Shadows

Wow! If you had any doubts at all, any - about Lon Chaney's skills as an actor, then Shadows should make a believer out of you as Lon gives one of his very best performances as a meek, hobbling Chinese cripple who does laundry in a small fishing village. Yen Sin is a very complex character for a film so early as he is kind and Christian in reality but to most of the village he is seen as a non-believing heathen and an Oriental. Prejudice flys all over this film as those that demand Yen Sin convert openly defy the very principles they want to force on him, and Yen Sin sees no reason to convert because of this very reason. He sees people for what they truly are - at least that is what I got out of it. Chaney's performance rises way above the source material here as the main story is not about Yen Sin, but rather about a young, principled minister marrying a woman whose husband was recently declared dead at sea. But wait! Just like any good melodrama, some one is very unhappy and secretly loves the young woman. Is it her husband who really was not dead at all? Maybe it was the minister's deacon and best friend? Perhaps is was Yen Sin himself, or maybe the little fat boy that had befriended Yen Sin because he gave him his Lychee nuts? Tune in to find out!

I am not that familiar with the films of Lon Chaney, Sr. I first saw this sometime in the 1960's on Chicago's local PBS station. As I was about 15 years old at the time, I didn't appreciate old films or silent films as I do now. I do remember that the main characters names were Sympathy and Malden. Malden was actually the hero's sir name, but he is referred to through as "Malden". The moralistic story hinges on the marriage of an idealistic minister to a woman recently widowed. There is intrigue and blackmail involved, and it is up to Lon Chaney to help set things straight. He gives a very touching performance as a Chinese. His expressive face puts forth a convincing performance as a lovely, gentle soul. The DVD transfer was acceptably clean and there is a generic classical musical score underlining this version. This film appealed to me a great deal, much more so than when I was a kid.

A magnificently acted film by Lon Cheney and, to a slightly lesser extent, the rest of the cast. Marguerite De La Motte is not only beautiful, but exceptionally expressive for a starlet of her time. The writing is also wonderful, with likable characters, a plot that unfolds only as it needs to, and a wonderfully suspenseful climax. Also, the story stays engaging throughout, whereas other films of the time, especially dramas, have a tendency to drag at points. A slightly disappointing ending seems to reinforce the rather egotistical view that everyone is better off Christian, but this can be forgiven in light of the films numerous merits.

Yen Sin (Chaney) was washed ashore in a storm in the Christian fishing community of Urkey. Most of the Christian's there shunned him, pushed him around a bit, but Yen Sin found a friend in John Malden and a couple of others. He was considered to be a Heathen by most of the community but since Malden accepted him as a Christian brother most of the others reluctantly did the same. Yen Sin did laundry for most of them lived on a small houseboat while there. One day Yen got sick, was dying and the community wanted him to confess his sins - but Yen told them all I will if you will Nate Snow! Nate was forced to confess things he didn't want to do, same with Yen's friend Malden. In the end, Yen confessed and wanted to be left alone with God, all left him alone... he untied his boat and so he could sail back to China. Yen will be taken away as he entered - by a storm.

Great performances by all cast members, the story I liked better than I thought I would and I would recommend this one for fans of classic films. Very moving story in the end.

8.5/10

"Shadows" is another remarkable performance from the legendary Lon Chaney. In this story, he plays a Chinese immigrant Yen Sin, who appears on the scene following his rescue at sea after a violent storm.

The lovely Marguerite De La Motte is the heroine, Sympathy who is married to the brutish Daniel Gibbs (Walter Long) who was apparently lost at sea in the same storm. Along comes a new minister, Harrison Ford (no, not THAT Harrison Ford) who falls in love with the heroine. John St. Polis plays the Minister's faithful friend (or is he?) who is also in love with Miss Sympathy. Mixed in with all of this melodrama are the Minister's efforts to convert the Chaney character.

Chaney's makeup, as always, is astounding. He basically becomes his character and makes you believe that he IS Yen Sin. You just can't help but feel a little sorry for him. He minds his own business despite all of the pressures around him until the final reel when he reveals an unexpected turn of events.

I wish that more of Chaney's movies were available. He was and is one of the true greats of the silent screen.