It’s been months since most of us have watched a movie in a cinema. At this point, we probably have finished everything on Netflix or ran out of things to watch.
Instead of re-watching the same kind of movies, here are some old Chinese-American films that you should definitely watch.
1) Daughter of Shanghai (1937)
Image obtained from Wikipedia.com
According to IMDB, this film is about a “Chinese-American woman [who] tries to expose [an] illegal alien smuggling ring.”
It features Anna May Wong, who, in that same year, lost the Asian role in “The Good Earth” to a white actress.
2) Flower Drum Song (1961)
Image obtained from Wikipedia.com
According to ANC News, Flower Drum Song is actually one of Hollywood’s first big studio movies about Asian-Americans. It is also the first to have a cast that was Asian in majority.
The movie is about a young woman from Hong Kong who arrived in San Francisco. She is engaged to a nightclub owner who is interested in the star singer.
3) A Great Wall (1986)
Image obtained from rottentomatoes.com
A Great Wall is the first American movie that was filmed in China. It is a dramatic and comedic family film that shows the clash between Western and Eastern culture.
The movie won two awards, one of which came from the Sundance Film Festival.
4) The Last Emperor (1987)
Image obtained from Wikipedia.com
The Last Emperor tells the accounts of Henry Puyi, the last emperor of China.
The movie was prioritized so much by the Chinese authorities that Queen Elizabeth II could not visit the Forbidden City.
5) Joy Luck Club (1993)
Image obtained from Wikipedia.com
The Joy Luck Club is a movie that shows the lives of 4 different Chinese women and their children.
It was adapted from the novel “The Joy Luck Club” by Amy Tan, who eventually became the movie’s screenwriter.
6) M. Butterfly (1993)
Image obtained from Wikipedia.com
M. Butterfly is based on the play written by David Henry Hwang, who also ended up becoming the movie’s screenwriter.
It is based on the true story of a French Diplomat who fell in love with an opera singer for 20 years. He thought that she was a girl the whole time when, in reality, she was a man in disguise.
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