Rooney as Japanese? Stone as Native Hawaiian? TheWrap looks at history of racially misguided castings
Katharine Hepburn in “Dragon Seed” (1944)
Caucasian Hepburn played a Chinese woman in this big-screen adaptation of the Pearl S. Buck novel.
Marlon Brando in “The Teahouse of the August Moon” (1956)
Brando starred as an Okinawan translator for the U.S. Army in this comedy about the American occupation of the island nation.
John Wayne in “Conquerer” (1956)
Wayne was cast as Mongol conquerer Genghis Khan in what’s considered by many to be one of the worst films of all time.
Charlton Heston in “Touch of Evil” (1958)
Heston starred as Ramon Miguel Vargas in the 1958 crime film, a Mexican narcotics officer.
Mickey Rooney in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” (1961)
More caricature than character, Rooney starred as the buck-toothed, Japanese Mr. Yunioshi in the 1961 film, which has faced volumes of criticism since.
Natalie Wood in “West Side Story” (1961)
Wood plays...
Katharine Hepburn in “Dragon Seed” (1944)
Caucasian Hepburn played a Chinese woman in this big-screen adaptation of the Pearl S. Buck novel.
Marlon Brando in “The Teahouse of the August Moon” (1956)
Brando starred as an Okinawan translator for the U.S. Army in this comedy about the American occupation of the island nation.
John Wayne in “Conquerer” (1956)
Wayne was cast as Mongol conquerer Genghis Khan in what’s considered by many to be one of the worst films of all time.
Charlton Heston in “Touch of Evil” (1958)
Heston starred as Ramon Miguel Vargas in the 1958 crime film, a Mexican narcotics officer.
Mickey Rooney in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” (1961)
More caricature than character, Rooney starred as the buck-toothed, Japanese Mr. Yunioshi in the 1961 film, which has faced volumes of criticism since.
Natalie Wood in “West Side Story” (1961)
Wood plays...
- 6/22/2021
- by Wrap Staff
- The Wrap
After two straight years of all-white acting nominees in 2015 and 2016, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences responded to the #OscarsSoWhite issue by inviting a far more diverse and younger field of talent both behind and in front of the camera to join. And though there are miles to go until there is true diversity, the academy’s nominees and winners are beginning to reflect our culture.
Last year, “Moonlight” became the first Best Picture winner with an all-black cast. Its director Barry Jenkins shared the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar with Tarell Alvin McCraney, while Mahershala Ali won Best Supporting Actor. Viola Davis also took home Best Supporting Actress for “Fences.”
This year’s black nominees include Jordan Peele, a triple nominee for producing, directing and writing Best Picture contender “Get Out,” which also scored a Best Actor nomination for Daniel Kaluuya. Two-time winner Denzel Washington is nominated for “Roman J.
Last year, “Moonlight” became the first Best Picture winner with an all-black cast. Its director Barry Jenkins shared the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar with Tarell Alvin McCraney, while Mahershala Ali won Best Supporting Actor. Viola Davis also took home Best Supporting Actress for “Fences.”
This year’s black nominees include Jordan Peele, a triple nominee for producing, directing and writing Best Picture contender “Get Out,” which also scored a Best Actor nomination for Daniel Kaluuya. Two-time winner Denzel Washington is nominated for “Roman J.
- 2/7/2018
- by Zach Laws
- Gold Derby
After two straight years of all-white acting nominees in 2015 and 2016, the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences responded to the #OscarsSoWhite issue by inviting a far more diverse and younger field of talent both behind and in front of the camera to join. And though there are miles to go until there is true diversity, the academy’s nominees and winners are beginning to reflect our culture.
Last year, “Moonlight” became the first Best Picture winner with an all-black cast. Its director Barry Jenkins shared the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar with Tarell Alvin McCraney, while Mahershala Ali won Best Supporting Actor. Viola Davis also took home Best Supporting Actress for “Fences.”
