The Cheat (1915)

A venal, spoiled stockbroker's wife impulsively embezzles $10,000 from the charity she chairs and desperately turns to a Burmese ivory trader to replace the stolen money.

Writers:

Hector Turnbull (scenario), Jeanie Macpherson (scenario)

Stars:

Fannie Ward, Sessue Hayakawa, Jack Dean

1 win.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Fannie Ward	...	Edith Hardy
Sessue Hayakawa	...	Hishuru Tori (original release) / Haka Arakau (in 1918 re-release)
Jack Dean	...	Richard Hardy
James Neill	...	Jones
Yutaka Abe	...	Tori's Valet
Dana Ong	...	District Attorney
Hazel Childers	...	Mrs. Reynolds
Arthur H. Williams	...	Courtroom Judge (as Judge Arthur H. Williams)

Storyline

Edith Hardy uses charity funds for Wall Street investments in hopes of buying some new gowns. She loses all the money and borrows from wealthy oriental Tori. When her husband gives her the amount she borrowed, Tori won't take it back, branding her shoulder with a Japanese sign of his ownership. She shoots him. Her husband takes the blame. In court Edith reveals all to an angry mob.

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Plot Keywords:

charity | japanese | branding | ivory | stockbroker | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 December 1915 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Marca de Fogo

Filming Locations:

Big Bear Valley, San Bernardino National Forest, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$17,311 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Jesse L. Lasky Feature Play Company

Technical Specs

Runtime:

59 min 59 min (1994 alternate)

Sound Mix:

Silent

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

This film was selected to the National Film Registry, Library of Congress, in 1993.

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Goofs

According to the date on the check, the shooting occurred on September 17th. However, the next day's newspaper which reports the crime is dated April 27th.

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Quotes

Edith Hardy: [lying about how she lost $10,000] I lost it playing bridge- I was afraid to tell you.

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Crazy Credits

Fannie Ward's name appears above the title. The other two principle actors (as well as Ward) are credited in inter-titles with their character names as they appear in the movie.

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Connections

Featured in The Slanted Screen (2006)

User Reviews

a shadow from the past

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.