Forbidden love blossoms in the Forbidden City in this fairly typical black & white Terrytoon.
The modern viewer may look at this and see racism at work, with its view of pig-tailed Chinese. I think is is an attempt to portray something familiar -- young love -- in an exotic locale. See! They're just like us under the weird clothes and even with the gin-rickshaws!
All of which demonstrates only that you usually take away what you brought. As to the value of this cartoon on its own terms, it's a fairly standard Terrytoon for the period. Lots of competent music by Philip Scheib? Yep. Liberal sprinkling of decent if not particularly original gags? Check. Lead characters who look like small children but behaving like young adults? It's all there. As a result, if you're a fan of Terrytoons from this period, you'll enjoy it. Another case of taking away what you bring.
The modern viewer may look at this and see racism at work, with its view of pig-tailed Chinese. I think is is an attempt to portray something familiar -- young love -- in an exotic locale. See! They're just like us under the weird clothes and even with the gin-rickshaws!
All of which demonstrates only that you usually take away what you brought. As to the value of this cartoon on its own terms, it's a fairly standard Terrytoon for the period. Lots of competent music by Philip Scheib? Yep. Liberal sprinkling of decent if not particularly original gags? Check. Lead characters who look like small children but behaving like young adults? It's all there. As a result, if you're a fan of Terrytoons from this period, you'll enjoy it. Another case of taking away what you bring.