ID Me: The Fortune Code

[MrBooth]

Some donated images of... nurses!











http://hkmdb.com/db/movies/images.mhtml?id=7314&display_set=eng

[Brian Thibodeau]

Gee, that bottom one sure looks familiar...

Seriously, though, I just noticed the cast listing for this DB entry has several Japanese characters listed as "Jap commander" and "Jap' soldier" and so on. Since that's not really the proper term for Japanese people in these more enlightend times (and yes, I'm aware the film is set during WWII), is there any chance those might be changed to "Japanese commander" etc. etc.? I'll understand if any of our Chinese contributors prefer they stay as they currently are, though.

[MrBooth]

One of the db rules is that "Jap" should not be used as an abbreviation for "Japanese"... "fixed" (didn't realise that particular bit of PC extended to Canada!).

I think it's more offensive to describe Shing Fui-On as "ugly prisoner of war", personally!

Are any of the role descriptions (Spy no. x etc) spoilers? Really must watch the film some day...

Gee, that bottom one sure looks familiar...

Is that because she looks like Anita Mui?

[Fan]

I'll understand if any of our Chinese contributors prefer they stay as they currently are, though.

Is that because she looks like Anita Mui?

She's Anita Mui.

[Brian Thibodeau]

Are any of the role descriptions (Spy no. x etc) spoilers? Really must watch the film some day...

That I couldn't say; it's been a while since I've seen the film.



(Fan - my comments were in reference to the fact that a lot of contemporary Hong Kong movies set during the war necessarily portray the Japanese via what might be called the "nasty Jap" stereotype used by a lot of western cinema from that period, like old American war movies. I was just hedging my bets in case the person who originally posted those character roles felt it was perhaps appropriate to use the term in that context, particularly in light of lingering issues between the two cultures that we sometimes hear about in the news, etc. Obviously the forum rules dictate against it, so it's good that it's changed regardless)

[MrBooth]

She's Anita Mui.

Thanks - I thought so, but not having seen the film I wasn't sure

"nasty Jap" stereotype used by a lot of western cinema from that period, like old American war movies

Indeed, it doesn't seem to be Japanese people who are offended by the term - only Americans who are sympathetically offended on their behalf or something. The term is used with no racist connotations in the UK (see also "oriental").

[calros]

named portraits... what a pity they cannot be used as "portraits" because of its size.

[p.i.klein]

Are any of the role descriptions (Spy no. x etc) spoilers?

There are no spying spies in this one. No spoilers!

[MrBooth]

named portraits... what a pity they cannot be used as "portraits" because of its size.

Well, they could be cropped down now they've had names associated with them... or I'm sure the film will get a full + proper portrait gallery some day (maybe a remaster first!)

[Fan]

I was just hedging my bets in case the person who originally posted those character roles felt it was perhaps appropriate to use the term in that context, particularly in light of lingering issues between the two cultures that we sometimes hear about in the news, etc.

We had special terms referring to Japanese during that period of time but those are in 中文 (Chinese).

...only Americans who are sympathetically offended on their behalf or something.

Just like I used to think that Westerners don't like us to call them "鬼佬" (gweilo).

[Brian Thibodeau]

Just like I used to think that Westerners don't like us to call them... (gweilo)

GASP!!! How dare you!
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P.S. The Koreans call us "pegin-seki", or "pegin" for short, which sounds more...insidious, probably because it sounds like "pagan"!

[Fan]

Just like I used to think that Westerners don't like us to call them... (gweilo)

GASP!!! How dare you!

My mistake! Should never called you Gweilo...should call you Gweijai

[Brian Thibodeau]

That's much better.

I'll never forget the time I was in this little CD/DVD/stuffed-animal/frilly-little-phone-accessories shop in Toronto, having a chat with the guy who ran the place. He was completely bilingual without a trace of "accent" in his English and so didn't mind talking to the regular gweilos, errr, gwei-JAI's who would shop there.

Anyhoo, there's a lull in the conversation as he's helping another customer, and this prissy, well-heeled late-middle-age Chinese lady walks up next in line and makes some crack to him (probably something like "Wow, you're selling to THEM, now?") while I'm standing less than two feet away from her that clearly contains the word "gweilo." At which my face contorted into one of those Scooby-Doo "Huunnhhh??" kind of looks—right in the direction her HUSBAND, who was walking up the aisle and who, with a laugh, was kind enough to tell her, in Chinese, that I understood what she said about me (even though I didn't know EXACTLY what she said about me!). Well, I've never been treated so nice by a stranger in my entire life. Suddenly she's all "So you watch Chinese movies?" and "this store has a very good selection" and so on. Naturally, she had to add, "so you must like the kung-fu movie?" and I said something like "Yes, and everything else" and showed her that day's purchases (mostly romantic comedies and dramas) at which she goes "REAAALLLY? That's very good."

Old school thinking is so hard to break, but I did my best that day...I'm sure every Gweijai's been through this at some point! It's only fair.