Average Rating: 
Rating:  - Flower Drum Song is R&H's most underrated musical...
Flower Drum Song is R&H's most underrated musical... not their best musical (that honor must go to "The King and I"), but a very enjoyable film for the whole family. Flower Drum Song is a lighthearted musical comedy set in San Francisco's Chinatown about old-fashioned Chinese and modern Chinese-Americans clashing over tradition and trying to find romance. It features Rodger's brassiest and jazziest score and the best choreography of any of their musicals. Some of the more memorable songs include: "I Enjoy Being a Girl" (with that famous three-way mirror scene), "Love Look Away", and "Don't Marry Me". In its "modern" language, hairstyles, costumes, and attitudes, the film also captures the look and feel, the optimism and exuberance of that early sixties/Kennedy era perfectly. Flower Drum Song was unusual not only because it featured an (almost) all-Asian cast, but also because it depicted Chinese-Americans as _Americans_: a Chinese-American businessman, college student, banker, policeman, standup comic, yes, even a Chinese-American showgirl. Although the characterizations are not very deep or serious, the film is a fine showcase for some early Hollywood Asian acting talent: Nancy Kwan is gorgeous and is great in all those dance numbers; Jack Soo has a hilarious deadpan humor; James Shigeta is a real heart-throb, and Miyoshi Umeki is as sweet as can be. Look for a brief cameo by Richard Rodgers during the "You be the Rock" number!
Rating: - An Ahead-Of-Its-Time Musical
Based on the novel by C.Y.Lee,it is probably the most ambitious of all R and H shows,and did have one of the shortest Broadway runs (600 performances,which is roughly a year)People tend to class their shows as follows- The Hits-South Pacific,Sound Of Music,Carousel,Oklahoma!,and The King And I. The Flops-Allegro,Me And Juliet. The In Betweens-Cinderella and Flower Drum Song. Nancy Kwan is great as Linda Low,although she was used as the 'marquee name' to draw the crowds.Broadway's Pat Suzuki would have made a bigger splash in the film. The charming Miyoshi Umeki is charming in her Broadway role,and Juanita Hall also scores big in the film. R and H really had their opus with the lilting and sad ballad,'Love Look Away'. It should be counted as one of the best,if not THE best,songs they wrote.
Rating:  - A hundred million smiles
I agree with a previous comment that said this is one of Rodgers and Hammrsteins most underated musicals,and its too bad it had to be released the same year as West Side Story! Although almost 40 years later, Flower Drum Song may appear dated and just slightly chauvinistic, it is none the less a charming 'multi-cultural' piece. I am a huge James Shigeta fan from way back and prefere him as a leading man instead of a WW II villian. Myioshi Umeki(sp) is absoulutely delightful as the mail order bride,and Jack Soo and Nancy Kwan as the comic/romantic team are super.... My favorite number is "Don't marry me",but "You are beautiful"...well... I am sorry I dont remember the names of all the super supporting cast, other than Patrick Adiarte and the younger son.(And didnt he play the Prince in "the king and I". A real gem of a musical that somehow gets lost in the shuffle... Definitly in my top ten list!
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