The Best of People of Color in Classic Film (One Year Later)

Here is a list of the Top 10 most viewed posts (in order of least popular to most) since Monday, August 27, 2012:

10.

Theresa Harris: The Beautiful Maid

Last November, I made a post saluting the unsung Hollywood actress, Ms. Theresa Harris. This post has been viewed 141 times.


9. 

The Stereotypes of Latino Men
(Was originally posted as "Hispanic Men")

People of Color in Classic Film used to have "Monthly Themes". Our second theme recognized the stereotypes of Latino Men in Hollywood film. Here is the post introducing that theme--viewed 166 times.


8.

Theme One: The Good Earth (Review)

Our first monthly theme examined the use of white actors in the roles of Asian (particularly East Asian) characters. In September of 2012, I watched and reviewed MGM's The Good Earth. This review has garnered 171 views.

7.

If Ethel Were Chick...

This past June, I touched on (sort of "feathered against") the colorist standards held against black women (particularly dark skinned black women) in Hollywood and society by posing the above question. Ironically, although this post has been viewed 220 times, there has been little interaction in the comments. 


6.

Biopics That We Need (Women)

Back in March (on the last day of Women's History Month) I made a slideshow featuring a list of women (actresses and singers) that I believed deserved biopics--and I even matched them up with actresses I thought should play them. This post has garnered 230 views. 

(By the way, I'm currently working on one for the men.)  


5.

Theme One Summary (Labor Day Post)

In September of 2012, I introduced the first of the "Monthly Themes" and it was titled "Asian Characters...No Asian Actors, Please!" This particular post merely summarized what the theme would be about, but it has been viewed 251 times.


4. 

Ladies of Color on Youtube (Part I)

In this post, I made a list of movies available on Youtube that starred women like Anna May Wong, Josephine Baker, Dorothy Van Engle, and more. The list has been viewed 283 times.


3.

National Hispanic Heritage Month

I merely recognized this special month in a short, summarizing post, but nonetheless, this post has garnered 343 views since September 15, 2012.


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2. 

Happy 90th Birthday, Dorothy Dandridge

November 9, 2012 would have been Dorothy Dandridge's 90th birthday and I was elated to know that she had not been forgotten and she certainly is loved everywhere. As of today, this post has been viewed 526 times. 


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Finally, what was the most viewed post on People of Color in Classic Film on Blogspot???

1.

Theme One: Mr. Yunioshi 
(Breakfast at Tiffany's Review)


This post has been viewed 776 times. As apart of the "Asian Characters...No Asian Actors Please!" theme, I reviewed and examined one of the most controversial portrayals in Hollywood history.


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Honorable Mentions

Before this blog became "People of Color in Classic Film", it was (blandly) called "Aige: Film and Television". There are a few posts under that name that deserve some recognition:


Margarita Carmen Cansino (Rita Hayworth)

In this post, I expressed my budding love for Hollywood star, Rita Hayworth and I questioned what her legacy would be like had she not had certain alterations done. This post has been viewed 416 times.



The Screen's Unsung: Vivian Dandridge (Part One)

Every week, during the Aige: Film & TV days, I recognized an unsung person of the screen. Vivian Dandridge was one of those people. This post has garnered 575 views.


Let's Talk: Judy Garland

Some time after what would have been Judy Garland's 90th birthday, I made a very sentimental post about her life and legacy. It's been viewed 688 times.



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Below are the two most viewed posts of this entire blog--I mean "Aige: Film and Television" and People of Color in Classic Film......

Let's Talk: Dorothy Dandridge & Marilyn Monroe
Part One and Part Two

In this two part post, I examined the careers and legacies of two often compared screen legends to help myself and others better understand why one has been praised and admired more than the other (the answer was quite simple, yet intricate). 


Part One has been viewed 1,205 times and Part Two has been viewed an amazing 2,119 views. 


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I feel very good about this amazing list and am ready to continue marching onto the road ahead. Thank you all for your love and support. Thank you so, so much.

Love,
Adrienne

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Speaking of marching, how will you be celebrating the 50th Anniversary of the March on Washington today? Anybody off to or in D.C.?


All of the images used in this post were obtained from Wikipedia and are all believed to be in the Public Domain. If the rightful owner of any of these photos wishes to have them removed, please contact me and I will do so immediately. 

"Philip Ahn, you speak English too well."

From LA Times

Philip Ahn was in high school when he visited the set of The Thief of Baghdad. The movie's star--Douglas Fairbanks--offered him a small, uncredited role--thus beginning a career that would span over five decades and give him over 180 acting credits. He was almost rejected for his fifth role for an appalling (but not surprising) reason...

The film was 1936's Anything Goes starring Bing Crosby and Ethel Merman, directed by Lewis Milestone: 

"Director Milestone turned down Philip the very first time they met because Ahn's English was too good. On his way out of their first meeting, Philip, with great humor, mimicked a heavy Asian accent perfectly and got the job immediately." [Source]

What a testament to the workings of Old Hollywood (and even Hollywood today). Throughout the remainder of his career, Mr. Ahn would play a lot of Japanese villains (even though he was Korean-American) and mysterious, speakers of proverbs.

