Broken Blossoms

I watched this via the UK TV channel Talking Pictures TV which shows some great films.

When it started I thought "no, I can't watch it, it's just too old" - the back drops of China are clearly just painted, the Chinese music is too jaunty and jingly jangly and the make up of the actor playing Chen makes him look like Julian Clary. I like Julian Clary but he would be entirely out of place in a film like this. I must also observe that the subtitles are often incorrect - Tommy Tacos instead of Tommy Tuckers; Bright Blossom instead of White Blossom; junk instead of drunk ;"there, time will come" instead of Better Times will come - a theme of the film.

Despite these deficiencies, something made me keep watching and I can only say that I was mesmerised by this film. It is so intense. The actress who plays Lucy was 26 at the time but is very convincing as a teenager and her odd accent and the strange rhythm of her delivery adds to the character rather than detracting from it. The scenes of violence are not shown explicitly but the atmosphere is so menacing and the acting and reacting of the actors is so good that I actually felt physically sick and the father's final violence and the obvious pleasure he takes in it is horrifying.

The idea of that brutality permeates this Limehouse world is very well conveyed and there are some excellent grotesque vignettes such as the 3 old people laughing wordlessly at a violent boxing match.

I would thoroughly recommend this film for its menace and atmosphere. I was so interested that I then went on to watch on Youtube the 1919 silent version with Lillian Gish which is deemed critically superior but I felt it lacked atmosphere and I didnt enjoy it half as much.

I.

According to Halliwell it was originally intended that D W Griffiths would direct this film.Sadly he didn't.Instead it was given to a total incompetent who seemed to think that he must direct the film as if it were a silent.Everything is exaggerated,except of course for Emlyn Williams who has decided to underplay.He plays the part without a Chinese accent.Meanwhile Dolly Haas,plays the cockney female lead with her German accent.It is interesting to note that many of the technical personnel were German and this has clearly had an effect on the photography which is probably the only positive aspect of this whole dreary mess.Sometimes it is better to have second thoughts about going through with a remake.Clearly this is such an example.