Review of Broken Blossoms or The Yellow Man and the Girl (1919) by Michael C — 18 Feb 2009

I saw this accompanied by live piano at the Silent Movie Theatre on Fairfax and Clinton. I don't know who the player was, but he was an old dude and seemed like the real deal.

This was directed by a post "Birth of a Nation" Griffith, so I was keen to see what was described by some as more sensitive handling of race relations. There were a lot of subtleties to scrutinize in the yellow-face portrayal of a Buddhist missionary in England. Lillian Gish plays opposite as a flinching white trash waif, brutalized by a loutish boxer father.

It's difficult to decide whether it's more troubling that the lead moons over what's implied to be an underage girl, or that the cards suggest his affections are "pure" and "holy," making him the prototypical Asian lead eunuch that haunts the silver screen to this day with his "eastern wisdom," Karate chops, and flying gun fights.

It was difficult to follow, as the theater was packed with doe-eyed film students, giggling and chattering to each other whenever the title cards said "Cockney." If you're one of those students, just give up now.