Girls, it is pure Anna May Wong, but that is not who that is. Recognize her? That is Myrna Loy as Boris Karloff's daughter in "The Mask Of Fu Manchu." Back in the early Thirties, Myrna was quite a bitch, before she morphed into the sophistication of Nora Charles,and it is a pity she did not go back to this.
I mean, just look at those globes! And those tassels!!!!!!!!!! Who wouldn't kill to wear those????????????? They don't make outfits like these anymore, and it is such a shame!!!!!!!!!!
This is how I want to greet trick-or-treaters at our house, this year, on Halloween!!!!!!!!!!!!
With a huge gong ringing in the background!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
But how do I do that eye make-up??????????????????????
My favorite Myrna Loy performance, second only to "Thirteen Women"! Yes, gotta love her outfits in "Fu Manchu," and her pioneering portrayal of a sadist with a whip! Although for sheer audacious dialog, nothing beats the bar scene in "The Shanghai Gesture" when shady "Chinese" casino owner Oona Munson snaps at drunk, slutty Gene Tierney to "Behave yourself! You're in China and you're White! Its not good for us to see you like this! You'll bring discredit to your race if you continue!"Priceless:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.tcm.com/mediaroom/video/345183/Shanghai-Gesture-The-Movie-Clip-You-re-White-And-You-re-In-China.html
Olde Hollywood used to catch hell for casting Caucasians to play Chinese lead characters, but honey those actors SUFFERED in those roles. The studios thought nothing of risking permanent blindness: standard procedure was to razor off the performer's eyelashes for an "Instant Asian," which left the actors prone to infection and retinal damage from the arc lights (or sun and wind outdoors). It was 1940 before doctors were able to convince Louis B. Mayer that actual Asian eyelids and structure are genetically designed to compensate, and mutilating the lids of a white actor was reckless endangerment. At least Myrna Loy's lashes grew back, she survived and triumphed: others like Nils Asther were not so lucky.
ReplyDeleteOh, my God. Oona Munson (Belle Wattling herself!!!!) as a Chinese, and Gene Tierney as a slut???? This I have got to see? If one is going to be a slut, then it should be done Gene's way! I have heardof this film, buut did not know it was such a gold mine of riches!!!!!!!!!