Written by Emma Roberts, Photo courtesy of ESPN
In March of 1971, a Hong Kong theater erupted into cheer. ‘The Big Boss’ had just premiered, and Bruce Lee had the audience captivated. Lee was known for being a child actor, but this was one of the first films where he truly succeeded and transformed the world of martial arts.
“Be Water” chronicles the life of Lee, from his upbringing in Hong Kong to his time in the United States and his ultimately death. Throughout the film, those who were close to him share their accounts of their time with Lee. They discuss how despite the adversity he faced in his life, he always believed in himself and always pursued what he wanted despite challenges.
The film showed the anti-Asian attitudes in Hollywood and the U.S. Since the late 1940s, Asians, particularly those of Japanese descent, have been depicted as cold, unfeeling villains or they were only serving white people.
When Lee came to the U.S. in the 1960s, he was appalled that people like him were portrayed this way. In the post-film Q&A, Director Bao Nguyen stated that Lee “did not want to participate in that system. [Lee] wanted to show that Asian Americans like him can be heroes.”
During the film, Lee tackles the system placed upon him. He refuses to act like the second-class citizen many hoped he would be. He believed in his abilities and that he was capable as any other actor.
Lee believed that representation in film and television can transform an audience’s perception of cultures and people. When he first arrived in the U.S., he started out working odd jobs, and eventually gained enough money to open a martial arts school. While he did teach many students, Lee believed that he could do more. Luckily, he got the opportunity to do just that.
When a television producer attended one of his tournaments, he approached Lee and began discussing getting him a Hollywood role. His first big break was in “The Green Hornet,” where he played Kato, right-hand man of the Green Hornet. Throughout, Lee believed in his skills in the martial arts, and that he was not simply an extra or driver.
Lee insisted that he was just as capable as his partner, and that he was not a second-rate actor. Despite the series being cancelled after one season, Lee was ambitious through every project he worked on.
“Be Water” shows the life of a man who knew his special talent. He believed in his ability to overcome any obstacle. Lee states multiple times throughout the film, that he wants to emulate the properties of water. Despite “being the softest material in the world,” Lee says. “Water can cut through the hardest of stone.”
In his career as a martial artist and film star, Bruce Lee emulated this by believing strongly while also maintaining a calm and collected presence. He showed that Asian Americans are not the second-class citizens as they are often portrayed as, but rather that they, too, can be heroes and role models to aspire to.
