In the past, it was much easier for Hollywood filmmakers to tackle unpleasant subjects or break taboos in films that, at first glance, looked like exploitation. An interesting example of this can be found in *The Crimson Kimono*, a 1959 crime drama directed by Samuel Fuller. Set in Los Angeles, the film opens in Little Tokyo, where the story begins with the murder of Sugar Torch (played by Gloria Pall), a burlesque…