This year’s black nominees include Jordan Peele, a triple nominee for producing, directing and writing Best Picture contender “Get Out,” which also scored a Best Actor nomination for Daniel Kaluuya. Two-time winner Denzel Washington is nominated for “Roman J.
Last year, “Moonlight” became the first Best Picture winner with an all-black cast. Its director Barry Jenkins shared the Best Adapted Screenplay Oscar with Tarell Alvin McCraney, while Mahershala Ali won Best Supporting Actor. Viola Davis also took home Best Supporting Actress for “Fences.”
This year’s black nominees include Jordan Peele, a triple nominee for producing, directing and writing Best Picture contender “Get Out,” which also scored a Best Actor nomination for Daniel Kaluuya. Two-time winner Denzel Washington is nominated for “Roman J.
- 2/7/2018
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
November wrapped so quickly with such excited via the Nyfcc Awards and Oscar chart revamping that we didn't even realize that December has just begin. Here are two handfuls of highlights from the month that was in case you missed 'em:
• Get Out Party Kaluuya and Peele chat favorite moviegoing experiences
• 25 Youngest Actors Ever Oscar Nominated Marlon, Heath, Monty, Mickey and more. Timothée will be 3rd youngest if he pulls it off
• Call Me With Kindess the controversy over sex scenes in Call Me By Your Name
• Yes No Maybe So: Avengers Infinity War so many heroes. so much running and punching
• The Furniture takes a spooky train back to Bram Stoker's Dracula for its 25th
• Honorary Beauty gazing at the legendary stars at this year's Governor's Awards
• Best of 1972 and 1956 just for fun!
• Soundtracking Frances Ha since Greta Gerwig is all the rage again
• Smackdown 1944: Gaslight, Dragon Seed,...
• Get Out Party Kaluuya and Peele chat favorite moviegoing experiences
• 25 Youngest Actors Ever Oscar Nominated Marlon, Heath, Monty, Mickey and more. Timothée will be 3rd youngest if he pulls it off
• Call Me With Kindess the controversy over sex scenes in Call Me By Your Name
• Yes No Maybe So: Avengers Infinity War so many heroes. so much running and punching
• The Furniture takes a spooky train back to Bram Stoker's Dracula for its 25th
• Honorary Beauty gazing at the legendary stars at this year's Governor's Awards
• Best of 1972 and 1956 just for fun!
• Soundtracking Frances Ha since Greta Gerwig is all the rage again
• Smackdown 1944: Gaslight, Dragon Seed,...
- 12/2/2017
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Please read the Supporting Actress Smackdown of 1944 before listening please!
After voting in the Smackdown Nathaniel and the panel which included Mark Harris, Loren King, Farran Smith Nehme, Molly Pope, and Matthew Rettenmund got together to talk about the five films we watched and that era in Hollywood during World War II. We hope you enjoy the conversation!
Index (62 minutes)
00:01 Introductions of the Panel
03:00 Dragon Seed, yellowface, production trouble, and Oscar theories
11:50 Since You Went Away, war propaganda, and acting styles
24:00 None but the Lonely Heart, Cary Grant, Barrymore and "great lady" acting
38:50 Gaslight and Mrs Parkington
51:30 Our favorites of 1944 including Meet Me in St Louis and Double Indemnity
57:30 The forgotten Wilson, final Oscar notes and goodbyes.
You can listen to the podcast here at the bottom of the post or download from iTunes. Continue the conversations in the comments, won't you?
Gladys Cooper downing the drinks!
After voting in the Smackdown Nathaniel and the panel which included Mark Harris, Loren King, Farran Smith Nehme, Molly Pope, and Matthew Rettenmund got together to talk about the five films we watched and that era in Hollywood during World War II. We hope you enjoy the conversation!
Index (62 minutes)
00:01 Introductions of the Panel
03:00 Dragon Seed, yellowface, production trouble, and Oscar theories
11:50 Since You Went Away, war propaganda, and acting styles
24:00 None but the Lonely Heart, Cary Grant, Barrymore and "great lady" acting
38:50 Gaslight and Mrs Parkington
51:30 Our favorites of 1944 including Meet Me in St Louis and Double Indemnity
57:30 The forgotten Wilson, final Oscar notes and goodbyes.
