Well, this is not a too bad movie, but I don't think it is a really good as so many people here have praised. First of all, the casting is really horrible. This is a story with Chinese back ground. Why they have to take a Japanese woman in the age of 32 to play as a Chinese young girl. If they have an eye on Nancy Kwan, they should also know that there are thousands of Chinese oriented young talented actresses, who can play that role of Mei Li. Obviously the producer and the director have known nothing about Chinese culture. Such kind of family arranged marriage in that period is usually for young girl who is between the age of 18-25. Also the character of Wang Tai is a young man who has just almost finished his study. Here we can see the result,Mei Li (Miyoshi Umeki) simply looks like an young aunt of Wang Tai (James Shigeta). Whatever, it is simply awful to see a Japanese actress playing a role of Chinese. That is not the worst cast. For what reason that they need to take Jack Soo (was 44 years old at that time) as a matching role for our cute sexy Nancy Kwan (was only 22 years old at that time)? I don't doubt about the acting talent of Mr. Soo, but we are talking a musical film. I don't think he suits this role, not convincing at all. For all Western musical films they always take handsome men and beautiful women to take the roles. I find that it is really ridiculous to cast Mr. Soo for this role.
About the dress, the ugly so called Chinese dress/outfit including the shoes of the role Mei Li is really horrible. Even jumping back to the Ching Dinasty no one would have dressed in that way. For the dress/outfit of this role, sorry I really don't buy it! The male dancer wearing a stupid ugly mask form traditional Chinese Opera in one dance scene is awful too. Here we can really see how the West looks to the Chinese and Chinese traditons in a stupid way.
That is not the most horrible thing. The flaw "flower drum song" which has been sung in this film is the most horrible nightmare. Can these Rodgers & Hammerstein first spend some time to study or reaserach a bit to make some real Chinese flower drum song music instead of writing that horrible song in this musical film? If you have once heard real flower drum song music, you will surely agree with me, really!
The story itself in the movie is terrible too. How come such a lovely young lady will run from one man to another man and back again (--- Sammy Fong --- Wang Tai --- Sammy Fong --- Wang Tai) without any hesitation or second thought about real love? I have not read the book, I don't know the real story. However the film simply is rather weak in this point. You can't call it romantic at all. I have seen similar topic type of Hong Kong filmsn from the '60s. For the plot and story line developing which they have done are much better than this one. This one is supposed to be a romantic musical comedy, I don't see any part of the story being romantic or comic. They have such a budget, and the film is a long one that is long enough to be well crafted to a real combination of musical and romantic comedy.
The only thing I appreciate is the attitude and the acting of all the actors and actresses. I also enjoy all the dancing scene too (except the ugly mask). They all have contributed their best to their part. The color and the beautiful cinema-scope widescreen are really nice too. Nowadays even big Hollywood productions do not use such sharp beautiful color anymore. Films of today are like shooting in a basement. So I give it 6 stars for respecting the actors/actress and the dancers.
To make it short, this film could be made better. However I am afraid this is exactly the way how the West wants to make Eastern oriental background films. Have you ever once seen a real good Hollywood production on such Eastern oriental background films? No, right? Exactly, you know what I mean!
About the dress, the ugly so called Chinese dress/outfit including the shoes of the role Mei Li is really horrible. Even jumping back to the Ching Dinasty no one would have dressed in that way. For the dress/outfit of this role, sorry I really don't buy it! The male dancer wearing a stupid ugly mask form traditional Chinese Opera in one dance scene is awful too. Here we can really see how the West looks to the Chinese and Chinese traditons in a stupid way.
That is not the most horrible thing. The flaw "flower drum song" which has been sung in this film is the most horrible nightmare. Can these Rodgers & Hammerstein first spend some time to study or reaserach a bit to make some real Chinese flower drum song music instead of writing that horrible song in this musical film? If you have once heard real flower drum song music, you will surely agree with me, really!
The story itself in the movie is terrible too. How come such a lovely young lady will run from one man to another man and back again (--- Sammy Fong --- Wang Tai --- Sammy Fong --- Wang Tai) without any hesitation or second thought about real love? I have not read the book, I don't know the real story. However the film simply is rather weak in this point. You can't call it romantic at all. I have seen similar topic type of Hong Kong filmsn from the '60s. For the plot and story line developing which they have done are much better than this one. This one is supposed to be a romantic musical comedy, I don't see any part of the story being romantic or comic. They have such a budget, and the film is a long one that is long enough to be well crafted to a real combination of musical and romantic comedy.
The only thing I appreciate is the attitude and the acting of all the actors and actresses. I also enjoy all the dancing scene too (except the ugly mask). They all have contributed their best to their part. The color and the beautiful cinema-scope widescreen are really nice too. Nowadays even big Hollywood productions do not use such sharp beautiful color anymore. Films of today are like shooting in a basement. So I give it 6 stars for respecting the actors/actress and the dancers.
To make it short, this film could be made better. However I am afraid this is exactly the way how the West wants to make Eastern oriental background films. Have you ever once seen a real good Hollywood production on such Eastern oriental background films? No, right? Exactly, you know what I mean!