Image of an“Unknown Woman”in the American and Chinese Film Letter from an Unknown Woman

摘要

Letter from an Unknown Woman is one of the most well-known works of Austrian novelist Stefan Zweig.Since its first publication in 1922,there have been two film adaptations based on this novella.In 1948,Max Ophüls,a German-born director,directed a black-and-white drama romance film of the same name based on a script adapted by Howard Koch and released it in American.In 2005,a Chinese film based on this widely spread love story was adapted and directed by the Chinese female director Xu Jinglei.In this paper,two film adaptations released in different cultural contexts and historical backgrounds will be compared.Based on feminist theories,this paper will expound the similarities and differences in the portrayal of the unknown woman,which can imply unique understandings of two films about women’s role ina love relationship.