🌸 🥁🎵 Flower Drum Song Screening Live React (FA 24 - ES 363 ) by

Write at least 1 comment on the beginning of the film.

ekandres — 2024-09-16 19:50:46 UTC

Write at least 1 comment about the middle of the film.

ekandres — 2024-09-16 19:51:02 UTC

Write at least 1 comment about the end of the film.

ekandres — 2024-09-16 19:51:16 UTC

Write at least 2 comments that apply a concept or theory from course materials so far to the film. Citations needed.

ekandres — 2024-09-16 19:51:28 UTC

michaeljtactay — 2024-09-22 21:03:35 UTC

In the beginning, Flower Drum Song introduces us to the contrasting experiences of Chinese immigrants in America. The characters’ initial struggles to adapt to a new culture, while holding on to their traditions, set the tone for the film. I was struck by how quickly the film established this sense of cultural duality and the warmth of the characters, which immediately drew me into their journey.

michaeljtactay — 2024-09-22 21:04:19 UTC

As the story progresses, the themes of identity and love take center stage. The comedic and romantic misunderstandings add layers to the characters’ development, while the vibrant musical numbers keep the energy high. I enjoyed how the middle of the movie blends humor with the deeper exploration of cultural conflict, making the characters’ challenges more relatable.

michaeljtactay — 2024-09-22 21:04:55 UTC

By the end, the film delivers a resolution that ties together themes of love, belonging, and acceptance. The characters seem to find a balance between their heritage and their new American lives, offering a hopeful message about embracing both. The conclusion left me feeling satisfied, as it highlights that finding harmony between two cultures is possible without losing one’s identity.

ndixon4_1 — 2024-09-22 21:05:04 UTC

Ironically, the father believes breaking the law after migrating to a new country will bring bad luck, but they illegally stowed away on a ship to get to the States. Is this foreshadowing of what is to come? - Noel D.

michaeljtactay — 2024-09-22 21:05:35 UTC

Flower Drum Song resonates with the ongoing challenges many people face when balancing cultural identity and assimilation. The film’s portrayal of immigrants navigating two worlds reminds me of how modern societies are still dealing with similar issues today. Whether it’s adapting to a new culture, balancing tradition with modernity, or simply finding one’s place, the movie’s message about embracing both parts of our identity is still relevant. It made me reflect on how important it is to honor where we come from while also being open to change and growth.

ndixon4_1 — 2024-09-22 21:16:22 UTC

I can't help but notice that the policeman seems to be entirely out of touch with his Asian heritage. "I can't read Chinese." and " Oh, you're from New York?" He truly assimilated, but he's only policing other Asians. -Noel D.

ndixon4_1 — 2024-09-22 21:29:48 UTC

Fun Fact: Juanita Hall is African American and Irish American. She was born in New Jersey to a Black father and a White mother. Despite this movie featuring a majority Asian cast, she is the one actress in this movie I see in Yellow Face. - Noel D

2024-09-22 22:55:17 UTC

When Mei Li and Dr. Han Li snuck into the cargo to come into San Francisco illegally from Hong Kong, it reminded me of Asian's who immigrated to the U.S. for a better life/future for their children and trying to achieve the American Dream. - Tiffany Fok

2024-09-22 22:59:54 UTC

Mei Li wears a traditional Chinese dress at first until his father tells her that she cannot wear it to the party and then Wang Ta's father gives her another dress to wear, which is more of an "American" style looking dress compared to the traditional Chinese dress she wore in the first place. It reminded me that being Asian American, you can wear/represent both. - Tiffany Fok

2024-09-22 23:09:57 UTC

When a marriage contract comes to place once things didn’t work out between Mei Li and Wang Ta, it made me think of how Asian parents can sometimes be strict when it comes to their children’s marriage and how they want them to get married whether or not they were in love with the other person. But at the end, it didn’t matter if Mei Li came to San Francisco illegally, it was still a happy ending for her and Wang Ta and everyone else. - Tiffany Fok

2024-09-22 23:26:15 UTC

On time stamp 21:22, when Madame Liang finds a suitable match for Wang Ta, Wang Chi Yang states, “my son’s wife must be born in a suitable month, from a house with a high door”. I think that this is typically said in an Asian household, especially coming from a Chinese family, “suitable month” to see if the other person is compatible/good match with their children and “from a house with a high door” meaning to see if the other person is successful/smart. This is very similar to what typical Chinese, Asian families look for when it comes to parent’s finding a partner for their children.

