Mahjong at the Movies (and on TV): Where to Spot the Tiles

A community member asked the Mahj Jongg, That's It! Facebook group a simple question: what movies and shows have you spotted mahjong in? I figured I'd get a handful of answers. She got over 60!

Turns out once you start looking for mahjong on screen, you can't stop finding it. Here's the running list our community built, organized so you can add a few to your watch list tonight.

Mahjong in the movies

The Joy Luck Club was the runaway favorite — nearly everyone brought this one up first, and if you've seen it, you know why. Mahjong isn't just in the background here, it's woven into the whole story.

A few more to add to the queue:

• Crazy Rich Asians — mentioned again and again. That mahjong scene has become iconic in its own right.
• The Sting — a classic, and apparently a mahjong classic too.
• Used People — an all-star cast, and very funny if you're familiar with 1960s NYC Italian/Jewish neighborhoods.
• Driving Miss Daisy
• Thoroughly Modern Millie — one member also spotted it in the off-Broadway production of Turandot.
• A Walk on the Moon — Diane Lane vacations in the Catskills, where the housewives play mahjong during the day.
• Kung Fu Panda — yes, really.
• Funny Girl — a mahjong sighting in the background of one scene.

Mahjong on TV

The small screen has just as many appearances:

• The Nanny — played several times over the course of the show.
• Northern Exposure — an episode where the gang vacations at Maurice Minifield's new cabin.
• Seinfeld — Mrs. Costanza plays.
• Blue Bloods
• Columbo — not on screen, but his wife famously "went to play mahjong."
• Bluey — a kids' show where the characters play dress-up and head off to "play MahJongg" during the episode called "Bus".
• Red Oaks
• The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel — talked about, if not always shown.
• Call the Midwife — mahjong shows up as a full plot point in one episode, and briefly again in a later season with a Chinese family playing.
• Buffy the Vampire Slayer — a blink-and-you'll-miss-it mention.

Bonus round: Hong Kong cinema

One group member pointed out that if you really want to see mahjong take center stage, look to Hong Kong film. Kung Fu Mahjong (1, 2, and 3), King of Mah Jong, and Queen of Mah Jong all make the game the main event rather than a background detail.

And if movie night isn't enough mahjong for you, the Modern Mahjong YouTube channel runs a "Fun Mahjong Find Friday" playlist worth a look.

The best place to see mahjong, though

Movies are fun, but nothing beats the real thing. If this list has you in the mood to actually sit down at a table, come see us at Mahj House Austin, just 10 minutes from downtown in West Lake Hills — we've got tiles, mats, racks, and a whole shop worth of ways to get you playing instead of just watching.

Got a movie or show sighting we missed? Send it our way — we're keeping the list going.

— Tara