Come See the Paradise (1990)

Portraying one of the shadier details of American history, this is the story of Jack McGurn, who comes to Los Angeles in 1936. He gets a job at a movie theatre in Little Tokyo and falls in ... See full summary »

Director:

Alan Parker

Writer:

Alan Parker

Stars:

Dennis Quaid, Tamlyn Tomita, Sab Shimono

3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Dennis Quaid	...	Jack McGurn
Tamlyn Tomita	...	Lily Yuriko Kawamura / McGann
Sab Shimono	...	Hiroshi Kawamura
Shizuko Hoshi	...	Mrs. Kawamura
Stan Egi	...	Charlie Kawamura
Ronald Yamamoto	...	Harry Kawamura
Akemi Nishino	...	Dulcie Kawamura
Naomi Nakano	...	Joyce Kawamura
Brady Tsurutani	...	Frankie Kawamura
Elizabeth Gilliam	...	Younger Mini McGann
Shyree Mezick	...	Middle Mini McGann
Caroline Junko King	...	Older Mini McGann
Pruitt Taylor Vince	...	Augie Farrell
Colm Meaney	...	Gerry McGurn
Becky Ann Baker	...	Marge McGurn

Storyline

Portraying one of the shadier details of American history, this is the story of Jack McGurn, who comes to Los Angeles in 1936. He gets a job at a movie theatre in Little Tokyo and falls in love with the boss's daughter, Lily Kawamura. When her father finds out, he is fired and forbidden ever to see her again. But together they escape to Seattle. When the war breaks out, the authorities decide that the Japanese immigrants must live in camps like war prisoners.

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Plot Keywords:

japanese | love | railway station | snow cone | rifle | 

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Taglines:

First, their love was forbidden by law. Then it was torn apart by war.

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Genres:

Drama | History | Romance | War

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English Japanese

Release Date:

January 1991 (USA)

Also Known As:

Bienvenue au paradis

Filming Locations:

Astoria, Oregon, USA

Box Office

Gross:

$847,306 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation

Technical Specs

Runtime:

138 min 133 min (FMC Library Print)

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Goofs

Toward the end when Lily is sitting at the kitchen table she reports to her aunt that a big bomb, an atomic bomb, was dropped over Hiroshima. "In a 1/10th of a second 200,000 people were killed". This is a factual error. Approximately 70,000 were killed that day and roughly another 70,000 by the end of 1945.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Older Mini McGann: Why are we so early?
Lily Yuriko Kawamura: It's good to early.
Older Mini McGann: Do you ever worry that you won't recognize him, Mama?
Lily Yuriko Kawamura: You recgnize me, don't you?
Older Mini McGann: Well, he might have grown a beard or a moustache or something. And I was so little. I only think I remember him. Do you think he'll remember me?
Lily Yuriko Kawamura: Well, he has all your photographs and all the letters you wrote him, and he has all your school reports
Older Mini McGann: You sent him my school reports?
Lily Yuriko Kawamura: Of course I did. I wanted to let him know how well you were doing. Come on, now. I...
[...]

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Connections

Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Villains: So Bad, They're Good (1995)

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Soundtracks

" (It Will Have to Do) Until the Real Thing Comes Along"
Written by Mann Holiner, Alberta Nichols, Sammy Cahn, Saul Chaplin and L.E. Freeman
Performed by Ronald Yamamoto

User Reviews

One of Alan Parker's most beautiful films

"Come See The Paradise" is a forgotten gem of a film that takes place during one of the United States' darkest and most shameful times. At the onset of World War II, Japanese-Americans were put into internment camps This injustice lasted for several years. Alan Parker's fictional film takes place before, during and after this time. It tells the story of Jack McGurn (Dennis Quaid), an Irish-American labor organizer who falls in love with Lily Kawamura (Tamlyn Tomita), a young girl who lives with her large family in San Fransisco. Lily's father (Sab Shimono) does not agree with the romance, which forces Jack and Lily to elope in Seattle. Jack gets into some trouble with the law while picketing, and Lily, angry that Jack has not changed his ways since the birth of their daughter, Mini, takes the child back to her family's house. Soon after, Pearl Harbor is bombed, the Kawamuras are shuttled off to various camps (except Mr. Kawamura who is believed to be a traitor), and Jack is forced into the army.

Like many films, "Come See The Paradise" is about the strength of love. The fact that it uses this period as a backdrop sets it apart from the rest. The chemistry between Quaid and Tomita is amazing. Just watch them together when they meet for the first time and they kiss. It's simply stunning. Quaid has rarely been this good, and Tomita is obviously relishing having a lead role. In most of her films she's listed as "(somebody's) wife". Films like this and "The Joy Luck Club" prove that she is one of the most talented and under-used actresses.

Some have complained that this film uses an "American" character to tell the story of a "Japanese" family. As if any non-Japanese audience members would not be able to understand, or relate to, the Japanese family. The Quaid character is called "un-American" because of his labor rights stance. The family is called "un-American" simply because they are of Japanese descent. Even though the children were born in the United States. So what exactly does it mean to be "un-American"?

Side note: this movie has not been released on DVD. I anxiously await that day.