On time stamp 39:38, when Wang Ta talks to Linda Low, he mentions, “(father) doesn’t care what I do as long as I’m married and give him grandchildren” and Linda Low then mentions, “your father sounds very Chinese” he then mentions “he is completely Chinese and it’s good, it’s good for my brother cause he’s completely American and I’m both and sometimes the American half shocks the oriental half and sometimes the oriental half keeps me from showing the girl what’s on my mind”. This shows how in the Chinese Asian culture, it is important to parents that they get grandchildren and not having to worry about who their children marries and it shows the different cultural sides/ideals of being Chinese and American as well as being a Chinese parent living in America. - Tiffany Fok

2024-09-23 01:59:24 UTC

In the beginning of the film I found it very interesting when Mei Li and Dr. Han Li came to the U.S. there was a note they carried with them and whoever they asked for help it was hard to find someone in San Francisco who spoke/read Chinese to get to their needed location. I also really enjoyed the beginning song, the flower drum song that they performed in front of the people in San Francisco because the crowd stopped and was interested in the music.

britney barron

2024-09-23 01:59:41 UTC

In the middle of the film it was interesting when Wang Ta tells his father that he should make his own decisions, especially for his marriage. His father then refuses for Wang Ta to think for himself until it is when his father says it is time for him to think for himself. It reminds me of how the Asian culture still think to this day.

britney barron

2024-09-23 02:00:00 UTC

At the end of the film I found it very surprising how Wang Ta came to the place Mei Li to give her a gift for her marriage. It was a very happy ending when she found that she truly did love Wang Ta from the kiss they shared. I think Mei Li’s father was such a supportive role for her and all he wanted was for her to be happy. Later at the Chinese tea ceremony she admits to Sammy Fong’s mother that she came illegally to stop the marriage and it worked, so that Mei Li and Wang Ta could get married after all.

britney barron

2024-09-23 02:00:17 UTC

Two concepts from the film that we discussed in this course has been showed throughout the film. The way women are seen to be exotic and looked at sexually to the men (1:42:30). These women like Linda Low were also performing to make their money or something of value like how she got a car in return of her performance provided by Sammy Fong (19:00-19:20). Another way is how it was seen in a negative light if you were half American and half Chinese. In the middle of the film Madame Liang was rewarded an award and was told she was half American and half Chinese like the Chinese dish, chop suey. She was happy to be called chop suey and started to sing, which I thought was interesting & amazing that she was proud of being half American and half Chinese (56:30-56:45). It was inspiring how Madame Liang stood her ground and was proud to embrace the Asian American culture.

britney barron

cregaladobenites — 2024-09-23 02:51:44 UTC

**accidentally wrote my responses in last year's discussion**

The first thing I recognized was that there were no subtitles when the shipment workers were speaking their language. I thought it was a problem with the source I was using to view the film, but it seems that's just how the movie is- which seems odd to me. I also noticed that Linda's performance was the same performance in the documentary we watched a few weeks ago too. From what I remember (I could be wrong) her character was criticized by other Asian individuals in the industry. But, I think Nancy Kwan said she didn't see anything wrong with her portrayal.

cregaladobenites — 2024-09-23 02:52:00 UTC

After my initial post, I now see why Linda's character could be controversial. She is the dragon lady type with an emphasis on being sneaky and deceiving. I also see the cultural/generational conflict through Master Wang and his sons. Especially when Wang Ta mentioned that his father is Chinese, but he is Chinese and American, and that Wang San is American. Wang San's character constantly stunning his father with his slang or outfits also shows the beginning of the "Americanization" of the Wang family.

