A fascinating documentary about San Francisco nightclub Forbidden City, which, starting in the late 1940s and continuing through the early '60s, featured an all-Asian cast of singers, showgirls and comedians and catered to a largely non-Asian clientele. The brainchild of Nevada-born Chinese-American entrepreneur Charlie Low, Forbidden City simultaneously defied and encouraged Asian-American stereotypes. Its floor shows offered popular songs; tap, ballroom and ballet-influenced dance numbers; and comedy acts firmly rooted in mainstream entertainment, like dancer Dottie Sun's parody of Little Egypt-esque exotic dancing, complete with camp snakey hand gestures. But the ...
Released:
1989
Rated:
n/a
Length:
90 mins