COME SEE THE PARADISE

US, 1990, 133 minutes, Colour.
Dennis Quaid, Tamlyn Tomita.
Directed by Alan Parker.

Come See the Paradise is a line from a poem about a vision of the US, The Paradise of the American Dream.

This film was written and directed by Alan Parker (Bugsy Malone, Midnight Express, Fame, Birdie, Angel Heart, Mississippi Burning). It has more tender aspects than many of his tougher films. There is a central love story, an interracial love story of a Japanese American with an Irish American. The setting is mid-'30s - and, of course, Pearl Harbor and World War II.

While the film establishes the Japanese community in Los Angeles in the mid-'30s, social upheaval in the aftermath of the Depression and the work for establishing of the unions, the latter part of the film is more familiar with life in the camps until they were declared unconstitutional. the film highlights =the injustice done to Japanese living in America after World War I and their not being permitted to take out American citizenship and the injustice done to the second generation Japanese who were American citizens. It highlights the prejudice that runs rampant during war.

The film is a beautiful reconstruction of the period with a great attention to detail. The cast is very impressive, especially the Japanese American actors who portray the Kawamura family, especially Tamlyn Tomita as Lily. Denis Quaid, in a much more subdued role than many of his others, gives a mature and emotional performance as Jack Mc Gurn.

While the latter [part of the film moves to material with which audiences are familiar (Farewell to Manzanar, If Tomorrow Comes, Bridge to the Sun), the film overall asks for an intelligent and emotional response to the characters and the situations.

1.The film as a piece of Americana, racial issues, war issues, humanity?

2.The re-creation of the '30s and '40s, the meticulous eye to detail? New York, Los Angeles, the war camps? The mood of the musical score?

3.The range of songs sung throughout the film: `Until the Real Thing Comes Along', Andrews Sisters songs, `Love's Old Story', Japanese songs.

4.The title of the film? The American dream? American constitutional rights? Paradise/Hell?

5.The structure of the film: the framework with Lily and Minnie discussing Jack's return? Memories of the ten years? Audiences knowing that there was to be a happy ending? Perspective on the whole story? Lily's telling the story - and highlighting the truth, for example the happy and sunny wedding day? The night talking with Jack?

6.The portrait of Jack McGurn: in the cinema, the smoke, the bomb, the pamphlets, the fire, trying to save people, his hands being burnt, the reaction of his comrades, his being told off, his knowledge of the law, ideals, the background of his wife leaving him, his rage? Moving to California, being greeted by his sister-in-law, discussions with her, his brother and cantankerous, fear of communists, losing his job, the arguments?

7.The intercutting of the story of the Kawamura family: putting on the play, the social, the community in Little Tokyo, the father playing cards and gambling, details of life at home, the parents, brothers and sisters? The Japanese in the US, those born in Japan not being able to be citizens, the next generation as American citizens, language, music, sport?

8.The background of the cinema, the Japanese of the '30s, the audiences? The girls watching the projectionist, his drinking, kissing, his death? The nightclub sequences, singing and dancing - and Harry's career in Hollywood? Portraying Chinese characters? Charlie and his being in charge, employing Jack, taking him to the cinema, Jack at work, singing the Japanese songs, friendships, in the foyer? Meeting Lily, inviting her to lunch, talk, the kiss? Lily talking to her sisters and their reactions? Jack’s courting of Lily, going out, dancing? Sending her home from the theatre? The discussions with Lily's father, his refusal? The decision to go to Seattle because of the laws in California? The grief for the family? Lily's telling the story of the marriage, the wedding day, quiet, in the restaurant, attending the other wedding - and dancing with all the guests? A happy time?

9.Life in Seattle, Jack working at the cannery, the industrial arguments, his interventions? The arguments with Lily and her asking him to stop? The protest, the fish on the men, anger and rights? His protest, being injured, being taken to jail? The family - and the hour with the birth of Minnie, Minnie growing up, the passing of the years? Lily’s decision to go back to Los Angeles?

10.The day of Pearl Harbor, Lily's return home, the effect on the family, the arrest of the father, the search of the home? The change for the Japanese community? Demonstrations and disruption? The packing in a few days, having to sell all the family goods, the selling of the piano, the breaking of the records, anger? The train, Jack's return, his farewell to the family? Their being housed in the dirty racecourse, so many in the stable, the latrines? The ugliness and isolation of the camps? As concentration camps and prisons? The violation of rights?

11.Life in the camp, Charlie and his anger, his hair, the Japanese bands, the demonstrations? Lily, with Minnie working to produce camouflage? The other sisters? The mother not allowed to work, Lily's anger? The return of their father, his being isolated, alleged to have betrayed to the FBI, Charlie believing this? The father and his making the chair? The younger children surviving in the camp, school, sport? The social life, the pageants, imitating the Andrews Sisters? Harry and his singing? The options and the questionnaires, loyalties? Harry going to the army, the sadness of his death, his mother receiving the medal? The daughter going off for the harvest, coming back pregnant? The hospital sequences? The demonstrations and riots? The treatment of the Japanese as prisoners? Deprived of their property, herded together? ON lines so much of their life?

12.Jack, going into the army, his probation quashed? His hitchhiking for the visit, not being able to get in, the reunion with Lily, with Minnie? The discretion of the mother and daughters leaving the hut to Jack and Lily? His second visit, saying that he was going overseas, his wanting to talk to Lily's father, the reconciliation, the support for the marriage? His own arrest, interrogation?

13.The war, its effect on Americans, their anti-Japanese stances, the need for protection of the Japanese Americans? The loss of property, of dignity? The aftermath?

14.The film as a love story, the portrait of Jack and Lily, their tenderness, Minnie? The family group. the brothers and their roles, the contrast between Charlie and Harry, Frankie as the younger, the sisters and the bonds between them? The strong portrait of the father, the gambler, wanting to return to Japan wealthy, a sense of failure. His death? The mother, her work, he being cut off from Lily, Lily's return, Minnie and the reconciliation? Her life in the camp, understanding the swearing, the death of Harry? Her stoic suffering?

15.The aftermath of the war for the family - Charlie going to Japan which he didn't know, a new life for the girls, for Lily and Jack?

16.A portrait of the US in the '40s, an examination of America's behaviour in retrospect and judgment on it?