibet", for at the time, the KMT Nationalist Party Government of China led by Chang Kaishek also inhereted the claim to Tibet sovereinty from Qing Dynasty, and exercised symbolic rule over Tibet. Even today, Tibet is claimed to be an integral part of China on the Map of Republic of China. see Republic of China Map here [4]
![[4]](/wiki/Image:ROC_Administrative_and_Claims.jpg){kind=link}
While most of the film was shot in Argentina, two years after the film's release director Jean-Jacques Annaud confirmed that two crews secretly shot footage for the film in Tibet. While the PRC government strongly discouraged the production and release of Seven Years in Tibet, Annaud was able to put about 20 minutes of actual footage from Tibet into the final film.[5]
Film Cast
- Brad Pitt .... Heinrich Harrer
- David Thewlis .... Peter Aufschnaiter
- B.D. Wong .... Ngawang Jigme
- Mako .... Kungo Tsarong
- Danny Denzongpa .... Regent
- Victor Wong .... Chinese 'Amban'
- Ingeborga Dapkunaite .... Ingrid Harrer
- Jamyang Jamtsho Wangchuk .... Dalai Lama, 14 Years Old
- Lhakpa Tsamchoe .... Pema Lhaki
- Jetsun Pema .... Great Mother
- Ama Ashe Dongtse .... Tashi
- Sonam Wangchuk .... Dalai Lama, 8 Years Old
- Dorjee Tsering .... Dalai Lama, 4 Years Old
- Ric Young .... General Chang Jing Wu
- Ngawang Chojor .... Lord Chamberlain (as Ven. Ngawang Chojor)
- Duncan Fraser .... British Officer
- Benedick Blythe .... Nazi Official
- Wolfgang Tonninger .... Hans Lobenhoffer
See also
- Beyond Seven Years in Tibet, My Life Before, During and After — Heinrich Harrer's full autobiography which is published in English in 2006.
- Kundun
References
External links
- Seven Years in Tibet at IMDb (1956)
- Seven Years in Tibet at IMDb (1997)
- Seven Years in Tibet Book Review at The Open Critic (1956)
- Movie pictures, Media, and Reviews