Main Cast: James Russo, Sari Chang, Richard Panebianco, David Caruso, Russell Wong
Release Year: 1987
Country: US
Run Time: 90 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
Director Abel Ferrara liberally employs his blackjack intensity in this lunatic gang romance that comes across as a cross between Mean Streets and West Side Story. The New York City street gangs of Chinatown and Little Italy are rattling their sabers and they become drawn when a Chinese restaurant opens up on the Italian side of Canal Street. In the middle of all this tension and violence, beautiful Chinese teenager Tyan-Hwa (Sari Chang) falls in love with Tony (Richard Panebianco), a pizza delivery boy. Of course, continuing with in the West Side Story vein, the parents of the two lovebirds are against the match. Not only that, but the Mafia and the Chinese mob conspire to separate the lovers in order to maintain an uncertain peace in the community. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide
Joey Chin - Tsu-Shin; James Hong - Gung-Tu; Ida Bemardini - Rosa; Diane Cheng - Nyu Ren; Tony Dante - Costare; Keenan Leung - Ying Tz; Robert La Sardo - Carlo Forza; Judith Malina - Mrs. Monte; Robert Miano - Enrico Pento; Joe Pentangelo - Mounted Policeman II; Paul Hipp - Nino; Sammy Lee - Mohawk; Doreen Chan - Gau Shing; Johnny Shia - Jimmy Bing; Jadin Wong - Mrs. Lei; Frank Young - Waiter; Randall Sabusawa - Ma Fan; John Ciarcia - Cha Cha
Credit
Mary Kane - Associate Producer, Marcia Shulman - Casting, Richard Hornung - Costume Designer, Louis D'Esposito - First Assistant Director, Abel Ferrara - Director, Anthony Redman - Editor, Mitchell Cannold - Executive Producer, Steven E. Reuther - Executive Producer, Joe Delia - Composer (Music Score), Katherine James-Cosburn - Makeup, Dan Leigh - Production Designer, Bojan Bazelli - Cinematographer, Mary Kane - Production Manager, Mitchell Cannold - Producer, Michael Nozik - Producer, Leslie Rollins - Set Designer, Petur Hliddal - Sound/Sound Designer, Danny Aiello III - Stunts, Peter Bucossi - Stunts, Norman Douglass - Stunts, Gary Tacon - Stunts, Billy Anagnos - Stunts, Alex Stevens - Stunts, Lisa Cain - Stunts, Mike Russo - Stunts, Nicholas St. John - Screenwriter, Matt Golden - Storyboard Artist
China Girl is a modern take on the classic tale of Romeo and Juliet. Set in 1980s Manhattan, the plot revolves around the intimate relationship developing between Tony, a teenage boy from Little Italy, and Tye, a teenage girl from Chinatown, while both of their older brothers become engrossed in a heated gang war against each other. The movie has some similarities with "West Side Story"
