The Cheat (1915)

In 1915, after releasing classics such as Carmen and Chimmie Fadden Out West, director Cecil B. DeMille struck gold when he made The Cheat. This is the film that made the reputation of director Cecil B. DeMille and it has been beautifully restored on DVD in a double feature collection. The Cheat is a melodrama and thriller with a plot that is not entirely perfect. There are a few holes in it, for example, when Fannie Ward’s character reveals the truth in the court scene and explains that it was her who shot Tori, would that really be the end of the case? Would she not be tried of attempted murder? But the plot is not really the issue in this film. The real attraction is the performance of one of the actors, Sessue Hayakawa. He was so praised by fans and critics alike that in a 1915 article of The New York Times, it said that Fannie Ward “might learn something to help her fulfill her destiny as a great tragedienne of the screen by observing the man who acted as the Japanese villain in her picture.” The acting portrayed by Sessue Hayakawa is particularly noticeable because his style does not quite fit in a typical melodrama of the time. His actions and expressions are subtle. The slightest twitch of his eye or hint of a smirk gives the audience all the understanding that is necessary for the scene. There is once scene in particular, during the trail in which Fannie’s husband (Jack Dean) is losing the case and there are two reaction shots: One of Edith Hardy, who is in obvious anguish and another of Hayakawa who is watching her. In the shot of Hayakawa you can see a slight raise on the side of his mouth hinting at a sinister smile. By not going all the way and giving a broad, sadistic grin, he teases the audience with his thoughts which are all too clear by such a subtle gesture. While Fannie Ward and Jack Dean are by no means bad actors, in comparison to Hayakawa’s performance, they seem over exaggerated; as if every emotion requires a wide array of facial expressions and hand gestures. The contrasting styles in it are so great it is like watching an old style give birth to a new one. With Hayakawa on-screen, the audience forgets that there is no audio for the actors, while his co-stars make this all too apparent.

There is one more aspect of this film that separates it from others of its time and this is credited to the director, Cecil B. DeMille. His use of low-key lighting is ahead of its time and allows certain scenes a tone that wouldn’t be possible without it. The opening of the film is an excellent example of his great use of lighting. Introducing the villain, the audience is given a medium shot of Hayakawa branding his belongings. There is nothing sinister about this, but using the low key lighting and watching the scene unfold, there can be no doubt that this man, shrouded in smoke and darkness, is not a good person. Another good scene which emphasizes the lighting technique is the scene in which Fannie visits her husband in jail. The scene is shot from inside the jail cell and the silhouettes of the bars cover the scene and limit the light to several lines, which allow the characters to be seen, and the audience becomes trapped there with the husband. I could go on and on giving examples of how effective the darkness is used in this film.

One of the more interesting facts about this movie is that it was re-released in 1918. This, being yet another reason this movie shines a huge spotlight on Sessue Hayakawa, is because of the Japanese villain. At the time, Japan was an ally to the United States and seeing a Japanese actor receive such recognition for his portrayal as a villain was controversial among Japanese citizens in the US and elsewhere. Is the role racist? Is he a villain who is evil because he is Japanese or in spite of it? I think that even though Hayakawa’s performance transcends racist undertones, it is a racist portrayal of the character. There is a scene about halfway into the film in which Hayakawa shows Fannie his room which is packed with Japanese items almost as if to serve as an evil foreign layer. It is here that he reveals the tool that he would later brand her with. When he attacks her, which is probably his most villainous scene, he is fully garbed in clothing that is culturally specific to Japan. He comes at her as the embodiment of all fears of foreign people. Another potentially offensive use of the character is through his interaction at the social events. He is mostly seen around women and it often uncomfortable around American men. This could be taken as somewhat of a subliminal message implying femininity towards Japanese men. The film received many complaints and in 1918, it was re-released with the only changes found in the inter-titles: The character Hishuru Tori became a Burmese ivory king named Haka Arakau. The scenes featuring Japanese clothing and items were completely unchanged. This is almost equally racist as it implies that the cultures Burma and Japan are no different. Racist character or not (and remember this was made in 1915), this is an excellent film and well worth the viewing. Sessue Hayakawa’s portrayal as the villain is unforgettable and captures the emergence of a new style of acting and the use of low-key lighting delivers a tone that really pushes this film well above par. Anyone who is lucky enough to see this film will surely not be disappointed.