Dragon Seed

source: Dragon Seed

Pale imitator of The Good Earth that lacks that film's style or heart. The backdrop is 1930s China and the Japanese invasion. The cast is made up of white people playing the Chinese parts and, actually, that's not a deal-breaker for me. I recognize and accept the time in which this was made so the yellowface is not something that outrages me. Although admittedly the constant close-ups of Katharine Hepburn making silly faces while made up the way she was made it a lot harder to tolerate. Anyway, the problem I have with this movie is not the white actors playing Chinese characters. The problem I have is that they play these characters like they aren't real human beings. The script does the cast no favors but the actors have to own their performances here, no matter how respected they are (Hepburn and Walter Huston, this means you). The portrayal of Chinese people here is condescending and, frankly, insulting. They don't seem like human beings with real thoughts and emotions. They are played like aliens who imitate human emotions rather than actually experiencing them. They spew forth fortune cookie dialogue and, despite the movie being in English, talk as though English was a completely foreign language to them. It's really very stupid and impossible to take seriously. I have a hard time trying to decide if this is Hepburn's worst role or if that honor goes to "Spitfire," where she played a hillbilly named Trigger. It's interesting that this was made by politically and philosophically enlightened types, considering their treatment of "furners" here is so offensive. I'm sure those involved with the making of this mess meant well but good intentions is only an excuse that will get you so far. Their hearts may have been in the right place but their heads were up their...well, you know.

Hollywood couldn't have put together a less Chinese cast if it tried: Katharine Hepburn, Walter Huston, Aline MacMahon, Henry Travers, Robert Bice, and Akim Tamiroff headed up the cast in another adaptation of a Pearl S. Buck novel. Agnes Moorehead tried to put on a Chinese accent, and Turhan Bey relied on his dark looks to convince audiences he's Chinese, even though he was really Austrian. Besides that, everyone else acted like they were in some movie set in Vermont-with the exception of Akim, who spoke in his normal Russian accent. Since Katharine Hepburn is the lead, it's to be expected that this film will have a feminist message, with the underlying theme of obeying one's husband. Walter Huston is the patriarch, and he and Aline worry about the younger generation. Kate longs to read, which is taboo at that time, and she speaks her mind in public, often embarrassing her husband. But, since it's Kate, she's going to continue to be herself, with the understanding that when it comes right down to it, she'll stand by her man anyway-remember Spencer Tracy, folks. The first hour really drags, and you might even turn it off as I did. I turned it back on the next day, to support the cast, and then the plot picked up a bit. Japanese soldiers invade the village, and Kate and Turhan try to lead an underground resistance. Still, even though the audience is forced to watch as terrible things happen to the family, it doesn't elevate the film to "classic" status. Dragon Seed is not another The Good Earth. Yes, a Chinese family deals with soldiers, farming, and family, but it's not nearly as dramatic as Buck's earlier story. If you're looking for that, keep looking or just rent The Good Earth a second time and endure Louise Rainer's singular expression. Whatever you do, even if you're ridiculously excited to hear Lionel Barrymore narrate a film, don't feel you have to rent this one. What is Lionel doing narrating a Chinese movie anyway?

Katharine Hepburn proves that she is no Luise Rainer, who in 1937 won an Academy Award for her performance in THE GOOD EARTH. Her attempt at a Chinese accent is downright laughable. Just proves that even a great actress like Hepburn can occasionally fail. And fail she did!

While surfing through the movie listings trying to pass some time I came across Dragon Seed. I saw the date (1944) and the summary and thought that this would be another war-time morale type movie. That type of film has always been good to watch so I tuned in. I was very surprised. The film had a wonderful story with very good acting even though a bit stoic. I discounted the Chinese makeup and the non-Asian actors so they were not a factor in my enjoyment. The movie went far beyond the standard war era gung-ho film. The feelings of the times and the people came through wonderfully. I would like to see it again to catch subtle things that I know I missed the first time. It was a wonderful way to spend my time.

When hard-working China is attacked by the power-hungry Japanese, a pre-feminist Chinese woman struggles with her family for survival; eventually she and her husband become fighters in the Resistance and help to influence their family and fellow villagers to join them. Hollywood product, with intentions that seem sincere, adapted from a Pearl Buck novel and starring...Katharine Hepburn? Actually, Kate is not flossy or "regal" here; she's nobody's fool and probably knows she's miscast, but her Asian make-up is commendable and she tries (not in vain) to find a character. In support, Walter Huston and Aline MacMahon, as Hepburn's Old World in-laws, are excellent. The movie has beautiful cinematography and absorbing passages, but its length is self-defeating and there are some howlers in the script and in much of the casting. Not a hit at the box-office, but by this time people were so used to Hepburn's hit-or-miss choices that it didn't hurt her. *** from ****

