When a film based on Tan Eun-mi's novel "Happy Luck Club" was released 25 years ago, it was once a huge hit.
The reference news network reported on September 12 that the website of the New York Times of the United States published a report titled "25 years ago, the < Happy Blessing Society> also brought hope to Asians, and then what happened?" " article, written by Andrew Chow, excerpted below:
If you ask many Asian-American actors and creators, they'll tell you that Hollywood's presentation of the community to which they belong is shifting.
In August 2018, "Crazy Rich Asians" (aka "Picking Gold") topped the box office position, giving the green light to a sequel. "Internet Mystery Trail" starring John Zhao and "To All the Boys I Love" starring Chen Donglan have also received positive reviews. The advent of these films has made the celebratory label "August in Asia" popular online.
The upsurge and optimism of "Happy Luck Club"
At the celebration ceremony of the 25th anniversary of the release of "Happy Luck Club" held in 2018, the actors of the film took a group photo.
From left to right: Tomita Tan Ling, Zhou Caiqin, Wen Minna, Qiao Zheng, Francie Nguyen and Lauren Tom.
But 25 years ago, when a film based on Mr. Tam's novel Happy Luck Club was released in theaters in cities like New York and Los Angeles, it was a similar upsurge in optimism. The film was warmly welcomed by critics, who praised its nuanced portrayal of four middle-aged Chinese immigrant mothers and their Americanized daughters.
Many of the actresses and director Wang Ying in the film began to receive various high-profile offers. "I think this will be a new beginning for Asian-Americans," Zhao Jialing, who plays Ross in the film, said in an interview.
But it turns out that the breakthrough of obstacles is very difficult. After Hi Fu Hui, there were no large number of Asian-American films, and it remained a symbol for more than 20 years, until "Crazy Asian Rich Man" became another Hollywood blockbuster with a contemporary plot and an all-Asian cast.
After the label "August in Asia" came out, Wang Ying, Tan Enmei and the five actresses in the film – Zhao Jialing, Lu Yan, Lauren Tom, Tan Ling to tomita and Wen Mingna reflected on the challenges and prejudices they faced before and after "Happy Luck Club" and whether they believed that "Crazy Rich Asians" really heralded the arrival of a new era.
Asian characters are hard to see in depth
Before "Happy Luck Club", Asian characters with depth in Hollywood were rare to see. Usually martial arts characters (usually played by Bruce Lee), comic book characters (Dragon Dadong in Sixteen Candles), or "yellow-faced" characters (Mr. Kuniyoshi played by Micky Rooney in Tiffany's Breakfast).
Lu Yan, who played An Mei in "Happy Luck Club", has personally experienced these prototypes. In 1958, in an episode of Xiulan Temple's Storybook set in China, she was assigned to play female number two, while white actress Judith Braun played female number one "yellow face". "I was depressed when I was in Hollywood because there was no script that actually portrayed the Chinese," Ms. Lu said in an interview.
Decades later, the daughters of the Happy Society faced similar prejudices. Tan Ling Tomita, who played Waverley in the film, described her early film and television roles as "either a debauched girl or a girl with a humble background and a good heart." ”
Cho plays the daughter of a washer in a series by Lucille Ball, and a docile Korean bride who talks about eating dog meat in Army Field Hospital and its sequel After Army Field Hospital. "Asian-American women are objectified," she said. "They just want you to be beautiful."
The novel "Happy Luck Club" came out in 1989, and the characters in it formed a gratifying contrast with the previous ones. They struggle with high expectations, psychological trauma, and cultural differences while valuing family bonds. "When I read the book, I felt for the first time that someone was writing about my life," said Wen Mingna, who plays Zhong.
Tan Enmei said that after the release of "Happy Luck Club", Disney offered to adapt her second novel, but she quit.
Although almost all studios did not choose the project, Wang Ying, Tan Enmei and screenwriter Ronald Bass made a fortune along with Jeffrey Katzenberg of Walt Disney Studios — Katzenberg gave the team a budget of $10 million (about $6.90 for $1) and full creative rights. The film was warmly welcomed by critics and performed well at the box office, easily earning back the budget and grossing $32.9 million.
The positive impact was immediate, but negligible
Lu Yan played Nick's stern grandmother in "Crazy Rich Asian". She also played her mother in "Happy Luck Club".
The positive impact is almost immediate. Lauren Tom, who plays Linna, was soon chosen as Rose's lover in Friends because one of the show's producers saw the film. Wen Mingna voiced in Disney's Mulan and gained other roles.
"I always say that 'Happy Luck Club' is my green card to Hollywood," Ms. Wen said.
Wang Ying's prestige has also been enhanced. On the day of the film's release, he recalled receiving a call from Harvey Weinstein, who immediately agreed to fund his next film, Smoke. (Wang Ying said he was unaware of Weinstein's predatory behavior at the time, but it was difficult to cooperate with him: "He was obviously some kind of bully.) Later, Wang Ying directed a variety of films, such as "Manhattan Maid" starring Jennifer Lopez, and the family drama "All The Trouble of Daisy".
"In this industry, it's easy to be confined to a category," he said, "and I don't want to get stuck." ”
While expanding his territory, Wang Ying also tried to propose to the studio to make a film about Asian Americans — but without success. His grand ideas, such as an adaptation of West End Story set in Chinatown, were rejected; his efforts to include Asian characters in his films were rejected. "I always say, 'I know this role wasn't written for Asians, but why can't we choose a good Asian actor to play this role?' He said. "It's going to be a fight I'll never win."
The four daughters in "Happy Luck Club" eventually found themselves competing for a few insignificant roles offered to Asian women, mostly turning to television, with short-term roles in shows like "The Emergency Room Story" and "The White House."
"A lot of my friends are white people of the same age and type, and they get calls. But my agent couldn't get me into the room," Tom said of the film audition. She eventually found a steady job in sound acting, including voiced characters like Amy Wang in "Flying Into the Future," where she said she eventually found freedom. "It doesn't matter how old you are, what you look like, or even your gender."
The wind direction has changed
Before the release of "Crazy Asian Rich Man" in the summer of 2018, the wind direction has begun to change for Asian actors and directors.
The tv boom brought with it culturally insightful TV series like "The First Arrival," with a wide variety of actors getting roles. For example, all three daughters in Hi Fu Hui are currently playing roles in the highly successful TV series: Wen Mingna in Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.; Tom in Andy Mack; Andy Mack; Andya in Doctor Good.
In the film industry, big production companies have Asian executives, and the strength of China's box office has spawned more Asia-centric stories. These include a live-action adaptation of Mulan, in which Zhao Jialing plays Mulan's mother.
Tomita (left) in the ABC episode "Good Doctor".
Lu Yan, 91, played Nick's wealthy and stern grandmother, Shan suy, in "Crazy Asian Rich", establishing a direct connection between the two eras. "I'm happy that the film ended up being funny, but also very moving," she said.
In August, the cast and many members of the creative team gathered in Los Angeles to celebrate the film's 25th anniversary. Later, Tan Enmei, Wang Ying, and Bass discussed the possibility of a sequel. This time, they believe, the film may be supported by the Asian-American community, which has learned to mobilize through social media and talk out loud about its accomplishments. This is a far cry from the way lindo, a character in The Joy Luck Club, presents her best dishes at dinner by belittling them.
"At that time, we had a tendency to be self-critical. As an Asian-American community, we're starting to realize that self-flogging only hurts," Ms. Zhao said.
Tom said in a more blunt way: "I don't think there's anything that can shut us up anymore." ”