Bruce Lee isn’t an obvious fit for ESPN, beyond the fact lots of people enjoyed his action movies. Yet « Be Water » proves an excellent addition to the network’s lineup of documentaries to fill the sports void, examining the martial-arts star’s legacy.
Lee had actually been a child actor, and he found an avid audience in a quartet of action movies — including « The Big Boss » and « Fists of Fury » — that paved the way for the elusive victory that came with conquering America.
The fact that he didn’t live to relish that moment is itself a tragedy, with the actor suffering a brain hemorrhage after taking medication for migraine headaches.
The thrust of Lee’s story, however, assumes a timelier aspect at the present moment, highlighting his quest to break through a Hollywood system with an ignominious « yellowface » history — casting white actors as Asian characters — prompting him to fret that he « cannot possibly become an idol for Caucasians. »
Those barriers are underscored by recollections from contemporaries such as actress Nancy Kwan, and clips from movies like « Breakfast at Tiffany’s, » with Mickey Rooney as the stereotyped neighbor.
