The Crimson Kimono (1959, NR)
Director: Samuel Fuller
Starring: James Shigeta, Glenn Corbett, Victoria Shaw, Anna Lee
Genre: Film Noir, Classic Thrillers
When an unseen gunsman shoots down burlesque dancer Sugar Torch, Joe Kojaku and Charlie Bancroft of LAPD Homicide are assigned to the case. A painting of the victim in a red kimono leads them to the artist and an intricate web of deceit and secrecy. While addressing racial tensions and a love triangle between the artist and the detectives, this movie was delightful in its recognizable areas of L.A.’s Little Tokyo District (lovingly known as J-Town to we of Japanese descent) and its gritty, cheese-bordering period dialogue.
The relationship of two best friends is tested when both detectives fall in love with artist Christine Downs, who flirts with both of them but later professes her love for Kojaku. Kojaku is tortured by her love as he knows Bancroft is in love with Downs and he refuses to hurt his friend. However, his feelings overwhelm his judgment, and he starts to question who he is – is he American? Is he Japanese-American? And where does a future with a Caucasian woman lie? Will his friendship with Bancroft survive?
As a mixed Japanese-American with, frankly, few Asian role models in American society, some of these questions struck home, and are still relevant today. Generally, Asian roles are criminals or whores, neither of which are particularly flattering, and the Asian races are interchanged, as if I wouldn’t notice. (Cases in point, Chinese actresses in Memories of a Geisha and Japanese actresses in The Joy Luck Club. Perhaps it is a necessity, but as an Asian, it kind of pisses me off – not all Asians look alike.) But I digress.
Besides some of the familiar locales and customs, (Nisei Week, a shot of Bun-Ka-Do, which is still in operation), and with the exception of a couple of cheesy professions of love, I thoroughly enjoyed this film and recommend it to anyone who likes film noir, mystery, and intrigue. It is also interesting in its sociological standpoint of fitting into society as a minority and the ramifications of encultation into American society. Have we progressed that much? Ah so, desu ne?
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