cregaladobenites — 2024-09-23 03:03:43 UTC

Towards the end of the film we see Mei Li heartbroken over Wang Ta's relationship with Linda and him staying over at Helen's home. I think Wang Ta and Mei Li's love seemed unreciprocated due to Wang Ta's infatuation with Linda. I think the ending seemed a little rushed and not a great build up to their relationship either. Both of the relationships didn't seem genuine to me. One lacked a build up, the other seemed out of money... On another note, I was surprised that the term "wet back" was used. As a Latina, I've heard it used towards my community countless times. But never in the context of another race. However, I do see why the term was used; Mei Li saw on TV that it had potential to stop a marriage and showed perspective of some Americans towards immigrants that arrive to the US illegally. Nonetheless, it was pleasant to see that Wang Ta didn't care about her citizenship status to marry her. (:

Beginning - Flower Drum Song

2024-09-23 03:17:21 UTC

The first thing I noticed was that they didn't use subtitles at the beginning of the film when the two male characters were speaking. Although I am unsure of what they said, I got a jest of what they were saying through their movements and gestures. As the film continues, you can see the cultural difference between the two from the East and those from America. I noticed two things when the two people from the East saw the statue: they bowed in respect while everyone else walked and did not acknowledge it. - Michelle Vang (I accidentally wrote my responses in last year's discussion)

2024-09-23 03:28:30 UTC

At the beginning of the film, we can sense that there is a virtual wall between Asians who have assimilated and Asians who have kept their culture. The Chinese policeman is unfamiliar with the culture of his fellow Chinese Americans and has fully assimilated. Over 50 years after this film's release, this divide is still very true among Asian American communities.

2024-09-23 03:53:32 UTC

In the middle of the film, we can sense the cultural and generational divide in the film. The younger Chinese Americans are more familiar with American culture while older Chinese people in the film firmly believe in the culture of the film. It is important to remember the film period the film is set in. The father in the film holds values that of the Qing dynasty, during the era of imperial China. The film was released in 1961, 49 years after the fall of the Qing dynasty, meaning older Chinese Americans at the time is very likely behaved like that, believing in Chinese values of the imperial era. Today, every single Chinese person with cognitive memory of the Qing dynasty is dead, meaning the older Chinese people are more likely familiar with the traditions of the Republic of China and People's Republic of China, something today's Chinese American youth are more familiar with.

2024-09-23 03:55:11 UTC

This film's ending forces thoughts of not only the difference between the traditional arranged marriage and the modern love marriage but also the morality of legal and illegal immigration. These themes eventually have the characters find balance between tradition and modernity and legality and compassion.

2024-09-23 03:56:18 UTC

Personally as an Asian American with conservative views, I also acknowledge that I have and do embrace modernity and have found balance between the traditions of my culture as well as the modern culture of today.

2024-09-23 04:14:05 UTC

I really enjoyed the intro credits, it is interesting how those styles of credits aren't in movies anymore. I also thought that the characters being introduced by them exiting the crates feels like it might not hold a lot of focus on the movie, but if it came out today, that topic might be highlighted more in the movie. - Pranav Dharuri

2024-09-23 04:18:36 UTC

I thought it was really cool that the movie showed these characters with distinct differences and how that plays into culture and how a new country can also effect that.

- Pranav Dharuri

cregaladobenites — 2024-09-23 04:19:53 UTC

Comment 1:

The main women in this film all show different stereotypes of Asian women that were circulating media during that time. Linda is the dragon woman, she's alluring, deceiving, sneaky, in it for money. She deceives Wang Ta for his father's wealth. She also seems to like Sammy for money/materialistic things as well. We can see that in the beginning of the film when Sammy offers a gift to her after she finds out about Mei Li's arrival and her goal. Mei Li is the more traditional Chinese woman, the Lotus Blossom stereotype. She seems to love her potential husband unconditionally, whether he gambles, is popular with women, etc. (Source: Slaying the Dragon, Ep 1)

Comment 2:

