Cheng Huan (Richard Barthelmess) is sent to the uncivilized west to deliver the peaceful teachings of the Buddha. Once there, he falls prey to the vices and the disillusionment of the streets. He becomes a shopkeeper selling his Chinese trinkets. He is taken with young Lucy Burrows (Lillian Gish) who lives under her angry father Battling Burrows (Donald Crisp). Battling Burrows is a professional boxer who often whips his abused daughter. After one such beating, she finds refuge at Cheng Huan's shop.
While the filmmaker can have all the respect of the Chinese culture, it cannot avoid the white acting in the Chinese role. It is hard to overlook that bad visual in the lead character. Sometime I excuse it for being a different era but it's the squinty eyes acting that is so annoying. It also doesn't paint a terribly good picture of the man. There is something really creepy about him staring at Lucy all the time. I guess it's supposed to convey concern and protectiveness. It comes off as creepy. I can see this as a progressive story when people don't know better. It's horribly dated. Even the inserted music is bad. It's off-key to try to invoke Chinese music which only comes off as being off-key. I can see this as a compelling movie if redone with more modern eyes.
While the filmmaker can have all the respect of the Chinese culture, it cannot avoid the white acting in the Chinese role. It is hard to overlook that bad visual in the lead character. Sometime I excuse it for being a different era but it's the squinty eyes acting that is so annoying. It also doesn't paint a terribly good picture of the man. There is something really creepy about him staring at Lucy all the time. I guess it's supposed to convey concern and protectiveness. It comes off as creepy. I can see this as a progressive story when people don't know better. It's horribly dated. Even the inserted music is bad. It's off-key to try to invoke Chinese music which only comes off as being off-key. I can see this as a compelling movie if redone with more modern eyes.