wes-connors Mail-order bride Miyoshi Umeki (as Mei Li) arrives in San Francisco from Hong Kong, to marry nightclub owner Jack Soo (as Sammy Fong). But, the older man doesn't want to stop seeing sexy star attraction Nancy Kwan (as Linda Low). They decide to unload Ms. Umeki on James Shigeta (as Wang Ta), but he prefers locking lips with Ms. Kwan. This long, ludicrous Rodgers and Hammerstein musical could be compared to "Chop Suey" (herein a song by Juanita Hall). It isn't one of the legendary duo's best."The Other Generation" was reincarnated as "(How Do You Solve a Problem Like) Maria" for "The Sound of Music" (1965). The silly "I Enjoy Being a Girl" (sung here by Betty Jane Baker) is almost a companion to "I Feel Pretty" (from that other 1961 musical). They help make the soundtrack appealing, but Umeki's "A Hundred Million Miracles" is a winner on its own. At least, filmmakers earn points for casting charming originals like Umeki and Mr. Soo, then not pairing them with Sandra Dee and Bobby Darin. Baseball playing little brother Patrick Adiarte utters the film's best line, "Don't Take Any Wooden Chopsticks." ***** Flower Drum Song (11/9/61) Henry Koster ~ Miyoshi Umeki, Nancy Kwan, James Shigeta, Jack Soo

Criss Cross This is the cult musical by Rodgers and Harts that no one knows. It is based on the novel of the same name that tells the story of an Oriental group of persons living in the States. The story could be fun, and there are actually songs that work - I ENJOY BEING A GIRL and Sunday are the best, you get the CHOP SUEY very sticky too - but the movie goes long, and we get bored. There 30 to 40 extra minutes in this film. And the sweet character of this film (NO, No Nancy Kwan, who is wonderful here)it doesn't get to be sweet. Is annoying. Still there is the choreography by Hermes Pan. A 5 for that.

preppy-3 A Chinese woman and her father illegally enter San Francisco. This is to fulfill a marriage promised by mail to Sammy Fong (Jack Soo). But Fong is head over heels in love with Linda Low (Nancy Kwan). He tries to pawn the girl off on Wang Ta (James Shigeta)...but HE'S in love with Linda also.Pretty unknown Rodgers and Hammerstein musical. This almost never plays on TV and the last Broadway revival didn't do too good. Purportedly this film is accused of racism by Asian-American groups. Aside from a few stereotypical Chinese characters I didn't find this racist at all--I think anyone accusing this film of that is way off base. But it's not a good movie either.It's colorful and the songs are not bad but, aside from "I Enjoy Being a Girl", there isn't one memorable song here. Also some of the songs just bring the film to a screeching halt and some pretty needless dances don't help. The main problem is this film is just too long. There's no need for it to go on over 2 hours.The cast is pretty good considering they're playing stock characters. The only three that really come through are Kwan, Soo and Shigeta. So, all in all, it's an OK musical that just runs on far too long.

Ed Uyeshima As a Japanese-American raised in the 1960's, I always had mixed feelings about the 1961 film version of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Chinese-American musical comedy. Although it was refreshing to see so many Asian faces in a mainstream studio movie (granted several Japanese-American actors in Chinese roles), the portrayals always struck me as trite and catering to pre-existing stereotypes. Now that it has finally come out on DVD forty-five years after its initial release, I can appreciate it much more without raising my eyebrows as much, perhaps because it now seems so much a nostalgic product of Eisenhower-era sensibilities. Another reason is that the DVD contains a pristine print that balances the saturated use of color throughout. Moreover, there is the music, which while not grade-A material from the legendary team, has enough of their recognizably melodious style to make the whole affair quite entertaining now.Set in San Francisco's Chinatown in the late 1950's, the soufflé-light story, written by Joseph Fields, is a family-oriented, musical-chairs romantic comedy focused on East-West cultural differences primarily in the well-to-do Wang household headed by the ultra-traditional Master Wang. It starts with pretty Mei Li, who has stowed away on a Chinese steamer with her professor father to become a mail-order bride for nightclub owner Sammy Fong. En route, they end up staying in the Wang home where she develops a crush on eldest son Wang Ta. But he is infatuated with saucy showgirl Linda Low, who is intent on making Sammy jealous enough for him to propose after five years of non-commitment. Wang Ta and Linda turn out to be a mismatch, which would be good news if only Mei Li's marriage contract were not so binding. If that situation is not complicated enough, dressmaker Helen Chao has a lifelong crush on Wang Ta as well.An all-Asian cast was assembled, a rarity in itself back then, and it helps that most perform within the constraints of the movie quite well. Looking like a porcelain doll brought to life, Miyoshi Umeki lends her uniquely plaintive quality to the role of Mei Li, and she sings with quiet clarity on her trademark song, "A Hundred Million Miracles". As Wang Ta, James Shigeta, also a pleasant singer, is sincere with the matinée idol looks to match, although his naïve character seems excessively dim when it comes to women. Both, however, are overshadowed by the shenanigans provided by Nancy Kwan, at her pin-up cutie peak, as Linda, and Jack Soo in full Dean Martin mode as the cynical Sammy. Even though their stormy relationship seems to be lifted completely from Nathan and Adelaide's in "Guys and Dolls", they provide the lion's share of the entertainment with the domestic fantasy, "Sunday" a particular highlight.While dubbed, Kwan performs the boudoir classic, "I Enjoy Being a Girl", with sexy flair, and she dances with graceful exuberance on "Fan Tan Fannie" and especially on "Grand Avenue" with a virtual battalion of dancers. Benson Fong, who memorably played Charlie Chan's #3 son in his youth, brings the necessary bluster to Master Wang, while Juanita Hall, Bloody Mary from "South Pacific", stays mainly on the sidelines as the understanding Auntie Liang except when she solos on "Chop Suey". Of the supporting cast, two performers stand out - teenaged Patrick Adiarte dancing energetically as younger son Wang Tan, and as the lovelorn Helen, Reiko Sato leads a stunning ballet on the show's best song, "Love, Look Away" (her voice is dubbed by legendary soprano Marilyn Horne). The opening credits showcase a series of striking watercolor paintings from artist Dong Kingman, and Russell Metty's richly colorful cinematography can finally be appreciated with the DVD.The 2006 DVD extras are generous starting with a solid commentary track from Kwan and British film historian Nick Redman. Even though Kwan sometimes gets derailed by her life story, she and Redman partner well in bringing out intriguing aspects of the production and cast. There are five featurettes which feel like components of one feature-length documentary since the same participants show up in all five. The first one talks about the story's transition from the original novel by C.Y. Lee to the Broadway musical directed by Gene Kelly to the 1961 movie to the 2002 Broadway revival developed by David Henry Hwang. The other shorts focus on the casting, the score, sets and costumes, and a more personal look at Rodgers and Hammerstein. It's interesting how veteran filmmaker Henry Koster is barely mentioned since he directed the film, though his pedestrian direction is truly the least impressive part of the movie.