One of early cinema's cruel ironies is today's viewers don't have a complete record of so many crucial achievements that serve as a foundation to today's films. Singer/entertainer Marion Wong short career in film is a prime example. Her only movie she produced, wrote and directed, July 1916's "The Curse of Quon Gwon: When the Far East Mingles with the West," a 90-minute feature, never was distributed despite viewings where the audience applauded at its conclusion. The motion picture is acknowledged as the first Asian American feature film to be produced in the United States.
Wong, through wealthy relatives, formed The Mandarin Film Company in Oakland, California, where she had high hopes of delivering high quality, realistic movies depicting portrayals of Asian Americans in the states. Her first script reads something akin to 2018's "Crazy Rich Asians," where a traditional family in Asia rejects the modern woman when a marriage introduces her into the clan.
Wong took a trip to China with her two brothers in search of spouses, which inspired her to write the screenplay for "Curse." Hiring a cameramen who worked with Charlie Chaplin during his days in Niles, CA., Wong slotted her sister-in-law, Violet, the wife of one of her brothers found during that pivotal trip to China, as the lead actress. She hired professional actor Henry Soo Hoo to play her fiancee/husband.
Wong was quoted in the Oakland Tribune a month before "Curse's" premier as saying, "I first wrote the love story. Then I decided that people who are interested in my people and my country would like to see some of the customs and manners of China. So I added to the love drama many scenes depicting these things. I do hope it will be a success."
Alas, despite rave reviews, the movie could not find one distributer for commercial play. Some prospective distributers cited a lack of an audience who could identify with those on the screen nor understand the customs clashing between the two cultures portrayed. Also, the characterizations Wong had shown were not the stereotypical Asians movie viewers were used to seeing on the screen.
Wong, disappointed by the lack of interest, closed up her film production company and asked that her family never speak about the film again. She started up a restaurant, the Singapore Hut, in Richmond, CA, which became popular for its musical cabarets. Wong raised a family of entertainers, thanks to her influence. Among those was a daughter, Arabella Hong-Young, who as an adult played the role of Helen Chiao on Broadway for the original "Flower Drum Song," a landmark play in representing Asian-Americans for the arts in true form.
As for the film "The Curse of Quon Gwon," Violet Wong had in her possession two reels of the movie and told her grandson about it in 1969. A filmmaker heard about the existence of the canisters and took them to the Academy Film Archive in 2004 for restoration. Of the original eight reels, the existing film has only reel number four and number seven remaining. Because her notes are preserved concerning the movie's plot, Wong's pioneering intentions make her motion picture a true cinematic treasure.