I did not know that Madam Liang, played by Juanita Hall, was Hall in "yellowface" until I read the article, "'Flower Drum Song,' Whitewashing, and Operation Wetback: A Message from 1961." I did not want to assume anything when I saw her character, but after looking up the cast + reading the article I was a little surprised. I understand that Asian immigration was restricted heavily around this time. But I wish they had looked a little harder for an actual Asian actor. ):

2024-09-23 04:25:50 UTC

I felt like the end of the movie was very expected but I also think that is ok and preferable. Remembering the previous modules and the character archetypes that were present in 20th century Asian characters in film I noticed those significantly more. - Pranav Dharuri

2024-09-23 04:33:25 UTC

The characters in Flower Drum Song fit the archetypes presented in our week 3 module. Including the concept of Dragon Lady. It gave us a more concrete look at these stereotypes. - Pranav Dharuri

Middle - Flower Drum Song (1 hr & 7 mins)

2024-09-23 04:39:36 UTC

Watching the film up to this point, I find the film to be very entertaining. The song choices are exciting but very insightful regarding how each character views the world. One of the remarks that was made that caught me off guard was when the father of Wang Ta told his wife's sister, "To become an American citizen, it took her five years; she was Chinese in nine months," then refer her as the "Chinese dish Americans invented" (aka. Chop suey).

kcamacho12_1 — 2024-09-23 04:51:10 UTC

What stuck out to me in the beginning of this film is when the daughter asked a young man for help with directions, in which he immediately responded with "I can't read Chinese. It overall made me think about the two different worlds these two characters share, and coincidentally come across each other.

prachikumar2021 — 2024-09-23 05:05:46 UTC

The beginning was like, living the beginner immigrant life again. Reminded me of when I first immigrated, and how I hd to change certain things about myself to fit in. But it was hard, since my tradition and culture was rooted so deep down, just like the character's. This was more heartwarming, than any real life based movies I have seen.

prachikumar2021 — 2024-09-23 05:08:31 UTC

Within 1 hour of the movie, they introduced us to the chances culture, where they give red envelope on Chinese New Year. This part made me think, how keeping one's culture alive is so beautiful and so blissful. It also felt relatable, since in my culture we follow a very similar tradition.

prachikumar2021 — 2024-09-23 05:11:05 UTC

The overall experience was great. The ending was very beautiful. The movie portrayed love, culture, struggle, and importance of tradition, very sincerely. The ending was a bit emotional, as the characters came to except their heritage and there culture, through love and acceptance.

Ana Vidrio_ Beginning_0:00-43:00

2024-09-23 05:14:27 UTC

It doesn't have much to do with commentary about the movie, but seeing the way San Francisco is portrayed in the film, compared to how it is now, is very interesting! In showing the contrast of cultures in the film, the detail of some Asian Americans citizens not being able to read Chinese is a small, yet effective detail. I like the comedic tone of the movie when the father warns his daughter to not draw attention to themselves, and he immediately does otherwise by making a loud announcement to the crowd surrounding them. Mei Li's singing voice is absolutely beautiful; the same goes for Linda Low! I also like the detail of Mei Li and her father calling "Americanized" Chinese food American food, whilst the American character considers it to be authentic Chinese food. Another interesting cultural detail, that I can also relate to, is that the groom's father does not understand the young boy's American slang. I also wonder why the sister-in-law calls her brother-in-law "my sister's husband", instead of his name. The young children are very talented- their dancing is synchronized and fun to watch! The special effects of Linda Low dancing in front of the mirror are amazing, especially considering the video editing technology they had back then.

prachikumar2021 — 2024-09-23 05:15:59 UTC

This movie is not set in the modern world, but it still shows very similar struggles of today's generation, who's having trouble accepting their heritage. Similar to the concept of the course, and it teaches us the strugglers of an immigrant. Flower Drum doesn't just show the story of the fictional characters, but it also applies to the world we live in, and the era that has passed. This movie and the course teaches us to learn and accept our culture embrace the things that come with it, by also passing the same knowledge to the future generation.