Philip Ahn as Master Kan in the series Kung Fu.

How would you compare the roles of Asian/Asian-American men in Hollywood films? 

Would you say they've gotten better over the past say...70 years? Worse? Or have they pretty much stayed the same?

Sources

IMDb

Article by Philip Ahn Cuddy

Theresa Harris--The Beautiful Maid

Theresa Harris worked alongside more stars of Hollywood's Golden Era than anyone else and was known as "The Beautiful Maid". She was one of the few women to play the servant role without "looking the part". 

(Actress Mildred Washington was also known as "The Beautiful Maid")

Unsure of source; possibly from Vintage Black Glamour

Her most memorable work came from the "Pre-Code" era. This era of no rules (or no code) allowed Ms. Harris to be more than "just a maid" (depending on who you ask) to her white female employers. In fact, she often outshone the stars of these films--even after  the Pre-Code era.

Photo from MadameNoire

Watch Ms. Harris in her first film role--an uncredited singing role in the 1929 film Thunderbolt.

To learn more about Theresa Harris:

Check out her IMDb page.

Also, read this interesting article about her in the New York Times.

Portrayal of Mexican Men in "Touch of Evil"

Last week I watched Orson Welles' Touch of Evil in one of my film classes--a Film Noir.

Right off the bat I began noticing a negative portrayal of the Latino man. 

The film stars Charlton Heston as Mike Vargas, a Mexican government official (in brownface and all), Orson Welles as crooked official Hank Quinlan, and Janet Leigh as Mike's bride, Susie. 

Mike Vargas is the good guy, so of course it was only right that a white actor was hired to play the role.

As mentioned before, this is a Film Noir--filled with crime, violence, drugs, and sex. In this particular film however, sex is presented to us in what could be conceived as a racially charged way.

From the start, it is made clear that Susie is to become the target of the Mexican characters' lust. Throughout the film, her personal space is constantly invaded by the Latino men--at one point the character "Uncle Joe" licks his lips in a sort of sleazy kind of way when Susie walks away from him. 

Near the climax of the film, it is also strongly suggested that Susie is about to be raped, as a large group of both men and women (one woman stating "I wanna watch...") surround her and stare at her with menacing eyes--as she lies helplessly on a bed. 

Although it is unclear (to me anyway) if that was a part of what happened, the implication was strong to me and my classmates as well. 


I recommend that you see Touch of Evil(1958). I think it was a pretty good movie--it lived up to its genre. It got a little crazy towards the end, but it kept my interest throughout. 


What are your thoughts on such portrayals of Latino men--or any other man of color?




Photo Sources:

http://t3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcR2HcflyLSD8YsdSXm2y_MCGhkZ8PkQ9ZJUWUAW8nzFrNvXY_TSXAXB4yuvzQ

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjHlFYBq-ZYj8BGzrQHFM-Oh9h76vo06OL2PxPKaliUINcp0uts2hyphenhyphentDpxI7t91cOeb6WodeXFBF3qm_5qsSPRC3nPiLihQu2N2ZUQlTDVRlZ7OLxrEr3TawoxhPqwgzpNtdGLiu7jbSdw/s400/Touch+Of+Evil+100.jpg


http://www.betterlivingthroughbeowulf.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/heston.jpg

http://thumbs.anyclip.com/tG3FUwjmx/tmb_388_480.jpg

Modern Stereotypes of Latino Men

The stereotypes of Latino men still seem to be floating about in America's mainstream media. 

I personally think the role--or "character" on Guillermo, the Parking Lot Security Guard on "Jimmy Kimmel Live" is quite...buffoonish. I really have a hard time watching his skits/sketches. 

Are their any other offensive portrayals that you've seen in today's film/television? 

How do you compare the portrayal of Latino men in today's media and in the media of the past?

Ramon Novarro: Post-Valentino Latin Lover

Mexican actor Ramon Novarro first gained the public's interest for his performance (and revealing clothes) in 1925's Ben-Hur and after the passing of Rudolph Valentino in 1926, Novarro would emerge as Hollywood's next "Latin Lover".

Check out the trailer for 1925's Ben-Hur. 

"I don't have to show you any stinkin' badges!"

The popular scene from Treasure of the Sierra Madre. 

The character of "Gold Hat", played by Alfonso Bedoya is one of the most prominent examples of a "Bandito" stereotype in Hollywood cinema.

Speedy Gonzales

Although Speedy Gonzales was a mouse, his character was based off the stereotypes of Mexican men.

Check out this short cartoon featuring Speedy Gonzales.

Also, I'd like for you to check out the comments on this video on Youtube.

Do you agree with the Top Comments?

What are your overall thoughts on Speedy Gonzales?

The Stereotypes of *Latino Men

Brace yourself for one of the corniest analogies in corny analogy history:

Think of Hollywood as a good ole American Apple Pie (with a fancy topping for that Hollywood glam). Many things make up that pie and I like to believe that racial stereotypes have been one of that pie's most important ingredients--without them, Hollywood as we know it just wouldn't be the same. Of course, this isn't a good thing, but while some of Hollywood's most groundbreaking films were changing the face of Hollywood, some of them were also dripping with racism--The Birth of a Nation being the leader of the pack. 

