Walk Like A Dragon

Walk Like a Dragon is a unique Western set in the 1800s, significantly aggrandizing the genre by incorporating themes of racism, cultural clashing, and pertinent human rights issues. Taking a bold stance for its 1960 release, it gives a cinematic voice to the struggles faced by Chinese immigrants and indicts the prejudiced societal norms of the time.

Legendary actor Jack Lord strides into the limelight as the gutsy cowboy, Linc Bartlett. His brusque charisma and commanding presence capture attention as soon as he strides onto the screen. Amid the arid deserts and bustling saloons common to the Western genre, Bartlett stands as a maverick, fiercely guarding his morals in a town scarred by bigotry and injustice.

Lord's Bartlett turns out to be a man of complication, whose world is flipped when he crosses paths with the enchanting Kim Sung (Nobu McCarthy). A Chinese slave girl brought to the American frontier, Sung embodies the struggles of thousands of Asian immigrants who ventured to the Golden Mountain, America, and were met with labor exploitation and rampant discrimination. McCarthy imbues Sung with remarkable resilience and grace, stirring the audience's empathy and admiration as she navigates her difficult circumstances with a brave face.

James Shigeta brings another layer of complexity to the narrative as Cheng Lu, an educated Chinese man who aims to protect his community and leads a rebellion against the unfair treatment of his people. Shigeta's performance resonates powerfully, embodying the dual agony of being an outsider in his adopted country and his original homeland.

The movie pack twists and turns that keep you gripped throughout its course. The dynamics between Bartlett, Sung, and Cheng are tense and intriguing, with romantic, action-packed and heart-wrenching moments artfully sown into the plot, allowing each character's journey to unfold simultaneously with significant weightage.

The director, James Clavell, expertly crafts each scene, pulling the audience into this tumultuous world of conflicted individuals and communities whose lives coalesce in unexpected ways. His directing style allows shots of the rugged Western landscape to seamlessly blend with the bustling Chinatown's vivid colors, mirroring the cultural clash at the heart of the narrative.

There's a surprising depth to the exploration of cultural identity in Walk Like a Dragon. Not limiting itself to exploring only the plight of Chinese immigrants, there's an exploration of the prejudice even within the Chinese community against "halfway people" - those who've strived to educate themselves in American traditions and language.

The stark contrast between Bartlett's quintessentially Western way of life and the traditional customs and hierarchy in Chinese society, illustrated through vivid and detailed set pieces and costuming, creates a multi-faceted persona of an era. Yet the film remains fiercely consistent in its condemnation of prejudice, remaining poignant and heartbreaking throughout.

Furthermore, the film's depiction of the sexual exploitation of immigrant women, though kept within the boundaries of PG-13, is hauntingly impactful. The performance of McCarthy is particularly noteworthy, manifesting the despair and determination of many real-life women who had similar experiences.

Walk Like A Dragon incorporates many Western-genre tropes. From dusty landscapes, charismatic heroes, thrilling horse riding scenes to showdowns, the film presents them uniquely, coupling them with an underlying narrative not seen in many classical Westerns.

However, this film isn't just a Western. It stands out as a daring social commentary challenging patriarchal values and racial prejudices. It vividly portrays the power dynamics between different races and genders, creating an insightful and thought-provoking storyline.

In its essence, Walk Like a Dragon serves as a stark reminder of a less than glorious past, encoding lessons that are soaked in history. With strong performances and a compelling storyline, the film beautifully ties together elements of action, romance, and drama, depicted against the backdrop of a nerve-wracking historical period. It is a cinematic gem that leaves a lasting impression, urging audiences to ruminate on societal relationships, individual identity, and the importance of standing up against injustice.