WALK LIKE A DRAGON

US, 1960, 94 minutes, Black and white.
Jack Lord, James Shigeta, Nobu Mc Carthy, Mel Torme, Josephine Hutchinson.
Directed by James Clavell.

Walk Like A Dragon is an offbeat racial western. Produced at the same time as Flower Drum Song and Bridge to the Sun (also starring James Shigeta), the film explores relationship between white Americans and Chinese. The film was co-written and directed by author James Clavell (writer of such screenplays as King Rat, director of such films as To Sir With Love, Where's Jack, The Last Valley) who was to achieve fame with blockbusting novels like Shogun. The film is somewhat melodramatic and stylised - but interesting in its unusual theme.

Jack Lord is a sullen star (pre-Hawaii days) and James. Shigeta has Chinese pride and arrogance. There is an offbeat supporting role for singer Mel Torme. The film relies on audience knowledge of western conventions and seeing them challenged by the Chinese.

1. The blend of the western with racial tension themes? The film representing attitudes towards civil rights in 1960? The themes and the times, treatment in similar films?

2. The work of James Clavell and his career as screenwriter, blockbuster novel-writer? His interest in themes of East meeting West?

3. The film's use of western traditions: San Francisco, the 1860s, the western towns? Black and white photography? The offbeat screenplay and styles? Musical score? Mel Torme's contribution of the songs?

4. The aftermath of the Civil War and attitudes towards slavery? The Chinese slave market in San Francisco with the white buyers? The white townspeople and their Chinese servants? The China Town? The Chinese and their subservience to white masters? The contrast with Chinese traditions of freedom and slavery?

5. The American presuppositions about the supremacy of the whites, their superiority of race, wealth and power? The comments on the Indians and the segregation of part-Indians? The Chinese and their being despised? The Chinese despising their masters - the pidgin English, the elaborate kowtowing to authority? The Chinese working the laundries? The contrast with their long tradition and culture? Their coming to the United States with the same dreams as the Europeans? Building up their fortune, finding their place in the world? The tensions in the western town: trade, shops, church, saloons? The Chinese learning to fight with the gun and adapt to the American symbol of violence?

6. Linc as the sullen hero? His background in freight-moving, his wealth, his reaction to the slave market, his buying Kim? His racist presuppositions? His place in the town, love for his mother? His girlfriend in the saloon? His ability with the gun? Gambling? His attachment to Kim? Growing to understand her, taking her to the church, the reaction of his girlfriend and the townspeople, the boycotting of trade? The lyrical scenes with Kim, his decision to marry her? The buying of the dress? The build-up to the gunfight with Chang? Kim's attitudes? Her rejection of him? How interesting an American character? His changing his attitudes? Loss of the heroine?

7. The contrast with Chang: his arrival, his explanation of the pigtail and its traditions, his home in China and his wanting to free his family from slavery? His attitude towards Kim, wanting to buy her? His being saved by Linc? His puzzle about the broken English and the subservience? His working in the laundry? The parallel of his attitudes with those of Linc? Arrogance in the town, the bar, wanting. to gamble - and his success with the cockroaches? His building up his fortune? The gun and his being trained by the deacon and his adaptation to the west? His trying to buy Kim and Linc's spurning of him? His wanting vengeance? His offering the money to Linc in difficulty? The confrontation with the deacon and shooting him? The build-up to the confrontation with Linc, his losing the gun battle? Kim's decision to go with him? The cutting of the pigtail and his adaptation to the American lifestyle?

8. Kim as slave, her story, the humiliation in the market place, her gratitude, subservience to white masters, reliance on her gods, the quick learning of English, Linc's mother learning to love her, the lyrical scenes with Linc, her wanting to bear a child for him, questions of marriage? The devotion of Chang and her trying to please him? The visit to the church? Her dress and her inability to adapt to western dress - symbol of her not adapting to the white life style? The build-up to the marriage, the gunfight and her saving of Linc? The motivation for her choice of Chang?

9. Linc's mother and her worry, her hard attitude towards Kim, compassion, accepting her, teaching her, taking her to the church, her puzzle about the marriage, the pressure on Linc, the prayer to the gods?

10. The deacon and the offbeat western character, his scripture quotations, his skill as a gunfighter and shooting, his teaching Chang, the motivation of his confrontation. his death?

11. The girl in the saloon and her running of the gambling, her being part Indian and being rejected, her devotion to Linc and her jealousy, the visit of Kim about Linc's clothes?

12. The Sheriff and the Mexicans in the town?

13. The men of the town and their attitudes, spurning of the Chinese, the people and their racist attitudes? The parson and his genial tone in the church, willingness to marry Linc and Kim?

14. What was the audience left with in terms of the traditional western? The exploration of racist themes and civil rights?