You can listen to the podcast here at the bottom of the post or download from iTunes. Continue the conversations in the comments, won't you?
Gladys Cooper downing the drinks!
- 11/6/2017
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Travel back in time with us to 1944 for the next Smackdown in just 19 days!
Get to watching and e-mail us your votes with "44 Smackdown" as subject ranking each performance on a scale of 1 to 5 hearts. Your votes are due by Friday, November 3rd. The Smackdown hits Sunday, November 5th.
Ethel Barrymore, None but the Lonely Heart Jennifer Jones, Since You Went Away Angela Lansbury, Gaslight [watch on Amazon or iTunes or rent DVD on Netflix] Aline MacMahon, Dragon Seed [watch on Amazon or iTunes or rent DVD on Netflix] Agnes Moorehead, Mrs Parkington [watch on iTunes]
Those five films received 24 Oscar nominations between them with Gaslight and Since You Went Away both nominated for Best Picture as well. Since You Went Away is a getting a new Blu-Ray/DVD edition in late November. Not in time for the Smackdown alas but something to look forward to.
Previous Smackdowns
1941, 1948, 1952, 1954, 1963, 1964, 1968, 1973, 1977, 1979, 1980,
1984, 1989, 1995, 2003 and 2016 (prior to those events 30+
Smackdowns were hosted @ StinkyLulu's old site)...
Get to watching and e-mail us your votes with "44 Smackdown" as subject ranking each performance on a scale of 1 to 5 hearts. Your votes are due by Friday, November 3rd. The Smackdown hits Sunday, November 5th.
Ethel Barrymore, None but the Lonely Heart Jennifer Jones, Since You Went Away Angela Lansbury, Gaslight [watch on Amazon or iTunes or rent DVD on Netflix] Aline MacMahon, Dragon Seed [watch on Amazon or iTunes or rent DVD on Netflix] Agnes Moorehead, Mrs Parkington [watch on iTunes]
Those five films received 24 Oscar nominations between them with Gaslight and Since You Went Away both nominated for Best Picture as well. Since You Went Away is a getting a new Blu-Ray/DVD edition in late November. Not in time for the Smackdown alas but something to look forward to.
Previous Smackdowns
1941, 1948, 1952, 1954, 1963, 1964, 1968, 1973, 1977, 1979, 1980,
1984, 1989, 1995, 2003 and 2016 (prior to those events 30+
Smackdowns were hosted @ StinkyLulu's old site)...
- 10/17/2017
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Hey all. You voted earlier this year on which years you'd most like to see covered on the Supporting Actress Smackdown. The next four regular Smackdowns (excluding the one in February for the new nominees of course) are drawn from your top five most requested years.
October 1st "Supporting Actress Smackdown 1985"
Panelists: Tba; Nominees: Margaret Avery and Oprah Winfrey in The Color Purple, Meg Tilly in Agnes of God, Anjelica Huston in Prizzi's Honor, and Amy Madigan in Twice in a Lifetime
November 5th "Supporting Actress Smackdown 1944"
Panelists: Tba; Nominees: Ethel Barrymore in None but the Lonely Heart, Jennifer Jones in Since You Went Away, Angela Lansbury in Gaslight, Aline MacMahon in Dragon Seed, and Agnes Moorehead in Mrs Parkington.
Get to watching those 9 movies and the Smackdowns will feel even more festive for you! And yes this means that September's 'year of the month' (that thing where we very...
October 1st "Supporting Actress Smackdown 1985"
Panelists: Tba; Nominees: Margaret Avery and Oprah Winfrey in The Color Purple, Meg Tilly in Agnes of God, Anjelica Huston in Prizzi's Honor, and Amy Madigan in Twice in a Lifetime
November 5th "Supporting Actress Smackdown 1944"
Panelists: Tba; Nominees: Ethel Barrymore in None but the Lonely Heart, Jennifer Jones in Since You Went Away, Angela Lansbury in Gaslight, Aline MacMahon in Dragon Seed, and Agnes Moorehead in Mrs Parkington.
