Flower Drum Song
by Henry Koster
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Benson Fong, Jack Soo, James Shigeta, Juanita Hall, Nancy KwanDirector: Henry Koster
Brand: UNIVERSAL STUDIOS HOME ENTERTAIN.
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled)
Format: Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, NTSC, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 2.35:1
Running Time: 132 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2006-11-07
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Universal Studios
Movie Reviews of Flower Drum Song
Movie Review: Generation Gap
Summary: 5 Stars
"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.
Summary of Flower Drum Song
Rodgers and Hammerstein made BIG musicals--sweeping song and dance numbers, elaborate stagings, sweet heroines, and love struck but confused heroes. Flower Drum Song has all these elements, so why is it so little known? Perhaps because it had the misfortune to be released the same year (1961) as West Side Story, or maybe because at 133 minutes it's overlong, or did the audience have trouble accepting an all-Asian cast in an Asian-themed musical? Whatever the reasons, it's time to recognize Flower Drum Song for the gem it is.Picture bride Mei Li (Miyoshi Umeki) and her father arrive in San Francisco, having smuggled themselves into the country so Mei Li can marry nightclub owner Sammy Fong (whose mother arranged the whole deal). Mei Li is fascinated by the city and immediately charms its denizens with a delicate rendition of "One Hundred Million Miracles." Fong (Jack Soo), who is having an affair with his star singer, the sexy and scheming Linda Low (Nancy Kwan), pawns Mei Li off on the Wang family, whose eldest son, Ta (James Shigeta), needs a wife (at least that's what his father has decided). Old Chinese culture and new American ideals clash at every turn, with the elders struggling to understand their Americanized children and the children struggling to accept and honor their heritage. Though the movie is dated in some respects, the theme of assimilation vs. separation holds up remarkably well and rings true. "The Other Generation" beautifully illustrates the generation gap.
As this is a romantic musical, you know from the beginning which couples will end up together. The most famous song is "I Enjoy Being a Girl," sung by Linda Low as she dresses to seduce Wang Ta. Though too many triangulations and misunderstandings prolong the inevitable conclusion, Flower Drum Song is a very enjoyable and often funny ride. --Dana Van Nest
Nominated for 5 Academy Awards including Best Music this romantic comedy tells the story of a young Chinese girl who travels to the United States as part of an arranged marriage and discovers a new and modern world. Featuring an all-new digitally remastered picture 5.1 Surround Sound never-before-seen bonus materials and timeless musical numbers such as I Enjoy Being a Girl Flower Drum Song is a lavish song and dance extravaganza.System Requirements:Running Time: 132 MinutesFormat: DVD MOVIE Genre: SOUNDTRACKS/ORIGINAL CAST/BROADWAY Rating: NR UPC: 025192419027 Manufacturer No: 61024190
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