Blu ray review: The Anna May Wong Collection

Anna May Wong was an American born actress of Chinese heritage whose talents were extraordinary. She made an initial impact in silent movies, and then early talkies. When MGM planned to film Pearl Buck’s novel The Good Earth, Ms. Wong covered the female lead, but the roles was instead cast with white actress Luise Rainer, who won an Oscar. It continues to be one of the most hideous examples of discriminatory casting in the long history of Hollywood movies. Along with being an actress, Anna May Wong was a powerful and intelligent activist, and supported many Chinese causes. By the end of the 1930s, Anna May Wong was finishing off her contract with Paramount Pictures by appearing in B-level dramas, beginning with Daughter of Shanghai (1937) which was significant in being the Hollywood movie to show a romance between two Chinese people played by Chinese-American actors (Ms. Wong and Phillip Ahn). Kino Lorber has released a set of three Anna May Wong B-movies released by Paramount at the end of the 1930s, each one a real showcase for her talents.

DANGEROUS TO KNOW (1938)

Anna May Wong turns in some of her finest acting work in this noir thriller. The movie was based on a 1930 play by Edgar Wallace in which Ms. Wong starred on Broadway for 167 performances. Repeating her role in the film, she plays the friend and servant for a racketeer (Akim Tamiroff) and in an emotionally charged scene where their relationship concludes, director Robert Florey carefully showcases Anna May Wong’s performance. Moving in with a closeup as tears well up in her eyes, cutting back to Tamiroff, then to Wong whose tears are now streaming down her cheeks, the direction and performances combine to make this powerfully emotional. Tamiroff is excellent as the powerful gangster who runs the town, but falls for a socialite unimpressed with his status, and turns away from his loyal Chinese friend. Lloyd Nolan, Anthony Quinn, Roscoe Karns, and Porter Hall round out the cast. Kino’s blu ray is a new 2K master with a commentary track by the always reliable and interesting Samm Deighan.

ISLAND OF LOST MEN (1939)

This remake of White Woman (1933) has Anna May Wong connecting with gun-runner Prin in Singapore when her father, who is accused of embezzlement, disappears. She believes him to be the reason for her father’s disappearance, and joins an undercover investigator to find him and bring Prin to justice. J. Carroll Naish and Anthony Quinn are cast as Chinese, while Broderick Crawford attempts to blackmail Prin. The performances are committed despite the unsettling casting of non-Chinese actors in the roles. Kurt Neumann directs with flair. Kino Lorber’s blu ray is a new 2K master with commentary by Bryan Reesman and Max Evry.

KING OF CHINATOWN (1939)

Anna May Wong is a doctor who believes her father is responsible for the shooting of a racketeer. She volunteers to treat him, saves his life, then discovers her father had nothing to do with the shooting. Akim Tamiroff is once again the gangster, and Wong’s father is played by Sidney Toler, just as he started a long running tenure as Charlie Chan at Fox (one film had already been released). Phillip Ahn stars opposite Ms. Wong. This might be the best film among the three in this set, with Anna May Wong playing a strong, positive character. Directed by Nick Grinde. Kino Lorber’s blu ray is a new 4K scan of the original camera negative, and features a commentary track by David Del Valle and Stan Shaffer.

This set is highly recommended for libraries, research centers, historians, and classic movie fans. The set can be ordered at this link: ANNA MAY WONG