This month, I want to focus on some of the stereotypes of Hispanic Latino Men in Hollywood--especially Mexican men. Terms like "Bandito", "Greaser", "Latin Lover", "Macho", and "Buffoon" have been used to describe *Latino men in Hollywood movies (and unfortunately, in real life). 

Rudolph Valentino, Italian/French actor known as the "Latin Lover".

I will be post as much as I can about the movies that display these stereotypes and I will also post information on some of the actors that have worked in these movies. 

Alfonso Bedoya in The Treasure of the Sierra Madre

As always, I want you all to feel free to leave any comments--make suggestions, corrections, etc. all throughout this month.

Thank you so much,

Aige <3

Theme One: Mr. Yunioshi Review (Breakfast at Tiffany's)

I must first start off by saying that the typical girly-girl in me loves this movie. I can pop this in on a rainy day, crawl under the covers and just enter the world of Holly Golightly.

However, I won't review Breakfast at Tiffany's here, because doing so would draw away from what's really important for this blog: The observation and evaluation of Mr. Yunioshi, played by Mickey Rooney in the dreaded yellowface.

Wednesday Spotlight: Coal Black and de Sebben Dwarfs

Today's spotlight is on the controversial and long-banned 1943 Merry Melodies animation:

 Coal Black and de Sebben Dwarfs.

For some reason I can't post the video, so CLICK HERE to watch it on Youtube.

As you can see, this cartoon is filled with stereotypical and quite racist content. 

Film scholars and historians say that it's one of the greatest animations ever made (of course they do). Some call it a "masterpiece". 

In terms of its animation, is it a masterpiece? Is it one of the greatest animations ever made?

Do you think the creators had good intentions or ill-intentions?

WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?

By the way--Vivian Dandridge provided the voice of "So White" and Ruby Dandridge provided the voice of "Mammy". 

Lupe Vélez in "The Girl from Mexico" (1939)

Check out this scene from the 1939 RKO film The Girl from Mexico starring Lupe Vélez.

Lupe Vélez perfected the "Mexican Spitfire" character. The character is considered a stereotype of Latina women, but Ms. Vélez did enjoy making these films very much.

This Youtube clip was uploaded by: Rena1934

Theme One: The Good Earth Review

I really enjoyed The Good Earth. I initially went into this movie strictly for reviewing purposes, but I was so quickly drawn into it. It was amazing!

The Good Earth--released in 1937--is based off of the 1931 novel of the same name, written by Pearl S. Buck. I haven't read the book, so I really can't say if the movie stayed true to it or not.

Oscar-winning and Austrian-born actor, Paul Muni and two-time Oscar-winning, German-born actress Luise Rainer lead the cast of this phenomenal movie. Paul Muni is probably most popular for his role as Tony Camonte in 1932's Scarface and for his winning role as Louis Pasteur in The Louis Pasteur Story. Luise Rainer won the Best Actress Oscar for her role in The Good Earth and the year before for The Great Ziegfeld. The movie also stars character actor Walter Connolly, vaudeville and film veteran Charley Grapewin, actress and dancer Tilly Losch, and pioneering actor Keye Luke.

Theme One: Summary (Labor Day Post)

Theme One title: "Asian Characters...No Asian Actors Please."

Check out the previous post titled "September's Theme (Our First Theme!)" if you haven't done so by now.

Right now, let's talk about the meaning and purpose of this theme.

"Asian Characters...No Asian Actors Please." is a reference to white actors being cast in Asian (particularly East Asian) roles during the early years of Hollywood as we know it (and sometimes even today). 

Unsung of the Screen: Vivian Dandridge (Post Two)

After much success throughout the years of 1938 and 1939, Dorothy Dandridge decided she wanted to go pursue an acting a career in about 1940, leaving Vivian and Etta to find work of their own.

Vivian tried to find work in nightclubs, but very few were interested. Vivian was to get a few uncredited roles in movies like Cabin in the Sky and Stormy Weather. 

I personally was able to spot Vivian in a couple of scenes in Stormy Weather, and she's the dancer dancing in at 0:55 of this clip from Cabin in the Sky and the one jumping up beside Duke Ellington towards the end:

(Clip from "Cabin in the Sky")

However, Vivian's most popular work (unfortunately) would probably be as the voice of lead characters in some of Old Hollywood's most racist cartoons--cartoons that were eventually banned.

She provides the voice of "The Girl" at about 4:34 in this banned cartoon called "Scrub Me Mama With a Boogie Beat":

She also provided the voice of "So White" in the more controversial Merry Melodies cartoon: "Coal Black and de Sebben Dwarfs". Her mother, Ruby also provided the voice of Mammy and by the way it sounds, I believe she may have also portrayed the voice of the child too (Ruby was popular for her high pitched voice in certain TV/Movie/Radio roles).

In Post Three tomorrow, we will talk more about Vivian's personal life and life under her sister and her mother's shadow.

Sources

Wikipedia

IMDB