Broken Blossoms (or the Yellow Man and the Girl)
Directed by D.W. Griffith
Written by D.W. Griffith from a story by Thomas Burke
1919/US
D.W. Griffith Productions
Repeat viewing/YouTube
Lucy Burrows: What makes you so good to me, Chinky?
This film is lifted above the usual drek by Lillian Gish’s exquisite performance.
The story takes place in the Lime House district of London. Lucy Burrows (Gish) is a poor teenage waif who is constantly terrorized by her abusive drunkard boxer father Battling Burrows (Donald Crisp). Cheng Huan (Richard Barthelmess) is a sensitive Chinese immigrant who came to America to spread the Buddha’s teachings. He is now disillusioned.
Both the Girl and the Yellow Man experience chaste happiness after Fate brings them together. But Fate had more than happiness in mind.
This is miles ahead of Griffith’s previous efforts. It is Lillian Gish’s exquisite performance that lifts the film to the next level. That closet scene is unforgettable!
The film was made as part of the director’s continuing attempt to make up for the racism in The Birth of a Nation (1915). He did not quite succeed in my opinion. The Chinese are portrayed sympathetically but it’s all stereotypical and somewhat ham-handed. Richard Barthelmess’s portrayal does not help. Donald Crisp is quite convincing in this.
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