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FEATURING ASIAN PACIFIC AMERICANS Between 1940 and 1949 PHANTOM
OF CHINATOWN This is a very low-budget B movie of poor quality. Its uninspired story of an Asian detective, James Lee Wong, solving a murder mystery is only a cheap attempt to cash in on the Charlie Chan movies of the era. But unlike Chan, the Asian detective hero in this film is an acculturated American, and he's played by Chinese American actor Keye Luke, not by an actor in Yellowface." Luke's character is a confident, clear-speaking man of action. In an era when Asian stereotypes ran rampant in Hollywood, Luke's stereotype-busting lead role redeems this otherwise lackluster thriller. Click HERE to purchase a copy of this historical film. GREEN
HORNET STRIKES AGAIN
Publishing magnate and clandestine crime fighter Britt Reid and his sidekick
Kato battle bad guys through fifteen installments of the vintage theatrical
serial based on the popular Depression-era radio program.
Independent of comparisons, however, The
Green Hornet Strikes Again stands as a rather entertaining serial. Even
those who prefer the Gordon Jones Hornet, can recognize the strengths
of Hull's performance, although the actor, about nine years older than
Jones, was, perhaps, better suited to the sophisticated heroes of his
other serials -- men one would expect to see relaxing in Hawaii -- than
to the tough young publisher-son of Dan Reid. Hull is, nonetheless, a
believable hero, albeit one in a less intense undertaking than the first
Hornet outing. The Green Hornet Strikes Again in some ways resembles the
early detective series of television, with their interludes of character
interplay and largely unrelated cases.
Kato (Keye
Luke), is again a trusty Johnny-on-the-spot, though he is not given
the opportunity to display the acumen for technology his character brought
to the prior serial. The Reid houseboy and chauffeur, who had stoutly
proclaimed that he was Korean in The Green Hornet, says nothing about
his heritage here. Kato, however, is described by a crook as "that oriental."
(Whether Kato was ever called Japanese in the radio version, and whether
he was converted into a Filipino before or after Pearl Harbor, are matters
of eternal controversy.*) 
THE
JUNGLE BOOK Directed by Zoltan Korda Cast: Sabu, Joseph Calleia, John Qualen, Frank Puglia, Rosemary De Camp, Patricia O'Rourke, Ralph Byrd, John Mather, Faith Brook, Noble Johnson If Merle Oberon was technically the West's first South Asian movie star, its first openly South Asian star was Sabu. This native of India first broke into films as the child star of the British-produced " Elephant Boy" (1937). As he grew, he continued starring in such British films as the re-make of " The Thief of Bagdad" (1940). "The Jungle Book" features Sabu in his first real adult starring role as Rudyard Kipling's Mowgli. The British-based Alexander Korda, driven overseas by World War II, produced the film in the United States. The story is set in India, and all of the supporting characters appear to be played by white actors in "Brownface." Still, Sabu holds the screen as the heroic main character, and this Technicolor movie remains very enjoyable as an example of the era's fantasy filmmaking. Sabu would go on to have a career in Hollywood, playing other "exotic" lead and supporting roles in movies as " Drums" (1938), " The Arabian Nights" (1942), " Black Narcissus" (1947), " A Tiger Walks" (1964) and "Sabu and the Magic Ring" (1957). He died in 1963. Although quite popular in his time, Sabu is barely remembered today. Jason Scott Lee would inherit the role of Mowgli in the 1994 re-make of " The Jungle Book ". 