Get to watching those 9 movies and the Smackdowns will feel even more festive for you! And yes this means that September's 'year of the month' (that thing where we very...
- 8/17/2017
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
It isn’t just “Ghost in the Shell” — whitewashing in Hollywood casting goes back to the beginnings of Hollywood itself. And, despite vastly changing values, it remains a problem to this day. It’s more controversial than ever now, but some examples remain particularly galling. Read on for some of the most notorious instances of Hollywood whitewashing. Katharine Hepburn as Jade in “Dragon Seed” (1944) As morale-boosting propaganda featuring one of the greatest actresses of all time, this war film based on the novel by Pearl S Buck is extremely effective. But four time Oscar-winner Katharine Hepburn’s performance is marred,...
- 3/31/2017
- by Jeremy Fuster
- The Wrap
Rooney as Japanese? Stone as native Hawaiian? TheWrap looks at history of racially misguided castings Katharine Hepburn in “Dragon Seed” (1944) Caucasian Hepburn played a Chinese woman in this big-screen adaptation of the Pearl S. Buck novel. Marlon Brando in “The Teahouse of the August Moon” (1956) Brando starred as an Okinawan translator for the U.S. Army in this comedy about the American occupation of the island nation. John Wayne in “Conquerer” (1956) Wayne was cast as Mongol conquerer Genghis Khan in what’s considered by many to be one of the worst films of all time. Charlton Heston in “Touch of Evil...
- 3/29/2017
- by Beatrice Verhoeven
- The Wrap
“Hunger makes men mad.”
The Good Earth (1937) screen this Friday through Sunday (May 13th-15th) at Webster University’s Moore Auditorium (470 E. Lockwood, Webster Groves, Mo 63119). The film begins each evening at 8:00.
They just don’t cast enough Caucasian actresses in yellow-face drag anymore! Katherine Hepburn in Dragon Seed, Myrna Loy in The Mask Of Fu Manchu, and (my favorite) French Hammer starlet Yvonne Monlaur in The Terror Of The Tongs all proved that a little scotch tape behind the eyes is all it takes to change one’s ethnicity! German-born actress Luise Rainer won her second consecutive Oscar (her first was for The Great Ziegfeld) in 1937 for playing O-Lan in The Good Earth opposite Paul Muni as her husband Wang Lung. Producer Irving Thalberg had originally planned on casting Chinese-American actress Anna May Wong as O-Lan but once Muni was hired, he knew the Hays Office would not...
The Good Earth (1937) screen this Friday through Sunday (May 13th-15th) at Webster University’s Moore Auditorium (470 E. Lockwood, Webster Groves, Mo 63119). The film begins each evening at 8:00.
They just don’t cast enough Caucasian actresses in yellow-face drag anymore! Katherine Hepburn in Dragon Seed, Myrna Loy in The Mask Of Fu Manchu, and (my favorite) French Hammer starlet Yvonne Monlaur in The Terror Of The Tongs all proved that a little scotch tape behind the eyes is all it takes to change one’s ethnicity! German-born actress Luise Rainer won her second consecutive Oscar (her first was for The Great Ziegfeld) in 1937 for playing O-Lan in The Good Earth opposite Paul Muni as her husband Wang Lung. Producer Irving Thalberg had originally planned on casting Chinese-American actress Anna May Wong as O-Lan but once Muni was hired, he knew the Hays Office would not...
- 5/9/2016
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Don't cry just yet, Kate the Great fans. While it's true that there is only one wrap-up episode left Tomorrow in Anne Marie's mammoth undertaking "A Year with Kate"* in which she reviewed every performance in Katharine Hepburn's fascinating career, we have exciting news. We're making it into a book! Details are not yet concrete but if you would like to be included in updates about pre-order and other 'Don't Miss It' news, please fill out this form at our Facebook page!
Anne Marie's last episodes airs tomorrow Wednesday December 31st. But until then... take a peak at any you missed. Some chapters will be substantially rewritten for the book.
