Core Post #4: Western/Eastern Action Heroes

Enter the Dragon reveals a lot about the differences between traditional Hong Kong cinema and Western cinema, and it is evident that combining the two into a cohesive cinematic work is no easy task. The main characters are of particular interest to deconstruct in terms of their cultural and idealistic representations.

As Stephen Tao points out, Lee was not simply an individual – he was a symbol of pride, strength and retribution or a nationalistic China. Yvonne Tasker also highlights this point: “ The assertion of nationalism is very clearly inscribed through the revelation of Lee’s body…so that discourses of masculinity and nationhood are complexly bound up together in his star image.” In the climactic fight between Lee and the corrupt Han, Lee states firmly, “You have offended my family, and you have offended the Xiaolin temple.” Thus, his purpose is made clear: he is not fighting only for himself. Instead, he is reinstating the pride and honor of the people he represents – his family, his temple, his nation.

Roper, John Saxon’s character, comes to the island for extremely different reasons, and in effect highlights Western values and thought processes. Unlike Lee, who works for the greater cause of his people, Saxon comes for a purely self-centered reason: he has raked up an alarming gambling debt and needs a way to come up with the money. Like many western action movies, the action hero is essentially acting on his own ambitions rather than those of another group. He only makes the ultimate decision to “do good” and fight against Han when he is pushed too far: his motivations are self-driven, “There is a point I won’t go beyond.” Even when Han is finally defeated, Saxon can only be concerned with the unfortunate death of his lover – defeating Han only resulted in self-preservation rather than nationalistic pride.

As a result, the “partnership” between Lee and Saxon’s characters is limited and strained. Unlike many Western “buddy” action movies, the two characters have almost nothing in common. They band together because they have a common enemy, though this single enemy stands for different types of threats for each. Saxon isn’t even aware that Lee is a spy for the English government. When Lee returns form defeating Han at the end, he gives Saxon a thumbs up. Though Saxon returns the gesture, the meaning of such a symbol is questionable. Do either of the protagonists really understand the other?

Questions

1. Do Asian action stars today like Jet Li hold the same amount of symbolic cultural crossover as Bruce Lee did? Why or why not?
2. Though Lee’s body is put on display in the film, he is rendered essentially asexual. Saxon, meanwhile, is dedicated to a single white woman, while Jim Kelly’s character indulges in many Asian female. Can these racial stereotypes be subversive? What are different readings that can be interpreted from these characters’ and their (lack of) sexual appetites?
3. If Bruce Lee had not died tragically, how do you think his character and star persona would have transformed?