Yung Chang's Up the Yangtze (2007) is a nuanced and emotionally resonant film about modernization and change in China. The film is like a morality fable for strivers, centering on the stories of two key characters: an innocent (Cindy, top still) and a huckster (Jerry). They have just begun their jobs on a cruise ship (their boss gave them their tourist-friendly names) for foreign vacationers curious about the rising Yangzte River. The film succeeds because of its perceptive portraits of people even more than its informative views of river and riverbank. Yung Chang provided information for a follow-up web page -- anyone who watches the film will want to find out what happened next for Cindy and Jerry.
