LADY FROM CHUNKING
US, 1942, 66 minutes, Black-and-white.
Anna May Wong, Harold Huber, Mae Clark, Rick Vallin, Paul Bryar, Ted Hecht, Ludwig Donath.
Directed by William Nigh.
This is a small war propaganda film from 1942, acknowledging World War II in Europe and German domination, but also the presence of the Japanese for years in China and then the bombing of Pearl Harbor.
It is a star vehicle for Los Angeles born, Chinese actress, Anna May Wong, she is a strong presence, resistance leader sent to work with coolies in the rice fields. However, there is anticipation of the arrival of the Japanese general (Harold Huber quite effective but not looking Japanese), her being seductive but getting the information about the arrival of Japanese troops. Two American agents are parachuted in, one injured and saved, the other imprisoned and the general confronting him.
The local hotel is managed by a Westerner, over-eager to be loyal to Hitler and to the Japanese ambitions. Mae Clark also appears as a singer, well-travelled, an American father and a Russian mother. The general is initially intrigued by her but then is captivated by Anna May Wong. The singer is persuaded to help the imprisoned American to escape.
There is a very sombre sequence where the coolies are arrested because of the killing of the overseer and the concealing of his body – Anna May Wong persuading the general to free the coolies because they are of more value producing food than dying. However, the old men are executed.
The general takes a long time to die at the end and has speeches about Japanese ambitions. But the final speeches, even though she is executed, are very patriotic coming from Anna May Wong.
Direction is by William Nigh who made many short features in the 1930s, especially some thrillers, and some Mr Moto films.
1. World War II propaganda film? Small budget? Supporting feature
2. The American audience of 1942? The war in Europe and the German presence, even in China? Pearl Harbor? American involvement? Chinese resistance?
3. The town, the rice fields and the coolies, the hotel, the preparation for the general’s visit, the interiors? The town meetings? Contrasting with the luxury for the general? The musical score?
4. Quan may, her background, leadership of the coolies, the resistance, her presence in the fields, the encounter with live IRR, reparation for her to meet the general, dining with him, his romantic advances, her keeping her dignity? Drugging him? Going to the meeting? The rounding up of the coolies, preparation for execution, her persuading the general that they were more useful producing food in the fields, yet the execution of the elderly men? The reaction of the angry young man, thinking her a spy? Are coming to the meeting? The plan, the rescue of the American soldier, Lara and the escape of the other soldier, the plan to blow up the bridge and prevent the troops coming?
5. The Japanese presence, 1942 and the interpretation, American actors portraying the Japanese? The overseer in the field and his being killed, the body hidden? The general and his assistant? The general, his arrogance? Reputation as a butcher? His dialogue with the American and the American to finance? Getting the American to watch the executions? Food preparation, champagne? With Kwan Mei, the attraction, his wanting intellectual and dignified company? Laboratory tests on, his discarding her? The body of the overseer, planning the executions, his being persuaded against them? His being drugged? The buildup to the final confrontation, the generals respect for her, her shooting him, his long speech about himself and the war? Is watching her being executed – and her final speech?
6. The Americans, the flight, parachuting, the plan, the capture, the Chinese with the other pilot, escape, the plan for the sabotage of the train?
7. On my and her assistant, his keeping control, the angry young man? The shootouts?
8. On my, her final speech, the appeal to the American public?
