I am not Jackie Chan—in case there was any confusion. But I am a big fan, and I did read a copy of this book that was autographed by the man himself, so, doubly happy to finish reading this one last week!
Incidentally, I was talking to a friend recently about my blog and the books I’ve been reviewing lately, noting the dearth of Christian nonfiction. It’s not that I’m not reading such books but that I relish them more than others and thus work through them more slowly. Adventure novels, children’s fiction, biographies—these things I devour on a whim and review when I can. So don’t lose heart. I’m still reading the good stuff.
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I picked up yet another celebrity autobiography, since I’ve read others before and have been mostly disappointed (see for example Confessions of a Prairie B*tch and Take Me Home). Autobiographies come in all types, and despite Jackie Chan’s comic nature, I wasn’t sure how serious or not this book would be. Ultimately, I found in this book a very down-to-earth retelling of the events that brought Jackie Chan (I’m using his popular English name, though he went by several others throughout his life) from sleeping in the back hallways (and sometime garbage rooms) of the homes in which his chef-parents served to Hollywood stardom.
It was a long and difficult road for him, especially his earliest years under the tutelage of a harsh, sometimes vicious Master who demanded perfection from the young acrobats who played in his operas. In fact, this book moves quite slowly through those earliest years, the most integral moments of Jackie’s life, which taught him the skills and discipline that would help him transition from unknown acrobat in a dying business to successful stuntman in the HongKong kung-fu cinema to leading man in much larger productions.
Jackie’s experiences in school under his Master’s merciless eye and Big Brothers’ vicious thumbs were sometimes hard to read, yet he shares these recollections for good reason. In them we find the roots of friendships, enemies, insults, victories, embarrassments and moments of pride that help form him into the man that would one day take the mantle left by a dead-too-young Bruce Lee, continuing the revolution of kung-fu-movie culture.
Jackie’s personality on screen was the polar opposite of Bruce Lee, and it was so by choice. No longer did he see the need for the stoic, invincible master defeating hordes of enemies without breaking a sweat, all within the same rehashed kung-fu plots of betrayal and revenge. Instead, Jackie craved reality (at least in terms of failure, pain, and injury) and plots involving weakened heroes who overcome incredible odds. He also wanted stunts—real stunts personally performed—that would not only “Wow!” the audiences but would also prove to them that real action includes serious risk.
It was a fascinating journey for me to work through Chan’s career of B-movies and worse—films very few fans have even heard of—and see the pitfalls he endured on the way to the top. There’s some romance in his past, crushes and near-Mrs. that portray the man as less-than-hero and more a sweet, red-blooded male. There’s also the honest reflection on his total-jerk years, when success, money, power, and fame go to his head. He had his entourage of stuntmen that would follow him around and drink his money away. He had his bouts with total immaturity, especially when he tried to use his wealth to offend the wealthy, the very people whom he felt had stepped all over him when he was just a poor boy in his martial arts school. He’s honest about his warty past, and that makes for some good reading.
This was a nice review of where Jackie Chan was 25 years ago. He’s still acting, and I’m sure he’s mellowed out even more since he published this book. I’m not sure if there’s an updated memoir to be had, and if so, I may try to pick it up someday.
In the meantime, I’m thankful for a reminder of this favorite action-hero, and I’d even consider trying to watch through some of his tamer films with my kids. Just how many tame films are out there, though, with mild language suitable for 10 and 11yos, I do not yet know. If you know of any site that tracks such things, let me know in the comments below!
©2023 E.T.