2024-09-23 05:33:49 UTC

The film's early portrayal of Master Wang Chili's household provides an intriguing glimpse into the complexities of maintaining Chinese traditions in an American setting. The scene where Wang Ta is scolded for his modern behavior while his aunt secretly indulges in American soap operas adds a touch of humor while subtly commenting on the inevitable influence of American culture, even on those who resist it most strongly. --Denon Papakostas

2024-09-23 05:34:30 UTC

The developing romance between Wang Ta and Linda Low highlights the generational and cultural conflicts within the Chinese-American community. Their relationship represents a more Americanized view of love and courtship, which clashes with the traditional arranged marriage customs represented by Mei Li's situation. This subplot dramatizes the broader cultural negotiations taking place within the community. --Denon Papakostas

2024-09-23 05:35:58 UTC

The resolution of the various romantic entanglements in the film's final act reflects a broader theme of compromise and cultural synthesis. As characters pair off in ways that blend traditional and modern approaches to relationships, the film suggests that the path forward for the Chinese-American community involves finding a middle ground between old and new world values. --Denon Papakostas

End - Flower Drum Song

2024-09-23 05:40:09 UTC

At the end of the film, I found it to be the most entertaining part. I liked how Mei Li was able to realize that she was in love with Wang Ta, and that also applies to him too. I thought that the use of the American show that Mei Li was watching was interesting because it showed her the exact situation Mei Li was in, but the main difference was that they looked American. This shows Mei Li that it is possible for her to marry someone she is in love with rather than marry someone out of responibility. It was nice to see the contrast between Wang Ta's father and Mei Li's father as one of them is trying to force their child into an arranged marriage while the other allows their child to make their own decision.

2024-09-23 05:41:05 UTC

"Flower Drum Song" exemplifies the concept of "model minority" representation in Hollywood cinema. The film portrays Chinese-American characters as hardworking, family-oriented, and successfully assimilating into American culture, which aligns with the model minority myth. This portrayal, while seemingly positive, can be problematic as it oversimplifies the diverse experiences of Asian Americans and reinforces stereotypes. As Robert G. Lee argues in "Orientals: Asian Americans in Popular Culture," such representations can serve to "valorize the conformity of Asian Americans to dominant white middle-class values" while simultaneously obscuring the structural inequalities and discrimination faced by Asian American communities (Lee, 1999, p. 145). The characters' journey towards Americanization in the film, particularly Wang Ta's and Mei Li's, reflects this idealized narrative of successful assimilation that was prevalent in media representations of the time.

Similarly, the film's treatment of gender roles and sexuality among Asian American characters reflects the complex intersection of race and gender stereotypes in Hollywood. The portrayal of Linda Low as a seductive performer aligns with what Celine Parreñas Shimizu terms the "hypersexuality" often ascribed to Asian women in American media (Shimizu, 2007). Conversely, Mei Li's character embodies the "lotus blossom" stereotype - demure, traditional, and subservient. These contrasting depictions illustrate what Shimizu describes as the "bipolar representation" of Asian women in American cinema, where they are often confined to either hypersexualized or desexualized roles (Shimizu, 2007, p. 59). This dichotomy in "Flower Drum Song" not only reinforces problematic stereotypes but also limits the complexity and agency of Asian female characters, reflecting broader issues of representation in Hollywood.

References

Lee, R. G. (1999). Orientals: Asian Americans in Popular Culture. Temple University Press.

Shimizu, C. P. (2007). The Hypersexuality of Race: Performing Asian/American Women on Screen and Scene. Duke University Press.

--Denon Papakostas

kcamacho12_1 — 2024-09-23 05:42:39 UTC

Within the middle of the film there's a big focus on the cultural differences between Asian and American cultures. I find it very interesting how the father wants his son to marry a traditional woman and attempts to marry him off without his permission, but yet the sister-in-law mentions "falling in love the American way". This overall highlights the importance of partnership in regards to both cultures, one who prioritizes the emotion of love and the other which focuses on the security of the future(children and tradition).

