Shadows

SHADOWS (Preferred Studios, 1922), directed by Tom Forman, is a little known silent production featuring the legendary "Man of a Thousand Faces" Lon Chaney (1883-1930), a year before his triumph as Quasimodo in THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME (Universal, 1923). Best known for his versatility in a wide range of unique characters bearing different faces from one film to the next, SHADOWS has him portraying a lonesome Chinaman, one of several in his long range of screen roles. Aside from squinted eyes, his character sports his hair cut evenly around the top of his head, and shoulders not in the hunchback tradition but slightly in forward position. Unlike other American actors in their attempt in portraying Orientals, typically villains instead of heroes, Chaney breaks away somewhat from that stereotype by concentrating more on the heart and soul of his character, although his spoken words through the use of title cards fails to break from the Hollywood tradition, speaking in typical broken English, Chinese style.

Taken from "Ching Ching Chinaman" by Wilder Daniel Steel, the story opens with a plot development set in a fishing village of Urkey that introduces an attractive woman named Sympathy (Marguerite De La Motte), trapped in a loveless marriage to Daniel Gibbs (Walter Long), "admiral of the fishing fleet," a union arranged years ago by her now deceased father. One night a storm breaks out, drowning Gibbs and washing ashore the mysterious Yen Sin (Lon Chaney), identified as a Chinese cook and lone survivor of a sunken ship. Because he refuses to take part in the community in prayer, Yen Sin is cast aside, addressed as a "heathen" by a leading missionary. Regardness of racial prejudices he encounters, Yen Sin settles in the New England village, living on a houseboat where he supports himself as a laundryman. Although not a religious man by nature, he has a good heart and forgiving soul. Hoping to be accepted by the community, he makes his first step with "Mista Bad Boy" (Buddy Messinger) by winning him over by giving him Chinese lechee nuts shortly after being teased unkindly by him and his friends. Enter John Malden (Harrison Ford), a new minister in town, who takes an interest in both Yen Sin, whom he tries to convert, and the lovely widow, Sympathy, whom he soon marries, much to the dismay of Nate Snow (John St. Polis), owner of everything in town except what he wants, Sympathy. All goes well with the young couple, complete with their infant daughter, Ruth. However, things start to change for the minister as he starts receiving letters indicating that Gibbs is very much alive. Believing that he has "coveted thy neighbor's wife," John's personal life is tormented with guilt and fear, unable to inform Sympathy of what's been bothering him and give a good sermon in church on Sundays. Because of his friendship with Yen Sin, it's up to him to reveal the secret that could possibly save him from possible disgrace. And what's the secret? Only the shadows know.

Regardless of Chaney's name heading the cast, most of the attention centers upon his co-stars, Marguerite De La Motte, remembered mostly as Douglas Fairbanks frequent co-star in such notable productions as THE MARK OF ZORRO (1920) and THE IRON MASK (1929), and Harrison Ford (no relation to the popular actor of latter years). Ford's character as the guilt-ridden minister almost resembles that of the Reverend Dimmesdale from Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel, "The Scarlet Letter," where the minister from that story has fathered the child of a married woman whose husband, too, is believed to have perished at sea. Though no scarlet letters this time around but letters of blackmail and mystery, it's Lon Chaney whose performance holds attention throughout its 68 minutes of screen time. Others members in the cast include: Priscilla Bonner (Mary Trent); and Frances Raymond (Emsy Nickerson).

A melodrama with a moral message that could very well be a passage from the Bible, SHADOWS is of great interest today due to Lon Chaney. Distributed through a minor film studio, SHADOWS is fortunate to have survived at all considering how many silent films have disappeared throughout the years. One of its known TV revivals happens to be on a public television series, "The Toy That Grew Up" that aired periodically between 1965 and 1972, especially on WNET, Channel 13, in New York City. Availability on video cassette was through Blackhawk in the 1980s, and Kino Video a decade later, each acquiring the same organ score by Gaylord Carter. Currently in the DVD format, SHADOWS can often be found as part of the double bill with another rarely seen Chaney silent, OUTSIDE THE LAW (1921). To learn more about Chaney and his style of acting, take a look at SHADOWS and whatever else that's currently available. He was truly a remarkable actor. (***)

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!

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.

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.

"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.