Sojin Movies

In his second talkie, former silent screen lover John Gilbert plays Jack, a sailor in the merchant marine who takes time out from carousing with pals Tripod (Wallace Beery) and Ginger (Jim Tully) to woo and marry Joan (Leila Hyams), the lovely pay clerk, whom he has promised to quit the sea for good. But "for good" lasts only through the wedding night and she leaves him. They meet again on an ocean liner where Jack is working as the quartermaster but a violent storm threatens to ruin the relationship for eternity when Jack is declared lost. ~ Hans J. Wollstein, All Movie Guide

Japanese actor Sojin delivers yet another villainous characterization in the cheaply produced melodrama China Slaver. The star is cast as "The Corba," the ruler of a lawless island where narcotics-smuggling and white slavery are the principal commodities. The Corba is ultimately foiled by one of his own countrymen, a seemingly harmless Chinese ship's steward. The latter character was somewhat ludicrously played by Alberto Valentino, brother of the late Rudolph Valentino. A hokey, hackneyed effort, China Slaver was designed for one-day-only play in the various "scratch houses" throughout the U.S. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This early talkie, set in French Indochina, centers around the conflict between a French magistrate's wife and his lecherous boss who requires that all wives sleep with him before he will promote their husbands. This wife refuses. Instead she marches into his office and demands an explanation. Her hasty actions do not help matters and she is just about to let him have his sleazy way with her when a native, who was hiding in the closet, is found. The men scuffle and the boss is killed. Unfortunately, it is her husband who is assigned the case. He does not know his wife witnessed the whole thing. It doesn't take him long to start drawing conclusions; suddenly he suspects his wife was unfaithful, but eventually she convinces him otherwise and justice is done. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

