Synopsis
Born in 1885 in a small rural mountain village in China and moving to San Francisco in 1899 at the age of 14, Long Tack Sam began his career as magician and a performer. In 1908, he married an Austrian woman named Poldy and with their two daughters, traveled the world performing. The documentary follows the life of Long Tack Sam, directed by the Chinese-Canadian Ann Marie Fleming. The documentary follows Long Tack Sam’s fame in 1920s America as the “Chinese Magician” and the difficulties that he and his family faced during World War II, giving the film a sense of drama. The film also takes a look at family members scattered all over the world who possess Long Tack Sam’s amazing abilities. The film is not only filled with interviews, which can make the movie drag, but keeps it interesting by also mixing in footage of Long Tack Sam’s performances and various drawings. The black and white photos of his performances made into stop-motion animation and the comic that shows his mysterious journey from China to America are just some of the things that keep things fresh in this documentary. Although this kind of documentary tends to feel long, the director does a good job of keeping the audience’s interest with various visual elements. (LEE Byung-hee)