The Curse of Quon Gwon: When the Far East Mingles with the West Backdrop Blur
The Curse of Quon Gwon: When the Far East Mingles with the West Poster

The Curse of Quon Gwon: When the Far East Mingles with the West

The Curse of Quon Gwon is the oldest known Chinese-American film and one of the earliest American silent features made by a woman. Only two reels of the film survive, and no intertitles are known to exist, making it difficult to parse out the exact plot. An article in the July 17, 1917 issue of The Moving Picture World states that the film "deals with the curse of a Chinese god that follows his people because of the influence of western civilization." The film also touches on themes of Chinese assimilation into American society. Formally premiering in 1917, no distributor was willing to purchase a Chinese-American film without racial stereotypes. Considered a devastating financial failure, the film was only screened two more times until its rediscovery in 2004. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in 2005.

Top Cast

  • Violet Wong

    Violet Wong

    The Bride (uncredited)

  • Marion E. Wong

    Marion E. Wong

    The Unkind Woman (uncredited)

  • Harvey Soo Hoo

    Harvey Soo Hoo

    The Groom (uncredited)

  • Chin Shee

    Chin Shee

    Elderly Woman (uncredited)

Overview

The Curse of Quon Gwon is the oldest known Chinese-American film and one of the earliest American silent features made by a woman. Only two reels of the film survive, and no intertitles are known to exist, making it difficult to parse out the exact plot. An article in the July 17, 1917 issue of The Moving Picture World states that the film "deals with the curse of a Chinese god that follows his people because of the influence of western civilization." The film also touches on themes of Chinese assimilation into American society. Formally premiering in 1917, no distributor was willing to purchase a Chinese-American film without racial stereotypes. Considered a devastating financial failure, the film was only screened two more times until its rediscovery in 2004. Preserved by the Academy Film Archive in 2005.

Rating

5.7 / 10
14 Reviews
0 Popular

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