From Luise Rainer and Nancy Kwan to B.D.
Wong and Joan Chen to Wayne Wang and
Ang Lee, director Arthur Dong enlists a parade
of notable Chinese and Chinese-American filmmakers,
writers and actors to deconstruct their
contributions to Hollywood, filmmaking and what
they have or have not received in return. But more
than a basic accounting of Chinese Americans
on film from the beginning, or their stereotyping
and Hollywood's crass use of Anglo performers to
portray them, HOLLYWOOD CHINESE gives us
a fair assessment of film history and an industry
that has been insulting, hurtful and damaging as
we would expect, but has also managed to give
a forum to a number of remarkable artists and
(sometimes inexplicably) -- create some wonderful
film moments along the way.
Other than your own background - What was
the inspiration for HOLLYWOOD CHINESE?
Hollywood has been dissected through a genre of
documentaries that explore various aspects of the
industry via compilations of film clips, but I've
never seen one about the Chinese. With Chinese and
Chinese American film artists gaining international
acclaim with their work in Hollywood, I thought
it was time. It was a film I wanted to see, but no
one was making it. So, like the Nike commercial, I
figured "I'll just do it."
Who was the most surprising interview subject
for the film? That would have to be Luise Rainer,
who won her second of two back-to-back Oscars(R)
for her portrayal of a Chinese peasant in the 1937
film, The Good Earth. She had been around the
block a few times and wasn't an easy interview to
get. After all, she was once married to playwright
Clifford Odets and she had a notorious reputation
for talking back to Louis B. Mayer before dumping
Hollywood altogether. Long story short: I got it.
In 2003, I found myself in Luise Rainer's London
apartment on the city's hottest day in history.
Remember that summer of 2003? I was there. On
location, I melted, the crew melted - everyone
melted - but Luise Rainer was an old pro. When she
walked onto the set it was like a scene from Sunset
Boulevard. Yes, she was ready for her close-up and
she loved the camera. With each documentary, there
comes a time when I really know I want to make a
particular film. This was that moment.
What is the best thing about having your film at
AFI FEST? This is somewhat of a homecoming,
actually. How far back do you want to go? Two
of my earlier shorts were screened in the 1980s at
FILMEX (Los Angeles International Film Exposition),
which AFI adopted. I also became this kind
of fixture around the AFI campus for awhile: I was
a directing fellow at the conservatory, an AFI Independent
Filmmakers Grantee and panelist for several
years, and I received a scholarship for the AFI TV
Writers Workshop. In 1997, AFI FEST director
Christian Gaines was, at that time, in charge of the
Hawaii International Film Festival and he invited
me to present a retrospective of my work. It was
my first such invitation, and Hawaii being paradise
aside, I was spoiled! I wanted the Los Angeles premiere
of HOLLYWOOD CHINESE to be special;
L.A. is my adopted hometown and my professional
film career was built here. When AFI FEST artistic
director Rose Kuo stressed her unwavering enthusiasm
and passion for my film, I knew she understood
what I wanted to do with it. Combining all these
factors, things just fit, and it seemed "right"to have
my hometown premiere at AFI FEST.
Did you find that B.D. Wong was in the minority
or the majority when he says that he was not
regretful of "cashing the chip in,"as a Chinese-
American actor, but rather that he was regretful
that he has to have the conversation about it? I'd
say the majority. In one way or another, the actors
I interviewed regarded their portrayals in racially
stereotypic roles as objectionable, but did them to
survive. I'll stick my neck out and propose that
almost everyone, regardless of their profession, has
had to do something they'd rather not have done
in their careers. It's no different for actors. I think
B.D.'s frustration over having to discuss the choices
he's made reflects the reality that most Asian and
Asian American actors face today, that is, a dearth
of meaningful and three-dimensional roles.
HOLLYWOOD CHINESE offers up several issues
as it traces the history of Chinese Americans
and film in the U.S. Was there one single issue
that took precedence due to the responses you
were getting in the interviews? There was an
underlying current of optimism from almost all
the artists I interviewed. This faith seems fueled
by a shared affection for cinema and the quest to
be significant contributors. I was delighted when I
went into the editing room because I love Hollywood
films and didn't want to create just a rambling
series of complaints, but rather a multi-layered look
at how artists navigate the industry in order to be
part of it. As I pieced the film together, I found that
the interviews offered not only critiques, but also
an appreciation for the past. Some of my audiences
have commented that HOLLYWOOD CHINESE
is more of a Valentine than an outright attack on
Hollywood. I'm not entirely sold on the "Valentine"
notion -- perhaps more of a homage to all that has
transpired, and a hope for all that is still possible.
What recent documentaries have made an
impact on you? I was impressed by PLEASE
VOTE FOR ME, a documentary covering a grade
school election for class monitor in China that is
being screened here at AFI FEST. It's a marvelous
piece of filmmaking with engaging characters
and a "sit-on-the-edge-of-your-seat"kind of story
- who would have thought? Maybe it's because
I'm a father now and was fascinated by the kids,
how their young minds were processing and the
way their parents influenced them. Of course, the
film wouldn't have worked if not for the skill of the
filmmaking team; the camera seemed to always be
at the right place at the right time and the editing
held me in anticipation. It's the kind of film that
I aspire to make, to jump into a live situation that
is happening before the camera and to capture the
essence of that period of time on film. It's what they
used to call cinema verite, so it's nothing radically
new - it's just that I haven't done that yet and seeing
it executed so well in PLEASE VOTE FOR ME, I'm
inspired to give it a try.
Favorite Anglo "Chinese"performance - Christopher
Lee, Katherine Hepburn or John Wayne?
Christopher Lee as 'Fu Manchu.' Not because it's
the least offensive, but because the Fu Manchu series
of films were what they were: low-budget horror
flicks that were really more comical than horrifying.
Whereas Katherine Hepburn in Dragon Seed and
John Wayne in The Conqueror were big-budgeted
dramatic studio productions intended for seriousminded
adult audiences. I think also because there
was that cartoon sensibility to the Fu Manchu films
and you can sense that no one was really serious
about them except as exploitative cash-cows,
although the exaggerated threat of a "yellow peril"
would haunt us for decades, and still does -- that's
the long-term damage that results from these types of
outlandish caricatures.
In the end, do you agree with Ang Lee's assessment
that "As long as the expression is honest,
we should cherish it?"I think Ang was referring to
what's been good about Hollywood, and it's critical
to acknowledge that there has been important work.
He's also referring to an ideal world; he cites the
tune, "Imagine,"where there is a world without
religions and nations. That's not the world we live in.
But if we did, if representations of differences were
intelligently depicted in depth, that would help us begin
to let down our guards and to interact with each
other more honestly as citizens of the world. I think
that's the hope that I was referring to earlier -- the
sense that we can strive for an enlightened cinematic
expression that encompasses a truer reflection of the
human condition. That would indeed be something
to cherish.
Seriously, is there anything really wrong with
the Americans always coming to China to save
everyone? Seriously, are you serious?
Popcorn or candy? Popcorn. Fewer calories per cubic
inch than chocolate -- even if it's empty air. I know I'm
only kidding myself, what with all that butter and salt.
But hey, it's the movies. It's all an illusion, isn't it?
