Turner Classics Movies : Asian Images In Film (Update: June 12, 2008)
A Chinese woman’s father gets murdered in San Francisco.
She outsmarts gangsters and evades them. Fashionable, stylish, and affluent, she embarks on a solo journey to an island in Central America on a mission to nail the head of the gang.
On the other end, a Chinese American federal agent attempts to solve the murder case alone, so he goes undercover.
Eventually they both meet, and join forces to solve the case.
They both speak clear, unbroken English with no visible accent.
They defeat the criminals and ride off into the sunset together.
Am I dreaming?! THIS is not the pigeonhole extravaganza known as Hollywood today! Is this some Bizzaro world where everything has been turned on its head? Is there actually hope that Hollywood can actually show people as they are?!!
NO. This was Hollywood SEVENTY YEARS AGO, and the film is called Daughter of Shanghai. This month on TCM’s Asian Images In Film.
TCM Turner Classic Movies is showing a filmography of Asian representation on Film throughout the month of June. The program is called Asian Images In Film. If you follow the link, there’s a wealth of information on the films they are showing PLUS bonus interviews. For those who are interested, you can click on VIDEO and scroll to the bottom of the thumbnails, where short segments feature such topics as “Stereotyping of Asians,” “Roles for Asian Actors,” and “Race and Casting.”
Anna May Wong’s biography is an entire story in itself. Any Asians who have ever scratched his or her head at the strange behavior and interaction with folks in this country ought to give this site a visit and make it a point to watch the films. You can trace the genealogy of what went wrong and how we ended up here today:
