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The Forbidden City

  • 19181918
  • 1h 2m
IMDb RATING
5.5/10
311
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • IMDbPro
The Children in the House (1916)
  • Drama
  • Romance
A Chinese mandarin hopes to regain favor with the Emporer by betrothing her to him, but he doesn't know she's secretly married to the American consul and pregnant.A Chinese mandarin hopes to regain favor with the Emporer by betrothing her to him, but he doesn't know she's secretly married to the American consul and pregnant.A Chinese mandarin hopes to regain favor with the Emporer by betrothing her to him, but he doesn't know she's secretly married to the American consul and pregnant.
IMDb RATING
5.5/10
311
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Sidney Franklin
  • Writers
    • Mary Murillo
    • George Scarborough(story)
  • Stars
    • Norma Talmadge
    • Thomas Meighan
    • E. Alyn Warren
Top credits
  • Director
    • Sidney Franklin
  • Writers
    • Mary Murillo
    • George Scarborough(story)
  • Stars
    • Norma Talmadge
    • Thomas Meighan
    • E. Alyn Warren
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 10User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Photos9

    Norma Talmadge in The Forbidden City (1918)
    Norma Talmadge in The Forbidden City (1918)
    The Forbidden City (1918)
    The Forbidden City (1918)
    The Forbidden City (1918)
    The Forbidden City (1918)
    The Forbidden City (1918)
    The Forbidden City (1918)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Norma Talmadge
    Norma Talmadge
    • San Sanas San San…
    Thomas Meighan
    Thomas Meighan
    • John Wordenas John Worden
    E. Alyn Warren
    E. Alyn Warren
    • Wong Lias Wong Li
    Michael Rayle
    • Mandarinas Mandarin
    L. Rogers Lytton
    • Chinese Emperoras Chinese Emperor
    Reid Hamilton
    • Lieutenant Philip Halbertas Lieutenant Philip Halbert
    Charles Fang
    • Yuan-Looas Yuan-Loo
    • Director
      • Sidney Franklin
    • Writers
      • Mary Murillo
      • George Scarborough(story)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

    Storyline

    Edit
    The daughter of a Chinese mandarin is sentenced to death for her secret marriage to an American. Their child, raised in the mandarin's palace, grows up and escapes to seek her father, now a high-ranking official in the Philippines. —Jim Beaver <jumblejim@prodigy.net>
    • mandarin
    • secret marriage
    • consul
    • interracial baby
    • emperor of china
    • 8 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • A Chinese Mandarin offered Sn San to the Emperor, but when they found her half American baby girl the Emperor ordered San San to the Hall of Flashing Speers. The prettiest and most unique or all Oriental stories ever told on the screen---don't miss it. (Print Ad- Sentinel-Record, ((Hot Springs, Ark.)) 5 December 1918)
    • Genres
      • Drama
      • Romance
    • Parents guide
      • Add content advisory

    User reviews10

    Review
    Top review
    9/10
    Touching movie about inter-racial love
    I was very moved by this film. Norma Talmadge plays the role of San-San, a mandarin's daughter, who risks all for love of Thomas Meighan's character, an American diplomat named Worden. She is very believable as an oriental girl who is longing for love. Norma also plays the love child of San-San and Worden, as a young adult, trying to escape from her brutal life in the emperor's palace.

    This type of story has been done before, but perhaps never so tenderly and sweetly as in this old, old film. This is a haunting movie, with great performances from all the cast. It is not to be missed.
    helpful•4
    2
    • overseer-3
    • Oct 23, 2003

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 6, 1918 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • None
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Запретный город
    • Filming locations
      • Select Studios, Bronx, New York, USA
    • Production company
      • Norma Talmadge Film Corporation
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 2 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Silent
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

    Related news

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    Norma Talmadge, Constance Talmadge, Colleen Moore: The Silent Society's 25th Anniversary Movie Marathon
    Apr 1Alt Film Guide

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