Ana Vidrio_Middle_43:00-01:30:00

2024-09-23 05:43:27 UTC

I am curious of the groom's father's wife. Why isn't she in the film so far? I hope nothing bad happened. When the sister-in-law mentions her brother-in-law losing 100 dollars, I wonder what the equivalent amount of that is today. The brother-in-law innocently pressing the alarm button is absolutely hilarious! Maybe I missed out on the detail, but I am curious of the history behind the brother-in-law's wealth. The phrase of "going steady" sounds very endearing to me; it's cute! The actors are such incredible dancers; their moves are very fluid and captivating. The music stopping as soon as the couple got up to dance was funny! The stage for the interpretive dance is so incredibly beautiful.

21ncalara — 2024-09-23 05:53:52 UTC

My specific comments are about the characters and cast from this film.

When researching the cast of this film, I've noticed that Juanita Hall, actress for Madame Liang, is portraying an Asian person even though she is of African and Irish descent. This reminds me of Week 2 when we learned about the 1932 Mask of Flu Manchu practicing yellowface, non Asian characters playing Asian roles to make Asians acceptable, which unfortunately still happens today (Accomando 2019).

When digging further into the characters of Linda Low and Mei Li, it reminded me of the week 2 discussion of Hollywood putting Asian American women into 2 archetypes: the dragon lady and lotus blossom. I would describe Linda Low as the dragon lady because she is a confident person who uses her sex appeal to her advantage. Mei Li would be the Lotus Blossom because she is the new immigrant that is innocent and slowly adjusting to American values (Mitra, Durba, Kang, and Clutario, 2021).

Ana Vidrio_End_1:30:00-2:11:00

2024-09-23 06:05:59 UTC

"Why are you not in school?"

"It's Saturday!"

"There's always some excuse!"

This part made me laugh!

I wonder why now, towards the end of the movie, the brother-in-law refers to his sister-in-law as "aunt", instead of having called her that all along. Wang Ta singing to Mei Li in order to cheer her up is so endearing! Again, I have to compliment the stage design for the dance- it's incredible! Not to mention the integration of the black and white film; the editors are highly talented! If I understood the implications correctly, it is tragic that Wang Ta's mother passed. Even though it's supposed to be sad, it is funny that each respective couple that is yearning for each other sniffled at one another during the wedding.

2024-09-23 06:16:36 UTC

I really enjoyed the art in the opening credits of the film. I think the art is very gorgeous and it displays the journey of the characters to San Francisco while incorporating culture. There is an obvious division between Asians who have kept in touch with their culture, and Asians who have adjusted to American culture. I also like the setting and how San Francisco is portrayed in this film! - Sainima Saito

2024-09-23 06:21:00 UTC

One thing that has continuously called my attention was the music because it reminds me older films such as Mary Poppins which must be why it almost feels familiar. I like how there are certain details which shows parts of their culture such as giving red envelopes on Chinese New Year. - Sainima Saito

2024-09-23 06:27:49 UTC

Kids born in the US have basically assimilated around the Western idea. Culture has changed from generation to generation. Some Asian characters are played by White and Asian people. Music was fun. - Ha Dang

kcamacho12_1 — 2024-09-23 06:29:54 UTC

It's nice to know that they were all able to marry the person they loved, despite the complicated serious of events they were all able to have their happy endings. It was interesting to see the comments towards Mei Ling for being "illegal" and that being the reason why she was not seen as good enough to marry the woman's son.

2024-09-23 06:32:06 UTC

The movie moves to something more serious like Marriage. Shows the issues between different cultures from family to family. Distrust and confusion. I liked seeing some Asian culture being represented like the red envelopes and the celebrations- Ha Dang

Apply

2024-09-23 06:34:38 UTC

After watching the film, I didn't think too much about it other than that I was entertained, although some parts were questionable. Something that I noticed throughout the movie was the actress, specifically Linda. In the reading "It's Time to Reckon with the History of Asian Women in America," the authors talked about how "White supremacist ideologies blame Asian women for causing "temptations" and "portray Asian women as "prostitutes." I bring this up because when they introduce Linda's character, they portray her as someone who embraces her femininity and sex appeal as her power source. Linda's character caught my attention the most because you can see that she was used to "comfort" Sammy and objectified as the song "I Enjoy Being a Girl" talks about how she longs to be the center of attention of a man's affections. A lyric showcasing this is, "And my future I hope will be in the home of a brave and free male who'll enjoy being a guy, having a girl like me."

