“the spirit of poetry broke her blossoms all about his odorous chamber.”
This silent piece by director D.W Griffith (Most well-known for his controversial film Birth of a Nation) takes an intriguing look at the short-lived relationship between an abused young girl and a Chinese shop-keeper in London.
Cheng Huan is a Buddhist missionary from China, living in London with the initial goal of teaching peace and love to his fellow man. His dream doesn’t quite pan out and he finds himself instead as a lowly shop-keeper. He watches young Lucy (Lillian Gish) from his shop window wistfully, thinking of her as a beauty that the rest of the world has overlooked. Unbeknown to him, this frail girl is frequently abused by her prizefighter father.
One night after a terrible lashing, Lucy stumbles into the streets and through Cheng’s shop door where she collapses on the floor. After realizing what has happened, Cheng brings her upstairs and nurses her back to health, while doting upon her by dressing her up in Chinese robes and sitting by her bedside. Lucy is taken aback, never having known affection before. Unfortunately, their bonding time is disrupted as Lucy’s father gets wind of where his daughter has been, which leads to a series of heartbreaking events which eventually end in tragedy.
Although the lead male role was played by a Caucasian man, Richard Barthelmess , thus making it “yellowface”, they handle his character well and stay clear of many obvious stereotypical traits. Which is not to say they don’t exist, but could have been far worse then it was, especially given D.W.’a earlier portrayals of non-whites in a film. In the original story that the film was based off, Cheng is a sordid drifter with an addiction to Opium and whorehouses. D.W. instead turned his character into a kind, softhearted missionary. While there is racism in the film, it is usually only the “bad guys” that utter the word “Chink” in reference to Cheng.
Overall, it seems the films main focus is on tolerance and how hate in men’s hearts often leads to disaster. No matter the circumstances, Cheng’s love for Lucy remains pure. And though we are not given enough time to see what may have been, it does seem as though Lucy could have become equally affectionate for him.
Artistically speaking, the cinematography is gorgeous in the way only silent films can be. It has been described by many as having an ethereal quality, casting over your mind like some kind of enchanting fog. I believe the film was very daring for its time and therefor very important, as it is with many D.W Griffith films. It is hauntingly beautiful, somber, and a must-see.
Bygone Films 
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