Color of a Brisk and Leaping Day Movie Review 1995

While living in L.A. at the end of WWII, Chinese-American John Lee (Alexander) learns that the Yosemite Valley Railroad is being scrapped and he becomes determined to save it--in part as a homage to his grandfather who emigrated to work as a railroad laborer. A romantic train fanatic himself, Lee arranges financing from wealthy businessman Pinchot (Diehl) but must make the railroad pay within a year--unlikely as the automobile rapidly takes over as preferred transportation. Well-captures a '40s atmosphere but pacing and dialogue are uneven.

Distribution

Not Yet Released

Available on VHS
Running time 87 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Trains, L.A., Period Piece: 1940s, Asian America

Screenplay

Christopher Munch

Cast

Peter Alexander, Jeri Arredondo, Henry Gibson, Michael Stipe, John Diehl, David Chung, Diana Larkin, Bok Yun Chon

Cinematography

Rob Sweeney

Director

Christopher Munch

Producer

Andrea Sperling, Ruth Charny, Donald Rosenfeld

Awards

Sundance 1996: Cinematog.