CHINA GIRL

Release Year: 1987

Starring: Richard Panebianco, Sari ChangDavid Caruso, Russell Wong, James Russo, James Hong

“He’s Italian. She’s Chinese. Their gangs are sworn enemies. They are secret lovers…caught in the crossfire.”

That sums it up pretty well. Controversial director Abel Ferrara takes on Shakespeare, but transports the teen lovers to Manhattan’s Little Italy and Chinatown, and then borrows a David Bowie tune title.  Ironically, the film turns out to be much closer to West Side Story as the teen protagonists’ families and friends battle for dominance on the streets of New York, with an overtly heart-wrenching and violent ending.

An excellent cast of up-and-comers, such as David (I’m Too Good For N.Y.PD Blue) Caruso, Russell Wong and James Russo. Strangely, the two leads, Richard Panebianco and his Juliet (or Maria), Sari Chang, really did not do much else in Hollywood after this film. Abel Ferrara went on the make even better, more outrageous films in the nineties, such as King of New York, Bad Lieutenant, and The Funeral.  

And may you have the power to understand, as all God's people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep His love is. Ephesians 3:18