Citations:

Kim, Heidi. ““Flower Drum Song,” Whitewashing, and Operation Wetback: A Message from 1961.” Lareviewofbooks.org, 22 Sept. 2016, lareviewofbooks.org/article/flower-drum-song-whitewashing-operation-wetback-message-1961/.
Mitra, Durba, et al. “It’s Time to Reckon with the History of Asian Women in America.” Harper’s BAZAAR, 23 Mar. 2021, www.harpersbazaar.com/culture/features/a35913981/its-time-to-reckon-with-the-history-of-asian-women-in-america/.
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ndixon4_1 — 2024-09-23 06:35:59 UTC

The Chop Suey musical number signals the midpoint of the movie. This part shows the older and younger generations sharing their pride and appreciation of being Asian in America. - Noel D.

2024-09-23 06:43:46 UTC

The end of the movie was a happy one. Despite some struggles in pairing and whatnot it ended up being successful. Traditional Asian culture and American culture were put up against one another. At some times there are comments about American ways don’t work. The dynamics between the characters was fun to watch. - Ha Dang

2024-09-23 06:46:32 UTC

The end was quite predictable, but it was a happy ending. I am glad everyone was able to be with who they loved, and the film showed the adjustment to life in America while finding a sense of belonging. I liked how the film ended with more art to show what the future hold for the characters. - Sainima Saito

ndixon4_1 — 2024-09-23 06:47:40 UTC

I didn't know that this was a novel as well. The movie adaptation had Reiko Sato's character, Helen Chao, disappear when she realized she would not be with Ta. In the book, she commits suicide for the same reason.-Noel D.

kcamacho12_1 — 2024-09-23 06:48:03 UTC

One concept I noticed in the film is the portrayal of Asian American woman in film. In which both Mei Ling and Linda Low are two different representations of Asian woman in film, one who is deemed as traditional and the other as more liberated. As stated "Linda Low, who represents emotional and sexual love…Li represents the most traditional option in terms of gendered and sexualized normativity. She portrays the devoted gender and sex to his patriarchal position."(Shimizu,53). Each of these representations have even been ideas associated with Asian woman, these stereotypes have continuously passed down throughout generations. Overall both characters represent the role patriarchy has played in Cinema, and how these roles and expectations are created by men. Regardless of how these roles are represented, they continue to negatively impact Asian woman and their identities.

Ana Vidrio_Apply_2 Comments

2024-09-23 06:49:26 UTC

At the end of the film, Sammy introduces his mother to Linda; the woman that he truly wants to marry. Previous to this, his mother voids the contract between Sammy and Mei Li due to her citizen status. Sammy's mother is not keen on the fact that she immigrated and is not yet an American citizen. So when presenting Linda, Sammy tells says to his mom, "She came into this country the regular way; through her mother." Christina Klein mentions that, "... the United States and Asia... grappled with the question of integration of minorities within the United States. As the social structures organizing Asian people within the United States changed, the meaning of Asianness changed did as well." (226) This correlates to the weariness and fear of individuals immigrating to the United States.

The film also has a lot of instances where the characters integrate into both the American culture, as well as Chinese culture. On Mei Le's end, she works towards integrating into the American culture. She wants to be able to fit into the American culture so that she does not stick out and draw attention to herself. On the other hand, Wang Ta's father refuses to recognize the American culture. Wang Ta, who was born and raised in the United States, his father does not allow him to integrate into the American culture, as he wants to uphold Chinese traditions. Christina Klein mentions that, "... the integration of Asian Americans... became a forum to the articulation of liberal views on race and for the repudiation of older racial formation of radicalization, and it created a cultural space in which Asian Americans could be publicly embraced as 'real' Americans." (230) In a sense, these actions continue to push the negative narrative that American-born Asian individuals are not true Americans; it is a way to create a "us" vs. "them" train of thought.

