After being considered only for the secondary female role in 1937's The Good Earth (the lead was played by Luise Rainer in yellowface), Wong found more depth in the role of Lan Ying Lin in Daughter of Shanghai. Often cast as a concubine or “dragon lady,” here she played a gallery owner turned “lady detective” hunting down a European smuggler alongside detective Kim Lee, played by Korean American actor Philip Ahn. The film is notable for being one of the few Hollywood productions of the time to have two Asian leads. 

Director: Robert Florey. Cast. Anna May Wong, Philip Ahn, Charles Bickford, Buster Crabbe. 1937. 63 minutes. USA. B&W. English. 35mm.

All film screenings of Beyond the Icon: Anna May Wong are available here.