Film Review: Come See the Paradise (1990)

Wars, especially those of global scope like the one the world is heading towards now, have the ability to turn otherwise normal and decent individuals into monsters. They can do the same to states that consider themselves beacons of freedom, democracy, and other noble ideals. Eight decades ago, the United States government did a despicable thing to its citizens, not very different from the actions of figures like Hitler and Stalin. This shameful episode is the subject of Come See the Paradise, a 1990 drama written and directed by Alan Parker.

The plot, narrated by Japanese American woman Lily Yuriko Kawamura (played by Tamlyn Tomita) to her young daughter Mini (played by Carolin Junko King) in the early 1950s, begins in 1936 New York City. The protagonist is Jack McGurn (played by Dennis Quaid), a film projectionist and militant labour union activist. Displeased with how the campaign against non-union theatres descended into violence and public danger, he is expelled from the union and decides to seek his fortune in Los Angeles. He is hired by Hiroshi Kawamura (played by Sab Shimono), a Japanese immigrant and owner of a theatre in Little Tokyo. McGurn quickly befriends the younger members of the Kawamura family, who grew up in the USA, hold citizenship, and consider themselves more American than Japanese. He also falls in love with Hiroshi’s daughter Lily, and she with him. Bound by tradition, her father refuses to bless their union, and an even greater obstacle for the young lovers are California’s laws prohibiting interracial marriage. Jack and Lily leave Los Angeles and move to Seattle, where they legally marry and have a young daughter named Mini. Jack finds work at the docks, becomes a union activist again, and ends up in jail following a confrontation with police. This coincides with the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, and before Jack is released, Lily, her family, and the rest of the Japanese American community are ordered to abandon almost all their possessions and report to desert internment camps. Jack, who has since enlisted in the US Army, tries to keep in touch with his family and is even willing to go AWOL to see them. But he can do little to help, and Lily, like the rest of her family, must endure years of confinement, deprivation, and tragedy behind barbed wire.

Alan Parker, a very talented and versatile British director, seemed a good choice for this kind of story. His passion for conveying political beliefs and condemning dark chapters of US history worked effectively in his previous film Mississippi Burning. Unfortunately, here he was let down by a script that succumbed to Hollywood clichés, including those that would later make this film cited as a top example of Oscar Bait. The most obvious is the use of a white protagonist who serves as the audience’s window into an "exotic" minority culture. Parker attempted to mitigate this by portraying Jack—with his left-wing beliefs—as equally marginalised within the American mainstream as those of Japanese descent after Pearl Harbor. However, the film takes almost an entire hour before depicting the actual internment, which is handled through editing and narration in an unsatisfying manner, leaving Come See the Paradise with scant plot. On the other hand, Parker crafts several interesting scenes, particularly those showcasing his fondness for music and effective use of period songs. Unfortunately, the conventional, synth-heavy score by Randy Edelman sounds anachronistic and makes Come See the Paradise appear cheaper than it actually is. The cast performs at the top of their form, especially Dennis Quaid, who displays great charm in a somewhat thankless role and shares strong chemistry with Tamlyn Tomita. As an unpleasant reminder of America’s shady past, Come See the Paradise completely failed in its attempts to win prestigious awards and was largely ignored by audiences. Those who watch it now may at times be impressed by Parker’s skill but will likely feel depressed, for the world appears to have learned nothing from past mistakes—and the events depicted here remain disturbingly plausible, even in seemingly the most enlightened and progressive places.

RATING: 5/10 (++)

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