ndixon4_1 — 2024-09-23 07:07:56 UTC

So I made it to the end of the film. The wedding sequence was an ending that seemed to be somewhat of an attempt to be a crowd pleasing ending. The cermoney was traditional and American at the same time. -Noel D.

ndixon4_1 — 2024-09-23 07:26:27 UTC

The first thing I noticed was how the 2 men leads were a better repenstation of a manly asian man unlike the repenstations of the pass. Both actors were leading men that recieved the love of the women and were both well respected in their community. Second would be the use of Yellow Face with the actress Juanita Hall who is not of Asian /Asian American ancestory. Despite this setback, the movie overall for its time was ambitious and groundbreaking making way for the Asian/Asian American films we see today.-Noel D.

jmislang2 — 2024-09-23 22:15:08 UTC

I thought it was funny how Wang Tan has the audacity to ask his father for $25, "I need some money." It reminded me how my brother used to ask my parents for money and they would ask why and he'd respond with "Just because." From my own experience, I know immigrant parents always to know what you're doing with your money and as first generation kids we'd be spending it on dumb things. It's that survival instinct that parents have to be frugal with money and their American born child just wanting to have fun. -Jen Mislang

jmislang2 — 2024-09-23 22:20:48 UTC

Out of all the numbers that the film showed, I enjoyed "Chop Suey" the most because it integrated Chinese traditions into American style dancing. And how Madame Liang speaks on how it's great to be both Asian and American because I agree with that statement. -Jen M

jmislang2 — 2024-09-23 22:34:09 UTC

Mei Li's character is adorable, she's naive and easily influenced but she does know how to problem solve. I think it was a great example of how media is portrayed, whatever we see on television is easy to execute even though sometimes it's not the best thing to do/believe in. But she used what she saw on television to break out of the marriage with Sammy. -Jen M

jmislang2 — 2024-09-23 23:25:18 UTC

Things that stood out the most is the hyper sexuality that Linda Low portrays. In her number, "I Enjoy Being a Girl," reflects her character's view of how much she loves her silhouette, dresses, hair, etc., and her job at the nightclub as a dancer. And this goes back to what Lori Lopez was saying in "Asian American Media Studies" and highlighting Shizuma's views on how media shows Asian American women are these types of women who take advantage of their sexuality to win men over. Nothing wrong with that but just like Mei Li in the movie, one can be easily influenced and see characters like such and assume that, that's how they should be. Or even worse, men assuming that all Asian/Asian American woman is like that. -Jen M

Of course, I noticed the Golden Gate Bridge in the beginning, with a lady and a man on a ship but it seemed like they snuck on there. The lady made money by doing the "flower drum show" and singing very well.

2024-09-30 06:39:46 UTC

Wow. it's not quite the middle yet, but the "I Enjoy Being a Girl" song by Linda shocked me to the core it was so good she has such a strong mature beautiful voice. . .I'm in the middle now and I really dont want Ta to get used by Linda but for some reason I really feel for Linda.she's so pretty she can have anyone at this rate, but I want her to have something real.

2024-09-30 07:35:35 UTC

One thing I noticed in the beginning, is the police that almost got them in trouble trying to find Sammy was Asian. It might be a reach but it stuck out to me because we learned that they give negative roles to Asians as well when the main character is asian. Also, the "my back is wet" and using that term also wasn't the best, especially when immigration for Chinese was already so difficult why add more slurs for racist people to use?

2024-09-30 08:15:15 UTC

I've been through twists and turns on who I wanted together, but I guess I'm really satisfied with the ending. Especially the ending flower drum song "A Hundred Million Miracles" just added to how good it was. I'll have to admit, I wish Linda got better, (she was my favorite) I feel like she settled because she wanted something and had a dream. Also for Mei Lee, Ta wasn't even sure if he wanted to marry her the day before I know time was against them but I wish there was something more real.

2024-09-30 09:01:24 UTC