In this curious film, a knickknack collector falls in love with the daughter of a jewel collector. When a rare stone is swiped from a reception at the latter's home, the daughter and her sweetheart begin looking for it. As they drive to the police, they are taken upon a most circuitous path until they end up at the home of Satan, wherein many strange people dwell. The couple is befriended by a helpful dwarf. They must all attend a masquerade ball, and there some of Satan's minions abduct the woman and demand that she produces the jewel, lest she be tortured. Both she and her love then must endure a number of terrifying encounters before they can escape. Unfortunately, the bizarre ordeal has rendered them both stark raving mad. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Critics in 1928 often commented on the near-oriental facial features of popular screen comedian Johnny Hines (political correctness wasn't a consideration back then), so few were surprised when Hines turned up in the 8-reel comedy Chinatown Charlie. The star plays a likeable pickpocket who happens to stumble onto a white slavery ring while plying his trade in Chinatown. Hines tries to inform the police, but they never believed him before, so why should they believe him now? Thus, it is up to Hines to rescue heroine Louise Lorraine from the clutches of murderous Mandarin (Sojin, who, by the way, was a Japanese actor). As a bonus, he also recovers a valuable ring, which cinches the future financial security of hero and heroine. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Having scored big-time box office with his first Biblical epic, The Ten Commandments (1923), Cecil B. DeMille hoped to top this success with his 1927 The King of Kings. Inasmuch as he was now dealing with the life of Christ, DeMille had to be careful to serve up equal amounts of showmanship and reverence. The first creative challenge: how to "introduce" Christ in a tasteful manner? The answer: as a blind child is cured through Jesus' intervention, DeMille cuts to the child's point-of-view, slowly fading in on the kindly countenance of H.B. Warner as the Son of Man. Still, DeMille remained DeMille, especially in his handling of the character of Mary Magdalene (Jacqueline Logan). No longer a tattered streetwalker, Mary Magdalene is now a glamorous courtesan, replete with legions of gorgeous slave girls (one of whom is "bubble dancer" Sally Rand) and dressed in revealing Hollywood-style gowns. In fact, the film opens on this character, as she ruminates over the defection of her favorite customer, Judas Iscariot (Joseph Schildkraut), who is spending far too much time with Jesus of Nazareth. Upon visiting Jesus herself, she immediately repents, casting off all her prior sins. Once again, the efficacy of the Cecil B. DeMille formula is proven: redemption has no dramatic value unless the film shows viewers why the sinner needs to be redeemed. Once he's gotten his box-office considerations out of the way, DeMille adheres faithfully to the particulars of Jesus' life, betrayal, trial, Crucifixion, and Resurrection. (Again, however, the director improves a bit upon his source material: the storm that follows the Crucifixion is of the same spectacular dimensions as the parting of the Red Sea in Ten Commandments, while the Resurrection is filmed in vibrant Technicolor). To back up the authenticity of his images, DeMille -- with an assist from scenarist Jeannie Macpherson -- utilizes Scriptural quotes in his subtitles. And to avoid any untoward publicity while filming, DeMille required all of his actors to sign legal documents preventing them from indulging in any sort of "sinful" activity; this meant that poor old H.B. Warner had to steer clear of alcoholic beverages for nearly a year, though he more than made up for lost time after his contract ran out. Prepared to mercilessly lambaste The King of Kings, DeMille's critics were disarmed by his reverent, tasteful approach to the subject. Years after the film's release, a specially prepared 60-minute version of the 18-reel King of Kings was making the rounds of religious groups, church basements, and Easter-weekend telecasts. The film was remade in 1961 by producer Samuel Bronston and director Nicholas Ray, with Jeffrey Hunter as Jesus. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This "lost" film would be especially valuable to see again, if only for two reasons: It was the second American effort of German director Paul Leni (of Cat and the Canary), and it represented the second screen appearance of Earl Derr Biggers' celebrated oriental sleuth, Charlie Chan. The plot is motivated by a pearl necklace, which has caused the death and/or ruination of all its owners. Disguised as a servant, Honolulu detective Chan (played by Japanese actor Sojin) delivers the pearls to his client -- who is promptly killed. Retaining his "hired help" guise, Chan snoops around the dead man's estate, hoping that one of the guests will reveal himself (or herself) as the murderer. Providing the vital clue in this instance is the titular Chinese parrot, who can understand Chinese and translate it into English! Anna May Wong appears briefly in the opening sequences as a hootchy-kootchy dancer who is murdered just before delivering an important bit of information to Mr. Chan. The Chinese Parrot was remade in 1934 as Charlie Chan's Courage --which, like its predecessor, apparently no longer exists. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Adapted from a play by Victor Sardou, Diplomacy was another collaboration between actress Blanche Sweet and her then-husband Marshall Neisan. Most of the action takes place along the Riviera, where heroine Dora de Zares (Sweet) comports herself in a most mysterious fashion. The audience is encouraged to think that Dora is a spy of some sort or other, especially when a packet of important diplomatic papers is stolen from her husband Julian Wentworth (Neil Hamilton). But there's plenty of intrigue and surprises before the plot is explained and the truth is revealed. Viewers in 1926 were advised to keep their eyes on "silly ass" Englishman Robert Lowry (Matt Moore), who like Dora wasn't all that he seemed to be. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This silent screen adaptation of "Moby Dick" features John Barrymore in action as Captain Ahab Cooley, played against one of the most famous denizens of the deep, Herman Melville's great white whale. At the beginning of the story, Ahab and his step brother Dererk (George O'Hara) compete for the affections of a winsome minister's daughter, Esther Wiscasset (Dolores Costello). Meanwhile, the albino whale has been eluding harpooners, and bears the scars of many failed attacks against him. His fame has reached epic proportions. One day, Ahab and Derek are on the same whaler as the whale hoves into view. With the visual drama enhanced by the water and pitching boat, Ahab raises his harpoon to kill the beast. At that moment, Derek pushes him overboard and Ahab loses a right leg to the whale. In this scene, Barrymore's portrayal of agonizing pain as an antiseptic is poured over what remains of his leg contributed to his fame as a silents actor. Not long after this incident, the shallow Esther rebuffs Ahab as her suitor once she catches sight of his peg leg. Heartbroken at this turn of events, Ahab blames neither Esther nor his brother - instead he transfers blame and an undying hatred onto the whale. The following saga of Ahab's pursuit of the whale takes on the aura of a super-human quest, far beyond the proportions of its first motivation. One of the most popular of Barrymore's films, this version extends the story beyond the final battle of man versus whale in a variation on Melville's book. Adding publicity to the film was a bit of early Hollywood hype, unintentional though it may seem. The actress Priscella Bonner was fired by Barrymore from the role of Wiscasset, and in a curious parallel to Ahab and the mighty whale, she successfully sued the studio and won a considerable out-of-court settlement. Doubtless due to the popularity of this film, another was released in 1930 under Melville's original book title, with Barrymore again in the role of Captain Ahab. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

Although MGM was known for its streamlined, quality pictures, that didn't mean all its product was glossy, high-budget stuff. Take, for example, this programmer -- a summer release about the frozen north (in the days before air conditioning, snow films were popular releases during the hot months -- supposedly, watching other people freeze cooled off the audience). The man in charge of constructing a railroad is pushing a tunneling job far too fast, and Barry, the engineer (Pat O'Malley), is very concerned about the consequences. His fears are confirmed because the dynamite blasts have weakened the snow ledges. One explosion sets off an avalanche which practically destroys the camp, leaving the workers blocked in without food. After many failed attempts, Barry decides to try saving the workers himself. His bravery wins the admiration of Robinette (Claire Windsor). He manages to tap the wires and request food and supplies, then he fires up the snow plow. Almost single-handedly, Barry saves the camp and wins Robinette's devotion, too. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide

Few leading ladies appeared in as many films in 1926 as the vivacious Clara Bow. In My Lady's Lips, Bow plays the feisty daughter of newspaper magnate Frank Keenan. And that's about all she does, since the bulk of the film concerns the trials and tribulations of female crook Alyce Mills. For the sake of handsome young reporter William Powell, Mills double-crosses her underworld associates and risks being fitted for a cement kimono. Critics in 1926 complained about the casting of William Powell as the hero, suggesting that the actor would be wise to continue playing villains lest he lose his standing in Hollywood! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide