IMDb RATING
7.1/10
1.9K
YOUR RATING
Two cab drivers search San Francisco's Chinatown for the mysterious Chan, who disappeared with their $4000.Two cab drivers search San Francisco's Chinatown for the mysterious Chan, who disappeared with their $4000.Two cab drivers search San Francisco's Chinatown for the mysterious Chan, who disappeared with their $4000.
- Awards
- 2 wins & 1 nomination
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaWidely recognized as the first Asian-American narrative feature to gain theatrical distribution.
- Quotes
Henry the Cook: [reading a meal order and switching back and forth between English and Chinese or Cantonese] Egg rolls, sweet and sour pork, won ton soup. Five won ton soup
[speaks a few words in Chinese or Cantonese]
Henry the Cook: . We don't have won ton soup. We have won ton spelled backwards: 'not now.'
- ConnectionsEdited into The Green Fog (2017)
- Soundtracks(We're Gonna) Rock Around the Clock
(uncredited)
Written by James E. Myers (as Jimmy De Knight) and Max Freedman
Sung in Chinese during the opening scene
Featured review
This is the best depiction of cultural contact I have seen on film. The title points to several layers of meaning, some of which are missed by many viewers. Most obviously, this is a film about real Asian Americans, not the ersatz and offensive characters of the Charlie Chan films. That Chan is missing but not missed. At the same time, the film is a spoof of Charlie Chan films, with Jo the bumbling detective and Steve the number one son, in an outrageously profane update. Finally, the character in the film, Chan Hung, is missing, and his disappearance is symbolic of a passing that is to be mourned much more than the deservedly-forgotten Charlie Chan movies. Chan Hung is the original immigrant, who struggled to survive in his new country but could never shake his love of his original one. His missing image floats through the film like a lost soul, and adds poignance that helps to counterpoint the ribald comedy. Jo is the bridge, feeling Chan's loss, but fully rooted in America: an "ABC"--American Born Chinese. Steve is the impatient third generation, angry that the plight of the immigrants may overshadow the struggles that U.S.-born Asian Americans continue to face. The conclusion of the mystery is as inevitable as it is sad, but the spirit of the characters who inhabit this film is truly inspirational. One of a handful of films that define an essential part of the American experience.
- How long is Chan Is Missing?Powered by Alexa
Details
Box office
- Budget
- $20,000 (estimated)
- Runtime1 hour 16 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
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