This film, from the beginning of French director Jean-Luc Godard's revolutionary period, is a fascinating time capsule of the 60s student movements and the hopes of political engagement which drove them. The film's "plot" concerns a group of Maoist French students who hole up in their bourgeosie parents' apartment and discuss a Communist revolution. Really, this loose structure is an excuse for Godard to delve into complex dialogues and monologues discussing various aspects of revolutionary politics, anti-capitalism, and violence. The characters talk to each other, and to the camera, spouting quotes from Mao's Little Red Book (which is also glorified in a hilarious psych-pop ditty halfway through the film) and other Communist and anarchist tracts. It's a film about the possibility of political change, and the ways in which dogma and confused goals can sabotage revolutionary movements. Godard was prescient enough to capture a pivotal moment for French students, and he both exalts them and criticizes them. One central dialogue takes place between the main character, Veronique (played by Godard's then-wife, Anne Wiazemsky), and the French philosopher and revolutionary Francis Jeanson, who was once imprisoned for supporting the Algerian independence movement. Jeanson argues against Veronique's impassioned advocacy of terrorism, arguing that such violent means are only a beginning at best, and utterly worthless if the students have no ideas about what to do next. Beyond its revolutionary dialogues, La Chinoise is an incredibly fun film, with a surprising sense of playful humor and a gorgeous visual style based on primary colors. Optimum's DVD presents the film in all its brightly hued glory, and among the worthwhile extras is an illuminating interview with Godard scholar Colin McCabe. Overall, a great package for a very important film.