Select language, opens an overlay

Comment

Community comment are the opinions of contributing users. These comment do not represent the opinions of Jefferson County Public Library.
May 29, 2016ThomasJWhiting rated this title 4.5 out of 5 stars
GREAT 1961 Hollywood film musical based on best-selling 1957 novel which was used as base for 1958 Broadway musical. Interesting example of evolution from book, to play, to film - and the ways film can add dramatic elements not possible in a live stage production - during 'Sunday' song, a b/w cowboy and Indian smash out of the television to briefly join Sammy and Linda. Although its roots are primarily in West Coast Chinese American culture, it expands that to more general Asian American culture. Many of the film's characters are played by Japanese American actors. It was interesting to see Jack Soo (later in TV's 1975-82 Barney Miller as Detective Nick Yemena) in an early role. Also interesting to discover his actual name was Jack Suzuki and they shortened it to Soo to be more Chinese - and it stuck. Patrick Adiarte as the highly Americanized younger son Wang San was fun, too, i.e. - 'Oh Pop, that's Bop'. Many fabulously staged dance/song numbers. I particularly enjoyed 'Chop Suey' celebrating the, um, flavorful mixture of Asian American food/culture - with fabulous dancing after singing. 'A Hundred Million Miracles', used a couple times over the course of the film, was great, too. Another terrific film I somehow hadn't seen before - but now I have - highly recommended.