1930s: A Bill of Divorcement, Christopher Strong, Morning Glory, Little Women, Spitfire, The Little Minister, Break of Hearts, Alice Adams, Sylvia Scarlett, Mary of Scotland, A Woman Rebels, Quality Street, Stage Door, Bringing Up Baby, Holiday,
1940s: Philadelphia Story,...
Anne Marie's last episodes airs tomorrow Wednesday December 31st. But until then... take a peak at any you missed. Some chapters will be substantially rewritten for the book.
1930s: A Bill of Divorcement, Christopher Strong, Morning Glory, Little Women, Spitfire, The Little Minister, Break of Hearts, Alice Adams, Sylvia Scarlett, Mary of Scotland, A Woman Rebels, Quality Street, Stage Door, Bringing Up Baby, Holiday,
1940s: Philadelphia Story,...
- 12/30/2014
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Dragon Seed: Lau & Loo’s Dissatisfying NYC Chinese Gang Saga
Martin Scorsese appears as executive producer on Andrew Lau and Andrew Loo’s Revenge of the Green Dragons, which is no surprise considering he famously remade Lau’s 2002 film Infernal Affairs as The Departed (2006). Featuring a gritty period portrait of gangland warfare in New Your City, it’s clearly the sort of material that Scorsese seems to be attracted to, and thematically, one could even say there are influences of titles like Mean Streets (1973) or Goodfellas (1990) in the mix, with slight homages here and there. But the similiarites are only skin deep. This saga, which is actually based on fact, feels too zany and forthright, any realistic human elements crushed beneath its predilection for exaggerated, dramatic performances and hyperviolence.
In 1983 Flushing, a young boy, Sonny, crosses into the Us without parents. Snakehead Mama (Eugenia Yuan), head of a Chinese...
Martin Scorsese appears as executive producer on Andrew Lau and Andrew Loo’s Revenge of the Green Dragons, which is no surprise considering he famously remade Lau’s 2002 film Infernal Affairs as The Departed (2006). Featuring a gritty period portrait of gangland warfare in New Your City, it’s clearly the sort of material that Scorsese seems to be attracted to, and thematically, one could even say there are influences of titles like Mean Streets (1973) or Goodfellas (1990) in the mix, with slight homages here and there. But the similiarites are only skin deep. This saga, which is actually based on fact, feels too zany and forthright, any realistic human elements crushed beneath its predilection for exaggerated, dramatic performances and hyperviolence.
In 1983 Flushing, a young boy, Sonny, crosses into the Us without parents. Snakehead Mama (Eugenia Yuan), head of a Chinese...
- 10/20/2014
- by Nicholas Bell
- IONCINEMA.com
In this special edition of the podcast, Nathaniel welcomes two Katharine Hepburn buffs Nick Davis and Anne Marie Kelly to talk about their (shared) first Actress Obsession. Naturally Kate the Great isn't the only diva that finds her way into the conversation. Expect supporting roles or cameos: Bette Davis, Cary Grant, Barbara Stanwyck, Tennessee Williams, Deborah Kerr, Spencer Tracy, Audrey Hepburn, George Cukor and more...
You can listen at the bottom of the post or download the conversation on iTunes. Continue the conversation in the comments.
00:00 Intro. Plus Middle School drama: Hilariously "intense" early obsessions
13:00 Types, Genres, and Suddenly Last Summer
17:00 Her autobiography and films she loathed like Dragon Seed
22:00 Chemistry and co-stars
33:00 Revisiting unsatisfying movies -- raise a cocktail to this peculiar cinephile habit
40:00 The Spinster & The Magic Penis
47:00 Bette Davis and why we compare them. Silliness before the sign off.
Further...
You can listen at the bottom of the post or download the conversation on iTunes. Continue the conversation in the comments.
