They opened my eye to the beautiful light and showed me

reconditarmonia just reminded me of the existence of Esther Eng, the butch Cantonese-American filmmaker and restaurateur who was the first female director of Chinese-language films in both the U.S. and Hong Kong and may be relevant to some of your interests on grounds of dapper alone.



"Eng dressed in men's attire and was quite open about her several lesbian relationships. The latter was especially closely followed and reported on by the Hong Kong media. Sophisticated magazine editors often referred to her romantic interests as her 'bosom friend' and 'good sister.' Perhaps because all-female opera troupes with male-impersonating actresses were quite popular in the 1930s, Eng's appearance and relationships did not cause much controversy."

That record scratch you are hearing is my complete ignorance of all-female Cantonese opera in 1930's Hong Kong—and beyond; further research is obviously required—followed by the lurching to speed of my surprise that I haven't been recommended the romance novel already.

Two out of Eng's eleven films survive. I have seen neither; I had read of them, but I had never made the connection that her American films of the '40's fill the gap between Dorothy Arzner and Ida Lupino. I shall hope the rest turn up in closets in Argentina or permafrost in Canada. History is more fragile than nitrate.