This prequel to the huge-grossing Detective Chinatown franchise, though focused on anti-Chinese xenophobia in turn-of-the-century San Francisco, manages to be a rare example of a Sino-blockbuster not filled with maudlin patriotism; it mostly carries its cultural message charmingly and with plenty of self-deprecating humour. At one point, an imperial Chinese investigator toughs it out in order to form an alliance with a gaggle of Irish hoodlums straight from Gangs of New York. “You held yourself so well back there,” his underlings congratulate him, before their leader’s legs give out. “Don’t let the Americans see. I’m about to pee myself!”
The story here is that malevolent forces are stirring the great American melting pot. The son of local Tong leader Bai Xuanling (Chow Yun-fat, still with charisma on tap) is arrested for the murder of the daughter of racist Republican congressman Grant (John Cusack), so the former sends for wunderkind sleuth Qin Fu (Haoran Liu) – apparently deputised by the actual Sherlock Holmes – to get his kid off the hook. Also killed the same night was a Native American elder, whose son Gui (Baoquiang Wang) swears revenge and becomes pig-tailed Watson to Fu’s junior Holmes. No explanation (at first) for why he can speak fluent Hebei dialect.
The plot sprawls in all directions, with lots of enjoyable hokum from the moment Fu falls semi-naked from a bathroom window into Gui’s poncho to the sound of the Platters’ Only You. Reading crime scenes according to the principles of Chinese medicine, Fu comports himself like a cocky, inane Tintin, while Gui pumps his muscles up with acupuncture needles at strategic moments like a bodybuilding Tonto. There’s a total blitheness about the racelifting aspect of Wang playing a Native American; the film opts instead for a heartwarming general emphasis on racial tolerance and mixing seemingly exemplified by a showstopping scene in which a carousel of the wrong people appear from a magician’s box.
Tightly paced and snappily directed, this is decent-quality Chinese screwball, if a touch overlong. It’s a shame that the film mars its own message of international confrerie in an oddly pointed coda where Bai warns of his adopted homeland: “There’s so much we can learn from this place. Study your opponent’s strength before going into battle.” Then another character predicts that China will soon be the world’s most powerful nation. There ends the sponsored message from the Chinese Communist party; you can’t say they don’t leave us clues to pick up on.
• Detective Chinatown 1900 is in UK and Irish cinemas from 29 January.
