Review - Lady Windbell's Fan Returning a Favor The story is believable as elements to deceive to return a favor often backfire with some powerful repercussions. The cast, regulars and guests, carry the tale throughout the episode, and it especially great to see Vic Perrin from years of voice acting and television parts for decades. Great seeing Edie literally outside with Pete adding to the plot. The story cannot be hinted at without giving away details, I wish the viewer to enjoy a sentimental story, one murder, but no gunfire involved. I never believe a voice actor is playing a deaf mute when I know he is paid to speak.
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biorngm10 October 2017
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ccthemovieman-131 October 2012Chinatown is the setting for this Peter Gunn episode, which really starts off with a dramatic opening. It's one of the more interesting ones I've seen.
Pete has to figure out why someone is so desperate to get their hands on a "fan," the kind used by Chinese dancers.
The interesting characters are led by Vic Perrin's "Silent Sy," a deaf-mute who has a crush on the fan dancer.
The only main character who isn't portrayed by an Asian actor is "Chang Li-Chang," an old man played by Richard Hale. With a good DVD transfer, Hale's makeup is pretty obvious. Otherwise, it is a credible and interesting story with some neat twists. -
Lady Windbell's Fan is one of my favorite Peter Gunn episodes. Its west coast urban ambiance, mixing a beatnick sensibility with an exotic, or rather exotic at the time, Chinatown locale makes it a joy to watch for its clever use of back lot sets dressed up as the mostly deserted streets of late night L.A., and an engaging story about a shopkeeper's murder for a fan and the reason for it.
The murder occurs quite early in the episode, and it's a painful to watch. Once Peter is on the case, working for youthful restaurant owner and Chinatown mover and shaker Johnny Chang, as the plot thickens. Johnny's a friend of Peter's, and there's back story to spare when Johnny's ancient father enters the picture when Peter's taken to pay a visit to him under unusual circumstances.
There's a fair amount of lying, posing and perfidy going on; and the characters are offbeat and mysterious even even for a Peter Gunn episode. Also exceptional is the use of back story for exposition, which is to say learning about the pasts of the some of the characters, which explains their motivations. The way the elder Chang is presented is suggestive of a Fu-Manchu movie of an earlier time that may offend (or amuse) certain viewers.
I found the use of stereotyped characters, rituals and customs handled with just the right amount of humor and sophistication to make what otherwise might have seemed a slight tale a fascinating and hugely entertaining one, as much for the stylish way it was told as for the tale itself. The cast is game, with a nicely poised James Hong handsome and solid as the younger Chang, Frances Fong lovely as his love interest and non-Asian Richard Hale spooky looking and acting as a concerned and loving father. -
dougdoepke1 February 2018So what's with the fan people are literally dying over. It's fancy but otherwise pretty ordinary . Plus, nothing can be hidden in it. Still, it's the crux of this exotic episode that takes Pete to Chinatown and an elderly patriarch straight out of Shangri-La (Hale, in a ton of make-up). On other hand, looks like our sleek hero really earns his money in a fistfight that wrecks about every gizmo in the prop room. I hope they used a double when he takes that bad tumble down the stairs, otherwise this could have been the final episode. Anyway, it's a nifty 30-minutes with colorful characters and the usual series flair. Good also to see Dragnet stalwart Vic Perrin picking up a payday, though I could have used more of the winsome "sing-song dance girl" (Fong). Solid if different kind of entry.