This is a funny Hong Kong action/comedy caper that satirizes several Chinese stereotypes and politics. Made back in 1991, Mainland Dundee shows the differences between China and Hong Kong. The lovely and talented Teresa Mo Sun-Kwan plays a woman who wishes to immigrate to the US because she is so sick of weak Hong Kong men. There is also the old granddad who strongly believes in General Mao and Nationalism and demands that everyone else agrees with him. Which makes sense when you consider how the elderly strongly hold on to their political beliefs in any given country. A lot of the comedy makes fun of Hong Kong Chinese and Mainland Chinese.
The basic premise is, an archeologist, played by Kenny Bee, travels to Hong Kong to investigate antique smuggling. He meets Uncle Nine who he knew before during the Cultural Revolution. Bee’s love interest, Sun-Kwan, gets framed for the smuggling and it is up to granddad, Kenny Bee, and the rest of the gang to step in and fight.
There are several funny moments that stand out after an initial viewing. During the opening sequence, Kenny Bee is traveling with an older woman on a bus in Hong Kong. Bee takes her cassette tape and plays it through the stereo. The people riding hear “Ahhhhhhh.”
To which Bee explains, “My friend is learning English. Let’s all practice the alphabet together. A.”
Followed by “ohhhhhh.”
Kenny Bee, “O.”
Then, “Fuck me. Fuck me harder.”
Everyone on the bus, “Fuck me. Fuck me harder.”
Then someone asks what does fuck me mean in English.
Kenny Bee, “It means to slurp noodles,”
Another great scene involves a restaurant that specializes in Chicken bun. There is a sexy young Chinese girl who happens to be standing next to a distinguished gentleman. For some reason a Chicken bun goes sailing through the air and lands between her breasts. Kenny Bee and Uncle Nine both touch his breasts and scream, “CHICKEN BUN!!”
The man next to the girl says, “I don’t mind you guys touching her tits but please don’t call them Chicken buns.”
They both say, “Chicken buns,” again much to the gentleman’s annoyance.
Although some of the comedy is slapstick, a lot of it is word play. When granddad will do anything to get his granddaughter, Teresa Mo Sun-Kwan, out of jail, Uncle Nine takes a highly valued antique. Granddad begs for the antique so he can raise the bond money. Uncle Nine, knowing how Nationalistic granddad really is tells him to shout, “Long live Communism Go to hell Nationalism.”
When granddad breaks down and starts shouting, Uncle whacks him on top of the head and says, “how could you bad mouth your own party?”
The scene that sticks out in my mind is when Teresa Mo Sun-Kwan is working as a Phone Sex Actress in an office. The other girls are taking calls and telling their callers whatever they want to hear. Teresa says, “Oh yeah that is so good.” To which the caller thinks that she is really getting it on with him.
Teresa tells him, “Noooo, I’m eating my lunch right now,” as she shoves more food into her mouth.
I saw Mainland Dundee on VCD and I think it will be a hard movie to find. If you find a copy somewhere, do yourself a favor and give Mainland Dundee a watch.
4 Stars out of 4 – Highly recommended.
"The Asian Aperture" is ©2010 by Jason Fetters. Webpage design and all graphics herein (except where otherwise noted) are creations of Nolan B. Canova. All contents of Nolan's Pop Culture Review are ©2010 by Nolan B. Canova.
