What's the Difference between Flower Drum Song the Book and Flower Drum Song the Movie?
| In the Book |
In the Movie |
Mei Li
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May Li
Portrayed by: Miyoshi Umeki
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Wang Chi-yang
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Wang Chi-yang
Portrayed by: Benson Fong
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This Character does not appear.
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Sammy Fong
Portrayed by: Jack Soo
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Madam Tang (Master Wang's sister in-law)
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Madame Liang
Portrayed by: Juanita Hall
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Helen Chao
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Helen Chao
Portrayed by: Reiko Sato
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Wang San
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Wang San
Portrayed by: Patrick Adiarte
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Mr. Li
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Dr. Han Li
Portrayed by: Kam Tong
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Linda Tung
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Linda Low
Portrayed by: Nancy Kwan
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Flower Drum Song Book vs Movie
| In the Book |
In the Movie |
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May Li never meets Helen Chao, and never goes to her apartment. Upon wakening up in Helen's bed, Wang Ta agrees to an affair, but eventually abandons her. Helen eventually gets her face treated by a doctor and regains her good looks, but she commits suicide after Wang Ta rejects her.
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Mei Li comes over to Helen Chao's apartment to drop off Master Wang's coat for repair. She sees Wang Ta's jacket on the chair and leaves. Wang Ta wakes up late and insists he needs to leave even though Helen begs him to stay. He leaves anyway. Helen is not seen or mentioned again in the film.
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This does not happen in the book.
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Wang Ta returns home to a lecture from his father and begs his forgiveness for dating Linda Low. Master Wang tells Wang Ta that he will arrange for his marriage with Mei Li.
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This does not happen in the book.
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Mei Li is upset with Wang Ta for his being at Helen Chao's apartment. Wang Ta tells Mei Li how beautiful she is and says she is the girl he will love someday. Mei Li rejects him as she saw him with Helen Chao. She says she loved him from the first day she met him, but not any more. |
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This does not happen in the book.
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Sammy's mother and uncle arrive at his place on the way to the family association. They are not impressed with Linda Low when they see her. His mother owns the business and Sammy needs to stay in his mother's good graces. Soon after, Sammy proposes to Linda, she very happily accepts.
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This does not happen in the book.
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At a meeting between the Wang and Fong families, Sammy's mother is introduced to Mei Li as she was contracted to marry Sammy. Mrs. Fong introduces Mei Li and her father to Sammy, who pretends that he had not met her before.
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