The Cheat

The Cheat (1915)

America was not at war yet, even though WWI was well under way in Europe. So there is a detached charm to the events--Red Cross charities, parties, men heading out for a game of golf. And the characters, part of an early Long Island set: a stock broker happily trying to make money, his rich wife who isn't rich enough (she wants more gowns!), and an Asian ivory merchant. The wife is played with early frank energy by Fannie Ward, pretty well known in her day, and in fact married to the man playing her husband.

More eccentric is the Asian man, legendary Japanese actor Kintaro Hayakawa. The title cards originally had him as a Japanese merchant, but when Japan protested (they were allies with the US in wartime), it was altered in the 1918 release to a Burmese merchant. This is a little stretching it because he is so obviously Japanese (the tatami mats, the paper sliding doors, etc.) but since he's really just a Long Island eccentric it works out okay.

At just under an hour, the movie never has a chance to catch its breath, which is great. There are nice sections tinted yellow/orange or blue. (The second time I watched this it was all black and white, which was not as satisfying, if you have a choice.) The score is a bland small orchestra accompaniment, neither here nor there (this is what the Netflix streaming copy has). The plot is slight, in reality, with money lost and a desperate and sometime scandalous effort to get it back. A shocking moment two thirds of the way is its famous climax, a bit early maybe, followed by a trial. The movie didn't cost much to make (the same year as the hugely expensive "Birth of a Nation"), but it went on to great success, and is well preserved.

The title implies more than the movie lets on internally, but the implications are realized in some double crossing. The heroics of the leading man are important even if he's an unlikable stockbroker. In fact, one of the weaknesses here is the fulcrum of the emotional twists and turns-a stock deal gone bad. But as the movie goes, it gathers complexity. If director DeMille is known for his grandiose blockbusters later in life, this is one of his silent dramas (from before about 1923) where he has a great feel for content, human drama, and fast plot. You might even say there is a soap opera excess here-in the best sense. That's what keeps these movies alive. Improbable at times, and certainly about people leaving large, the plots of each, including in this one, are great to watch. The leading female here, Fannie Ward, is good in this kind of role without nuance. More interesting at times is the larger scenes, like the angry crowd at the trial (a wonderful moment involving a huge number of actors).

See it, yes. A great, straight up entry into silent films about domestic upper class problems, and therefore without historical or exotic quirks that would otherwise dominate. An early Cecil B. De Mille film.

Even those who have never seen this rather lurid film will probably be aware of the infamous 'branding' scene. Indeed this particular scene and the shooting that ensues still pack a punch over a century later. This is mainly due to the superlative 'noirish' cinematography of Cecil B DeMille regular Alvin Wyckoff whilst the films distinctly 'modern' look is courtesy of Art Director Wilfred Buckland.

It is alas the far from modern style of acting from leading lady Fannie Ward that weakens the film. This is essentially a vehicle for Miss Ward who has come straight from the stage. Neither she nor the director have made the slightest attempt to adjust her performance for the camera and not only is she too long in the tooth for the part, her histrionics resemble a grotesque parody of Victorian melodrama. This is in stark contrast to the minimalist acting of Sessue Hayakawa as a seedy, sinister ivory trader who literally believes in striking while the iron is hot, originally Japanese but later changed to Burmese after protests from the Japanese community. Hayakawa described his acting style as 'absence of doing' and he is utterly mesmerising in the role. One is hardly surprised that his exotic/erotic persona caused such a fluttering of female hearts. One observer has noted that Miss Ward's acting is of the past whilst Hayakawa's is of the future.

Some forty years later he played Colonel Saito in 'Bridge over the River Kwai'. Despite acting in a bubble, learning his lines phonetically and needing endless retakes he astonished director David Lean by being nominated for a best supporting Oscar. This goes to prove that if you've got it, you've got it.

It's notable that right away 'The cheat' establishes use of stereotypes to build the foundations of the narrative. Richard (Jack Dean) is obsessed with his work, portrayed as somewhat neglecting his wife in the process, while Edith (Fannie Ward) is a spendthrift insistent on maintaining her status. I understand there was some controversy as well in Sessue Hayakawa, prominent early Japanese-American actor, depicting an antagonistic figure, thus leading to a change of the character's nationality in the interstitial cards - as if that meaningfully alters the criticism.

The story on hand is simple and of a slant not unfamiliar to contemporary audiences, but duly compelling for the intrigue at hand. There is an issue in my mind that the pivotal crux of this tale - the nature of the bargain - is not actively recounted in interstitial cards, or otherwise presented plainly on-screen. It's expressed only through nuance of body language - easy to miss altogether unless one is already familiar with the plot - or discerned by reading between the lines that are between the lines. As a result 'The cheat' feels less cohesive than it is otherwise, and this flaw also gives the writing the appearance of a significant plot hole. This is unfortunate because all that was required to lift this film out of that mire would have been more clarity.

If you can look past its faults, however, 'The cheat' is quite enjoyable. Set design and decoration, and costume design, are commendable, and complete the setting well. More importantly, the film makes use of lighting in ways that seems advanced for cinema in 1915. There's substantial emphasis on shadows, and spotlighting in generally dimly lit scenes, that does much to bolster the film.

And the performances are pretty great. This is true for all the cast, but goes most of all for Hayakawa, whose deft subtlety of facial expression is essential to his character. And Ward, as Edith, showcases a detail of emotional range that defies the presumptive limits of film-making equipment of the time. These two in particular carry the picture, leading into the dramatic and genuinely exciting climax. Putting aside an ineffectively articulated story beat, the narrative writing is broadly capable.

'The cheat' isn't a perfect movie, but its problems don't outweigh its ability to entertain. The technical craft of the film and the performances are most eye-catching of all, and help to paint over the blemishes. I wouldn't necessarily say one should go out of their way to find 'The cheat', but it's a worthwhile view if you come across it.

Funny how one can be transfixed by a shadow made nearly ninety years ago. I found myself watching this for handsome Sessue Hayakawa's character, half all-American young-man-about-town, half exotic (and oh yes, evil) Oriental despot. Fannie Ward's character doesn't look much better, a woman so insecure and vain that when her husband cuts off her clothing allowance (four hundred 1915 dollars for a negligee!!), she embezzles Red Cross funds and takes a flyer on the stock market. Indeed, the only character who comes out looking remotely virtuous is her long-suffering husband, who tries to protect his bubble-headed wife by confessing to a crime she committed. Yes, it's a period piece, but as those go, it's not bad.

What is the message that DeMille id giving to his 1915 audience? Is there a positive female character in the film? And who exactly is the cheat? Hayakawa is said to be the Cheat by many critics but I disagree.

Is it not Edith who cheats on her husband by lying and stealing? Is it not Edith who agrees to become a "whore" by paying off her stolen debts and then backs out on the deal? Who is Edith representing in 1915?

By the end of the movie, Edith is forgiven by the courts, he husband, and society just as long as she stays as the "little girl" who can't act for herself. The Cheat is beautifully filmed, don't get me wrong. But the overall message toward women in this film is down right wrong!