Flower Drum Song (1961)

Generation Gap

"The Flower Drum Song" hasn't always been treated kindly by history. Its (almost) all-Asian cast, though not all Chinese, and its mishmash of cultural authenticity and blatant stereotypes have meant that it never really took its place on stage with the famous Rogers and Hammerstein musicals. It took a long time for this one to get a DVD release, long after Oklahoma! and The Sound of Music had already gotten the deluxe treatment.

And admittedly, it is a little odd. The story of a Chinese mail-order bride stowing away on a freighter ship, only to find that her promised husband is a swinging hip cat with an eye for showgirls, is a decent foundation. The clash between cultures, with the old generation still demanding their rights and the Americanized youth wanting to just play baseball and be hip, is an old story and one that all immigrant populations face. A serious topic in films like Dim Sum - A Little Bit of Heart, it isn't the usual setting for an all-singing, all-dancing extravaganza, but somehow it works just fine.

Umeki Miyoshi is Mei Li, the bride in question. Umeki was the first Asian to win an Oscar, for her role in Sayonara, and is unquestionably a star. She is dressed up like a China Doll, and plays the smiling traditional Chinese girl that the older generation thinks of as perfect. Her counterpart, Linda Low, played by the sexy Nancy Kwan hot off her turn as a prostitute in The World of Suzie Wong, is a striptease dancing girl who likes using her beauty to get money. For two girls there must be two boys, and we get Jack Soo, of Barney Miller fame, as Sammy Fong, the nightclub hipster who does his best Dean Martin impression, and James Shigata as Wang Ta, the shy and traditional boy. Of course, all the girls are in love with the wrong boys, and all the boys are in love with the wrong girls, and that is where the hijinks ensue.

As a musical, "The Flower Drum Song" has some great numbers, and some so-so ones. The stand out tune is "I Enjoy Being a Girl", done to perfection by a voice-dubbed Nancy Kwan dancing before her bedroom mirrors. This song is quite famous, although divorced from this musical, and has become a standard for drag queens everywhere. Another famous tune, "Chop Suey", sung by Juanita Hall in full yellowface, just didn't do it for me. "The Other Generation" sounds like it was supsiciously recyclled for The Sound of Music's "How Do You Solve a Problem Like Maria?". Considering the subject matter, one would think that there would have been more of an Asian influence on the music, but it is all just pure showtune glory.

Allthough it took a long time for "The Flower Drum Song" to get a DVD release, they made up for it by giving it all the extras. A pristine transfer that balances all the colors beautifully, and a bunch of interviews and bonus materials all make for a nice package.
July 3, 2008

musicals

this is a great musical....if you like musicals, this one has it all....it is one of our favorites of all time!!! July 1, 2008

A Unknown Gem

This is one of the lesser-known Rodgers and Hammerstein musicals. It had a modest run on Broadway and, fortunately, was preserved on film in a relativly accurate version. Miyoshi Umeki makes a charming Mei Li and her portrayal as the mail-order bride is charming. Jack Soo is great as the scheming Sammy Fong. Nancy Kwan and Juanita hall round out a fine cast. With one exception (the song "Chop Suey") the score is well-written. It has great art direction and costumes and these, as well as other aspects of the film were nominated for Academy Awards (they lost to West Side Story). The commentary is also very interesting. A fun film to watch and recommended for R & H fans and musical fans, as well. June 23, 2008

Long Awaited.

I've wanted to own this DVD for so long. Thank you for making it possible. June 9, 2008

Way better than a fortune cookie!

This is one fun movie. As musicals go, it is also a very unusual movie in that the cast is 100% Asian. It's the story of an arranged marriage gone awry. Jack Soo's traditional Chinese mother arranged it and he doesn't want it. So he tries to unload the sweet little, illegal stowaway from China off on Benson Fong as a potential wife for his son, played by James Shigeta. Myoshi Umeki as the stowaway is as cute as ever. Benson Fong is hilarious as the "square" old Chinese father who is out of touch with his Chinese American kids. The songs area lot of fun. Though the song "Chop Suey" is touted as a classic, I personally don't get why. Other songs in the movie, Flower Drum Song, I Enjoy Being a Girl, The Other Generation, Don't Marry Me... are much better. This film also has the typical, obligatory nightclub number (Fan Tan Fanny, in this case) that seemed to be a standard in musicals of this time period. Overall this is a really fun movie and I highly recommend it. April 12, 2008

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