DRAGON
SEED Katherine Hepburn starred as a defiant Asian woman interested in the politics of her Chinese village and leads her fellow villages in an uprising against Japanese invaders. Agnes Morehead also stars as a conniving "Oriental" woman. The use of Caucasian actors and actresses in Oriental roles significantly detracts from the film's realism and paralleLs the mood of the US towards Asian Pacific Americans. Based on Pearl S. Buck's novel of 1942. Academy Award Nominations: 2, Best Supporting Actress--Aline MacMahon, Best (Black-and-White) Cinematography. Most of the actors look (initially - at least to White audiences) bizarre, but we (White general public) get used to them pretty quick - sadly. By the time the film is about thirty minutes on, many (within the audiences of the 1940's) have forgotten the repellent and offensive makeup work, and we are concentrating on the story and on the wonderful way Jack Conway had with actors - a talented cast. PLOT OVERVIEW: The "Dragon Seed", of the title refers to the new generations that appear to revitalise China and despite the losses one generation suffers through war there is always a renewal of human spirit when the new "seed", grows and matures like a field of life giving rice. Such an analogy is perfect for "Dragon Seed", as the story focuses on the family of Ling Tan (Walter Huston), a prosperous farmer in rural China during the 1930's. Life in his valley follows the same uneventful routine year after year and mainstream events rarely touch their day to day existence. We are introduced to his family in soul of the earth wife (Aline MacMahon) his three very different sons, Loa Ta (Robert Brice), La Er (Turhan Bey) and La San (Hurd Hatfield) and extended family memebers Third Cousin (Henry Travers) his wife (Agnes Moorehead) and Wu Lien (Akim Tamiroff). All have their own personalities and none is more perplexing for the family than Jade (Katharine Hepburn) the non conformist wife of Lao Er. She doesn't see her role as that of servant to her husband and she expresses a desire to learn to read, an action unheard of among the women of the valley. This life however is disturbed forever first by the rumblings of the far off Japanese invasion of coastal China and then directly when the invading army moves into their valley and immediately begin the destruction of everything Ling Tan and his family hold sacred. Wu Lien the most devious family member collaborates with the Japanese army and assures a rich life for his family which unfortunately he eventually pays dearly for. The increasing atrocities arouse nationalistic feelings in all of Ling Tan's sons with the former peace loving Loa San becoming a sadistic killer on a par with the Japanese. Ling Tan sees his property overun and family members including daughter in law Orchid (Frances Rafferty), brutally raped and murdered by the soldiers. Two grandchildren also are casualities when famine causes widespread starvation. Despite the tragedy there are some isolated moments of happiness when Jade finally gives birth to another long awaited grandson. The farmers begin a "scorched earth" tactic where they destroy everything including their homes and crops to hopefully starve the Japamese out. Lao Er and Jade leave their child with Ling Tan and his wife and join the resistance movement as guerilla fighters thus moving away forever from the innocent life they knew before. At the stories conclusion a moment of great significance occurs when for the first time in his long life Ling Tan leaves his ancestral home where his family have toiled for generations, to help grow food for the forces in free China.
INTERESTING SIDE NOTE: It is sad that actors such as Keye Luke, Sessue Hayakawa, Anna May Wong, Philip Ahn and other prominent Asian American actors were not given prominent roles. Imagine integrating their undisputed great talents with actors such as Kathryn Hepburn and Walter Houston - along with the other talented actors in this cast!
DIALOGUE: Jade stated "How can I teach him (my child) honesty when he has to lie and cheat to live? How can I teach him mercy when he must either kill first or be killed? How can I teach him faith in mankind when he sees nothing but distrust run even in his own family of traitors? When the father stated "Elsewhere, there are men who love peace, long for good and will fight to get these things. So the strangers are no longer strangers to me. But a man like me, if I could but know him. If I but could see him. His wife stated: What good is the seeing if you could not speak to each other. Kathryn Hepburn's character stated: He would not need speech. If what you wish is the same, there will be understanding between you. If one can get beyond the actors playing in "YellowFace" - viewing this film provides a cinematic and historical insights into the reasons behind the Chinese protests of Japan's activities in China in the early 20th century and of Iris Chang's book "Rape of Nanking." Pearl Buck's revealing books (i.e. Dragon Seed and The Good Earth) deserve an updated treatment by today's actors of Asian descent. One wonders why this hasn't been done well before now? 
BLOOD ON THE SUN Amazon Review: Cagney is a crusading newspaper editor in 1930s Japan who's come into possession of the "Tanaka Plan" for world domination. Amidst political intrigue and crossed loyalties, Cagney must now find a way to warn the outside world. A fine, entertaining melodrama that's based in fact, with Cagney as good as ever, but this time with judo chops. If only the Japanese knew some kind of hand-to-hand combat, they might be able to stand a chance against Cagney. Dated only by its condescension towards the Japanese, Blood on the Sun never slacks its pace, providing quick-witted patter all along in the mark of the classic Hollywood style. It seems peculiarly American (in an inadvertent way, of course) that in the film's final moments the day should be saved by none other than Ward Cleaver (Hugh Beaumont). Rotten Tomatoes: Set in the 1930's, an American newspaper editor (Cagney) working in Japan discovers the insidious "Tanaka Plan" while investigating the double murder of a fellow reporter and his wife. If he is to warn the world about this Japanese plot for world domination, he must stay alive and out of the hands of the secret police with the help of Iris (Sidney), a beautiful Chinese-American spy. It's been stated that "It isn't PC (considering that it was produced just after the end of WWII), but it's not all stereotype either. There are some real Asians in the film, the plot is a true story, and not all the Japanese are evil. That said, yes, there are a lot of quasi-offensive squinty-eyed caucasians with fake buck teeth in the film, too. Editor's Note: Of course, the Americans are the good guys who fight better than the Japanese (sic White actors playing roles in "YellowFace.") that stretches the imagination. James Cagney does the best he can, considering the time period that he lived in.
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