Come See the Paradise (1990)
- Starring:
- Dennis Quaid, Tamlyn Tomita, (more)
- Director(s):
- Alan Parker
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- R
- Format(s):
- DVD
| Digital SD
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Synopsis of Come See the Paradise
One of the few American films to deal with the tragic story of the internment of Asian-Americans during World War II, Come See the Paradise opens in the late 1930s, as Jack McGurn (Dennis Quaid) is working as a union organizer in New York City. Jack finds himself on the wrong side of the law after he gets involved in an ill-advised bombing of a scab shop, and he flees to Los Angeles, where Hiroshi Kawamura (Sab Shimono) gives him a job as a projectionist in L.A.'s Little Tokyo. Jack soon meets Hiroshi's beautiful daughter Lily (Tamlyn Tomita) and it's love at first sight. Jack and Lily decide to get married, but Hiroshi opposes the match and California law prevents mixed-race couples from obtaining a marriage license. Jack and Lily move to Seattle, where they are wed and soon have a daughter. Jack, however, begins working with the union again, which puts a strain on their marriage; Lily takes their child and returns to Los Angeles. But before long the United States enters World War II, and the Kawamura family is sent (along with all other Americans of Japanese descent living in California) to an internment camp, as it is believed they will become traitors against America if left to their own devices. Jack, ironically, is drafted into the Army and soon goes AWOL to return to California, where he tries to find his wife in the camps. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi
- Theatrical Feature Running Time:
- 133 mins
Complete Cast of Come See the Paradise
- Dennis Quaid - Jack McGurn
- Sab Shimono - Mr. Kawamura
- Stan Egi - Charlie Kawamura
- Naomi Nakano - Joyce Kawamura
- Elizabeth Gilliam - Young Mini
- Colm Meaney - Gerry McGurn
- Don Adler - Race Track Soldier
- Jumi Emizawa - Camp Singer
- Takumaro Ikeguchi - Mr. Fujioka
- Tad Horino - Mr. Noji
- Mariko Fujinaka - Fumiko
- John Finnegan - Brennan
- John McColpin - MP Soldier
- Ken Y. Mayeno
- Doug MacHugh - Store Manager
- Joe Lisi - Detective
- Caroline Junko King - Principal
- Ian Woolf - Basic Training Sergeant
- Kelsy White - McGurn Children
- Frank Trocha
- Ben Slack - Farmer
- Allan Graf - Theatre Men
- George "Buck" Flower
- Shinko isobe - Mrs. Ogata
- Makio Sasaki - Heckler
- Bill M. Ryusaki - Issei Gentleman
- Akemi Nishino - Dulcie Kawamura
- Goh Misawa - Acting Troupe Manager
- Ken Katsumoto - Kenji
- Danny Kamekona - Mr. Nishikawa
- Richard Iwamoto - Committee Chairman
- Fred Irinaga - Mr. Matsui
- Mark Earley - Wedding Singer
- Shuko Akune - Reiko Sakoda
- David Carpenter - Army Captain
- Cynthia Aso
- Tamlyn Tomita - Lily Kawamura
- Shizuko Hoshi - Mrs. Kawamura
- Ronald Yamamoto - Harry Kawamura
- Brady Tsurutani - Frankie Kawamura
- Shyree Mezick - Middle Mini
- Becky Ann Baker - Marge McGurn
- Ben di Gregorio - FBI Agent
- Yoshimi Imai - Mr. Yamanaka
- Sanae Hosaka - Social Club Singer
- Joe Heinemann
- Howard French - Draft Clerk
- Emi Endo - Japanese Girl
- John Mazzocco
- Dave MacIntyre - Santa
- Fran Lucci - Dance Hall Singer
- Teri Eiko Koide
- Michael York - Dance Hall Band Member
- George Wilbur
- Pruitt Taylor Vince - Augie Farrell
- Gigi Toya - Kindergarten Teacher
- Keenan Shimizu
- Lisa Clarkson
- Robert F. Colesberry - Truck Driver
- Harunobu Yoshida - Demonstration Leader
- Saachiko - Woman in Uniform
- Kim Robillard - Road Block Soldier
- Marian Mukogawa - Fujioka's Mother
- Kevin McDermott - Administrator
- Douglas Kato
- John Jensen
- Dale Ishimoto - Mr. Ogata
- Lenny Imamura - Japanese Actor
- Paul A. DiCocco, Jr. - Eddie
- Tommy Allen
- Tricia L. Campbell
- Director(s):
- Alan Parker
- Writer(s):
- Alan Parker
- Producer(s):
- Robert F. Colesberry
- Theatrical MPAA Rating:
- R(Not For Children, Adult Situations, Adult Language, Nudity, Profanity, Violence)
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