Charlie Chan: A Stereotype and a Hero

New York Times ^ | August 10, 2010 | CHARLES McGRATH

[Nepeta]

The Asians have noting to brag about when it comes to fair portrayal of whites.

Or blacks.

One of the major exceptions to this is John Woo's 1995 "Don't Cry Nanking" (aka "Nanking 1937") which unfortunately appears to never have been released in this country. It is a big screen, big budget treatment of the rape of Nanking, and truthfully shows European and American diplomats and missionaries doing what they could to protect Chinese during the Japanese occupation.

There are all sorts of historical oddities I've learned watching Asian movies made for Asian audiences, including the fact that the Japanese drafted ethnic Chinese in Taiwan into the Japanese army.

[RnMomof7]

I loved Charlie Chan ...but then I also liked Amos and Andy ...