00:00 Intro. Plus Middle School drama: Hilariously "intense" early obsessions
13:00 Types, Genres, and Suddenly Last Summer
17:00 Her autobiography and films she loathed like Dragon Seed
22:00 Chemistry and co-stars
33:00 Revisiting unsatisfying movies -- raise a cocktail to this peculiar cinephile habit
40:00 The Spinster & The Magic Penis
47:00 Bette Davis and why we compare them. Silliness before the sign off.
Further...
- 7/14/2014
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Episode 25 of 52: In which Kate confronts Angela Lansbury onscreen and the Blacklist offscreen and manages to beat both.
Early on, I stated that sometimes Kate’s career seems charmed. I’d venture 1948 is one of those charmed years. As we saw last week, Song of Love failed--Kate’s first failure at MGM. Yet some strange circumstances and good luck landed Kate in State of the Union, based on a Pulitzer Prize-winning play. I say “good luck” because in the fall of 1947, the storm that would become the Hollywood Blacklist was brewing, and Kate nearly got caught in the center of it.
Though not as cloyingly obvious as Mr. Smith Goes to Washington - no light from the Lincoln Memorial in this film - State of the Union nevertheless delivers the classic Capra Corn package: nostalgia, patriotism, and a happy ending snatched from the jaws of tragedy at the last second.
Early on, I stated that sometimes Kate’s career seems charmed. I’d venture 1948 is one of those charmed years. As we saw last week, Song of Love failed--Kate’s first failure at MGM. Yet some strange circumstances and good luck landed Kate in State of the Union, based on a Pulitzer Prize-winning play. I say “good luck” because in the fall of 1947, the storm that would become the Hollywood Blacklist was brewing, and Kate nearly got caught in the center of it.
Though not as cloyingly obvious as Mr. Smith Goes to Washington - no light from the Lincoln Memorial in this film - State of the Union nevertheless delivers the classic Capra Corn package: nostalgia, patriotism, and a happy ending snatched from the jaws of tragedy at the last second.
- 6/18/2014
- by Anne Marie
- FilmExperience
This past two weeks has been Cannes heavy so what have you missed in the inbetweens? Here are a few highlights in case your brain was way over the ocean with all the auteurs and actresses.
Godzilla & Mutants
The King of Monsters wowed me more than readers as evident in the review and comments. But that big lizard monster led to one of our best podcasts ever (seriously so much fun to discuss) and made me feel like a "RRRrrraaaaAAAwrrr"ing 5 year old again when Tim surveyed the best monster vs monster fight scenes. We also dipped toes back into X-Mania... but not enough. Hopefully there's a bit more on X-Men (future and past) to come.
Other Notables
We joined the "critical conspiracy" against Legends of Oz, said a tearful goodbye to the legendary cinematographer Gordon Willis, looked at the trailers for Interstellar and Magic in the Moonlight and went...
Godzilla & Mutants
The King of Monsters wowed me more than readers as evident in the review and comments. But that big lizard monster led to one of our best podcasts ever (seriously so much fun to discuss) and made me feel like a "RRRrrraaaaAAAwrrr"ing 5 year old again when Tim surveyed the best monster vs monster fight scenes. We also dipped toes back into X-Mania... but not enough. Hopefully there's a bit more on X-Men (future and past) to come.
Other Notables
We joined the "critical conspiracy" against Legends of Oz, said a tearful goodbye to the legendary cinematographer Gordon Willis, looked at the trailers for Interstellar and Magic in the Moonlight and went...
- 5/24/2014
- by NATHANIEL R
- FilmExperience
Episode 20 of 52 of Anne Marie's chronological look at Katharine Hepburn's career.
In which Katharine Hepburn dons yellow face for the war effort.
Did you celebrate Kate’s birthday on Monday? Early in my Hepburn idolatry, I used to bemoan the fact that I missed sharing her birthday by just two days. This year, however, I was excited. “My birthday is on a Wednesday this year,” I thought gleefully to myself. “I can celebrate both our birthdays with A Year With Kate!” Turns out the joke was on us. Happy Birthday, Kate and Anne Marie. Let’s talk about racism.