Many critics consider the 1944 drama,"Dragon Seed" to be an overlong epic that has unconvincing characterizations of Chinese people. It's true that some of American actors in this film don't look Chinese,but a majority of them do. With that said,"Dragon Seed" is one of the best films about World War II. I have ever seen. It contains excellent performances by the entire cast and deals with a part of the war that is rarely mentioned, the Japanese occupation in China in the late 1930's. The film is based on a popular novel by Pearl S. Buck and tells the story of Ling Tan(Walter Huston)and his family of farmers.Tan and his wife(Aline MacMahon)try to keep the ancient Chinese customs alive in their household, but they soon realize that this is impossible. Jade,(Katharine Hepburn)Tan's daughter-in-law and many people in China are finding out ways to protect themselves against Japanese invaders. When the Japanese come, their lives are destroyed forever. The farmers are forced to share most of their land with the invaders,homes and personal belongings are destroyed,the invaders storm into homes and kill people, and people flee to get away from all the chaos. As a viewer,you see a family courageously surviving turmoil the best way that they can. The film is entertaining all the way through. Katharine Hepburn gives one of the greatest and most underrated performances of her career.She should have gotten,at least,an Oscar nomination for it. Walter Huston and Aline MacMahon are equally brilliant as the wise heads of the family. Agnes Moorehead gives a fascinating performance as a nasty in-law,who will do anything to get what she wants. Of course, this film has the usual high MGM production values. I give it a 9 out of 10.

If they had one this same movie with caucasian actors in black face, people would be marching around hollywood with picket signs. I guess, however, it was appropriate to use white actors because no asian actors could be found. I guess this is today's equivalent of pretending that all egyptians were actually Negroes. It seems as if Hollywood was/is afraid of offending only certain groups. I wonder why? It was so distracting to see the caucasian's makeup and wonder how anyone in their right mind hoped to pass this off as authentic, made one miss most of the plot.

I just finished skimming through the reviews for this film and noticed that the first one actually had the gall to give this movie a score of 10! A 10 would place this film in the illustrious company as other great films such as GONE WITH THE WIND, THE BEST YEARS OF OUR LIVES or GIGI--surely it's an insult to these other great films to compare DRAGON SEED to them in any favorable way! Other than the fact they are movies, I just don't see any other rational comparison. So why did I give the film the ridiculously low score of 2? Well, it features the very worst job of casting of any film--with the possible exception of THE CONQUERER (with John Wayne as 'Gengis Khan' and Susan Hayward as a Mongol princess). In DRAGON SEED, Katherine Hepburn (red haired and possessing a very prim and proper New England accent) and Walter Huston are among the cast playing Chinese people!! Now it was unfortunately common in the 30s and 40s to have such parts played by Westerners but at least some had the ability to almost carry it off well. Heck, Warner Oland and Sidney Toler were MUCH closer to being believable as Chinese (detective 'Charlie Chan') than either Huston or Hepburn!!! As for the rest of the story, it's a relatively dull and uninspiring Pearl Buck story with none of the impact or style as THE GOOD EARTH--a fine film from a decade earlier (despite the all Anglo cast once again). Instead, it's an anti-Japanese film made to promote the war effort in the Pacific. By the way, as a bit of trivia, the red haired Agnes Morehead deserves special recognition, as she not only played a Chinese lady in this film but Genghis Khan's mother in THE CONQUERER--proving that horrendously stupid casting can be infectious. Also, for more fun casting decisions featuring the most ridiculous Westerners playing Asians, try watching Edward G. Robinson in THE HATCHET MAN--an amazingly good film despite having 'Little Caesar' pretending to be Chinese. Other odd ones (humorous because they were so very, very offensive) were Marlon Brando in TEAHOUSE OF THE AUGUST MOON and Mickey Rooney in BREAKFAST AT TIFFANY'S. I swear to you, all these movie references are true--Hollywood was THIS out of touch and the public actually went to these films in droves!

Those who know little of the invasion of China by the Japanese Imperialist Forces during World War Two can discover general ideas surrounding this period of world history. Granted, the film is somewhat melodramatic in places, and, yes, Westerners made up to look Chinese is somewhat disconcerting as one begins to view this film. Yet, as the film progresses one is soon so overpowered by the action of the film that these minor distractions quickly evaporate. In fact, one soon accepts Katherine Hepburn as Chinese and the true drama dominates the film. The basic theme of the film is the repelling of aggressive forces in one's homeland, a not uncommon theme for 1944. Jade (Hepburn) must not only battle the invaders, she must confront traditional Chinese family values. Both conflicts are challenging to a peaceful rural village about to clash with the changes of the twentieth century. As the film progresses, the agony of family fracture and the immensely powerful drama of the last few scenes turn this film into a sober reminder of the mutability which comes with war. Hepburn is very good in this movie, as is almost all the supporting cast. The "kitchen scene" may be one of the most suspenseful of the World War Two period films. Viewers are reminded that the war between Japan and China began in 1937, four years before United States involvement.