M. Butterfly

Set in 1960s China, M. Butterfly centres on René Gallimard, a French diplomat stationed in Beijing. He becomes involved with Song Liling, a performer from the world of Chinese opera, and the relationship takes hold over a number of years. Song keeps a secret from Gallimard that shapes everything between them, leaving him with a version of the affair that does not match reality. The film is a drama entwined with history and romance, adapted by screenwriter David Henry Hwang from his own play, which drew on a real espionage case.

David Cronenberg directed, making it the eleventh of the twenty-two features he has directed in chronological order; it followed Naked Lunch in 1991 and preceded Crash in 1996. Jeremy Irons plays Gallimard and John Lone plays Song Liling, with Barbara Sukowa as Jeanne Gallimard, Annabel Leventon, Shizuko Hoshi and Ian Richardson among the thirty credited cast members. Gabriella Martinelli produced for Warner Bros. Pictures and Geffen Pictures.

Made for a budget of 17 million US dollars, the film returned about 1 million dollars worldwide, a wide gap between its cost and its theatrical takings. On TMDB it holds a rating of 6.6 out of 10 from 253 votes, while the film critics' rating stands at 5.6 out of 10 from 22 reviews, so audiences there rate it somewhat more favourably than the critics do.