When you are a fan of the Studio System Era, you learn to live with certain uncomfortable truths about Hollywood’s so-called Golden Age. Films were overtly racist, sexist, and homophobic in ways that thankfully would never be tolerated now. As a modern viewer, how do you make peace with it?...
In which Katharine Hepburn dons yellow face for the war effort.
Did you celebrate Kate’s birthday on Monday? Early in my Hepburn idolatry, I used to bemoan the fact that I missed sharing her birthday by just two days. This year, however, I was excited. “My birthday is on a Wednesday this year,” I thought gleefully to myself. “I can celebrate both our birthdays with A Year With Kate!” Turns out the joke was on us. Happy Birthday, Kate and Anne Marie. Let’s talk about racism.
When you are a fan of the Studio System Era, you learn to live with certain uncomfortable truths about Hollywood’s so-called Golden Age. Films were overtly racist, sexist, and homophobic in ways that thankfully would never be tolerated now. As a modern viewer, how do you make peace with it?...
- 5/14/2014
- by Anne Marie
- FilmExperience
Successful 1940s film actor whose exotic roles led fan magazines to dub him 'the Turkish Delight'
"Exotic" is the epithet most frequently used to describe the series of Technicolored escapist movies produced by Universal Pictures in the 1940s. These profitable films, often set in a North African or Arabian desert recreated on the studio backlot, featured the Dominican actor Maria Montez; Sabu, the Indian teenage boy; Jon Hall (son of a Swiss actor and a Tahitian princess); and Turhan Bey, who has died aged 90. Bey was often cast as wily, "foreign" villains, or romantic leads in thrillers and Arabian Nights fantasies, for which he was dubbed by fan magazines "the Turkish Delight".
Son of a Turkish diplomat father and a Czech industrialist mother, he was born Turhan Gilbert Selahattin Sahultavy in Vienna, but emigrated to the Us with his mother and grandmother shortly before Austria was annexed by Germany in 1938. In California,...
"Exotic" is the epithet most frequently used to describe the series of Technicolored escapist movies produced by Universal Pictures in the 1940s. These profitable films, often set in a North African or Arabian desert recreated on the studio backlot, featured the Dominican actor Maria Montez; Sabu, the Indian teenage boy; Jon Hall (son of a Swiss actor and a Tahitian princess); and Turhan Bey, who has died aged 90. Bey was often cast as wily, "foreign" villains, or romantic leads in thrillers and Arabian Nights fantasies, for which he was dubbed by fan magazines "the Turkish Delight".
Son of a Turkish diplomat father and a Czech industrialist mother, he was born Turhan Gilbert Selahattin Sahultavy in Vienna, but emigrated to the Us with his mother and grandmother shortly before Austria was annexed by Germany in 1938. In California,...
- 10/10/2012
- by Ronald Bergan
- The Guardian - Film News
There was a bit of a shocker included in the Oscar nominations this year -- Robert Downey Jr. receiving a nod for his part in Tropic Thunder. It's a double whammy -- one of those rare nominations in the comedy category (a farce no less!), and a role that's almost 100% blackface. Unsurprisingly, the role created unrest, as well as a lot of discussion revolving around Hollywood's treatment of race on and off the screen.
Like it or not, race jumping is pretty much intrinsically linked to Hollywood -- all the way back to the first silent films. Over the years, it's morphed from minstrels to mainstream icons, critical darlings, and races of all sorts. Katharine Hepburn went Chinese for Dragon Seed. Charlton Heston went a rather ridiculous brownface for Touch of Evil. These days, that's not quite so kosher, but instances do pop up, both on the big screen (keep...
Like it or not, race jumping is pretty much intrinsically linked to Hollywood -- all the way back to the first silent films. Over the years, it's morphed from minstrels to mainstream icons, critical darlings, and races of all sorts. Katharine Hepburn went Chinese for Dragon Seed. Charlton Heston went a rather ridiculous brownface for Touch of Evil. These days, that's not quite so kosher, but instances do pop up, both on the big screen (keep...
- 2/22/2009
- by Monika Bartyzel
- Cinematical
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