Backwards and in Heels. Alicia Malone

      Anna spent two years in Europe, but was so homesick, she returned to Hollywood in 1930. And nothing had changed. Her first role back was in the crime drama Daughter of the Dragon, where she played another dragon lady, a Princess living next door to the villain, Dr. Fu Manchu, who wants to take over the world. Fu Manchu was a character created by author Sax Rohmer, and one of the worst examples of how Hollywood portrayed Asian characters as “evil.” Seeing villainous Asian characters and anti-Asian images on screen furthered the racist idea of “yellow peril”—the thought that the people of East Asia proposed a danger to the Western world. Fu Manchu was called “the yellow peril incarnate in one man,” and was solely focused on bringing down Western civilization. The character appeared in a series of books, five movies and a radio serial. In the films, Fu Manchu was played by Swedish-American actor Warner Oland, who made a career of portraying characters in “yellowface” makeup. As well as Fu Manchu, Warner portrayed the detective Charlie Chan in sixteen movies.

      Despite her starring role in Daughter of the Dragon and an increased profile after her work in Europe, Anna May Wong received half the amount of pay that her co-stars Warner Oland and Sessue Hayakawa were paid. But a better role came for her in 1932, next to Marlene Dietrich in Shanghai Express, directed by the legendary Josef von Sternberg. The film was a big success at the box office, and received Oscar nominations for Best Picture and Best Director, winning one for Best Black and White Cinematography.