Flower Drum Song (film)
- Nancy Kwan: Linda Low
- James Shigeta: Wang Ta
- Jack Soo: Sammy Fong
- Miyoshi Umeki: Mei Li
- Juanita Hall: Madame Liang
- Benson Fong: Wang Chi - Yang
- Patrick Adiarte. Wang San
- Victor Sen Yung: Doctor Li
- James Hong: headwaiter
- Soo Yong: Madame Ten Fong
Almond eyes and lotus flowers is a U.S. amerikanischers movie musical in 1961 by Henry Koster. Basis of the screenplay was the novel " Flower Drum Song" by CY Lee and in 1957 it formed a musical by Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein.
Action
Mei Li is a young woman who comes from Hong Kong to San Francisco. It is promised to the nightclub owner Sammy Fong as a bride. Sammy does not want to join the ancient traditions of his homeland. He wants to take the singer and dancer Linda Low to wife. So he tries to Mei Li to Wang family deport who are looking for the oldest son, Wang Ta, a bride. But Wang Ta woos Linda, in turn, is only interested in Tas money.
Tas university degree is to be celebrated together with Madame Liang completed primary school. Tas engagement with Linda is announced, making Mei Li and Sammy sad angry. Sammy will host the celebration for the Chinese New Year in from his night club and invites the Wangs. When the Wangs unexpectedly see Linda's lewd dance, she immediately solve for the ceremony. Ta sees his mistake and confesses his love Mei Li. The however, rejects him and Sammy wants to force them to comply with its contractual obligations and to marry her. Even during the wedding ceremony Mei Li admits that she was illegally entered the country with which the agreement has been voided. Ta is happy and willing to marry her so she can stay in the country. Linda and Sammy decide to conduct a double wedding.
Reviews
The lexicon of the International film about the film: "Incidence lot, kitschy, sentimental, overlong musical with songs outrageous Germanized. "
The Variety complained that the charm and grace of the Broadway musical will crush in the film adaptation through sheer opulence and glamor.
Bosley Crowther of The New York Times, however, praising the film as a colorful, imaginative and melodic.
Awards
The film was nominated for numerous film awards. In 1962, he received Academy Award nominations in the categories of Best Art Direction (Color), Best Costume Design (Color) ( Irene Sharaff ), Best Cinematography (Color), Best Sound ( Waldon O. Watson) and Best Original Score.
In addition, he received two nominations for the Golden Globe Best Picture (Musical) and Best Actress (Musical) ( Miyoshi Umeki ).
At the ceremony of the Laurel Awards, the film finished as a top musical second place, Juanita Hall came as Best Supporting Actress in fourth place.
The Directors Guild of America nominated Henry Koster for the DGA Award, the Writers Guild of America Joseph Fields for the WGA Award.
Alfred Newman, who arranged the original music by Richard Rodgers for the film, was nominated for the published album for a Grammy.
2008, the film was inducted into the National Film Registry.
Background
The film premiered on November 9, 1961 in the U.S. and came on 26 April 1962 in the German cinemas.
The Broadway musical was premiered on December 1, 1958, and was played 600 times. In 1959, the piece for the Tony Award nominated. Miyoshi Umeki and Juanita Hall play in the movie her stage roles, while movie debutant Jack Soo was seen on stage in a different role.
In a small supporting role as a dancer George Chakiris is seen.
For the interior of the film, production designer Alexander Golitzen and Joseph C. Wright were responsible. Choreographer of the dance numbers was Hermes Pan.
Songs
- A Hundred Million Miracles - sung by Miyoshi Umeki ( repeated later and then again sung by Miyoshi Umeki and Nancy Kwan )
- Fan Tan Fannie - sung by Nancy Kwan
- The Other Generation - sung by Benson Fong, Juanita Hall, Patrick Adiarte, Cherylene Lee and Virginia Lee
- I Enjoy Being a Girl - sung by Nancy Kwan
- I Am Going to Like It Here - sung by Miyoshi Umeki
- Chop Suey - sung by Juanita Hall and James Shigeta
- You Be the Rock - sung by Nancy Kwan
- Grant Avenue - sung by Nancy Kwan
- Gliding Through My Memoree - sung by Victor Sen Yung ( later played by James Shigeta )
- Love, Look Away - sung by Reiko Sato
- You Are Beautiful - sung by James Shigeta
- Sunday - sung by Jack Soo and Nancy Kwan
- Do not Marry Me - sung by Jack Soo and Miyoshi Umeki
Note: Nancy Kwan's singing voice was dubbed by BJ Parker. Reiko Sato was dubbed by opera singer Marilyn Horne.