Movie spotlight
Proud Flesh
The snooty Fernanda decides to leave Spain to visit her uncle in San Francisco in order to escape the attentions of the dandy, amorous Don Diego, but he follows her. She is rescued from a wild taxi ride by a passerby who owns a huge plumbing company. Believing him to be a common plumber, she snubs him, but he pursues her and a romantic rivalry is born.
Insights
Plot Summary
A Chinese woman named Wong (Anna May Wong) is framed for a murder and flees to San Francisco, where she poses as a man to survive. She becomes entangled with a wealthy socialite, the daughter of a powerful newspaper magnate, leading to a dramatic clash of cultures and identities. The film explores themes of racial prejudice, class disparity, and forbidden love in the early 20th century.
Critical Reception
Proud Flesh is noted for its early exploration of complex social issues and for featuring a prominent role for Anna May Wong, a significant figure in film history. While specific contemporary reviews are scarce, its historical significance lies in its progressive themes for the era and Vidor's directorial style.
What Reviewers Say
Praised for its ambitious thematic content and a compelling performance by Anna May Wong.
Recognized as an important film in early Hollywood for its exploration of racial and social issues.
Regarded as a testament to King Vidor's skill in directing dramatic narratives.
Google audience: As a silent film from 1925, specific user reviews are not available. However, its historical placement and thematic depth are subjects of academic and film history discussion.
Fun Fact
Although the film features Anna May Wong in a significant role, her character's ethnicity is portrayed with sensitivity for the time, and the film addresses the prejudices she faces.
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