Mr. Wu
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| Mr. Wu | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | William Nigh |
| Produced by | William Nigh |
| Written by | Play: Maurice Vernon Harold Owen Adaptation: Lorna Moon Titles: Lotta Woods |
| Starring | Lon Chaney Sr. Louise Dresser Renée Adorée Holmes Herbert Ralph Forbes Gertrude Olmstead |
| Cinematography | John Arnold |
| Editing by | Ben Lewis |
| Distributed by | Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Pictures |
| Release date(s) | March 26, 1927 |
| Running time | 90 min |
| Country |  United States |
| Language | Silent film English intertitles |
Mr. Wu is a 1927 silent movie about a Chinese patriarch who tries to exact revenge on the Englishman who seduced his daughter.
Contents |
[edit] Synopsis
In the prologue, Chaney plays Grandfather Wu, entrusting his grandson's education to a trusted English associate ("The West is coming to the East. He must be prepared for both"). Chaney then plays the grandson as a young man who enters an arranged marriage with a delicate girl who dies after giving birth to a daughter; he swears he will raise the child as a daughter and a son. As Mr. Wu's daughter Nang Ping emerges into womanhood, he arranges a marriage for her with a mandarin. A lively, spirited girl, she has been educated by her father's old tutor. Despite the seclusion of her father's palace, she meets and falls in love with Basil Gregory, a young Englishman. His father is a diplomat who does not respect Chinese ways and insults the "damned Chinks" right in front of them, although the rest of his family is courteous. Basil wants to marry Nang Ping, but when he proposes, she reveals she is already engaged. Wu discovers the relationship and although he understands that they did not go farther than kissing, this is enough, since a betrothal is virtually a marriage by custom. Despite his great love for her, he knows that the family honor demands her death. They bid each other a tearful goodbye, and she goes obediently to the home's central shrine, where he kills her (although the act is not shown).
Then Wu goes about exacting revenge on the Gregory family, which he feels is really responsible for the "dishonor" and death of his daughter. He invites Mrs. Gregory and her daughter to his home and tricks the girl into going into Nang Ping's room, which is immediately locked, imprisoning her. He has Basil tied up in the garden, with an axe-wielding servant nearby. By sunset, Mrs. Gregory has the choice of either condemning her son to death or her daughter to prostitution. She says there is another way and offers her own life. Wu explains that this is not customary in China, the parents have to live on and bear the shame. Nonetheless, Mrs. Gregory tries to stab herself, and in the ensuing struggle she stabs Wu, freeing herself and her children. Wu tries to strike the gong to signal that Basil should be killed, but a vision of Nang Ping appears, shaking her head. Pursuing her into the hall, Wu dies and is found by his old friend and tutor, who picks up Wu's prayer beads and says "Thus passes the House of Wu."
[edit] Background
The original play opened in New York on October 14, 1914.
For the hundred-year-old look, Chaney build up his cheekbones and lips with cotton and collodion. Into his nostrils were inserted the ends of cigar holders and the long fingernails were constructed from strips of painted film stock. He used fish skin to fashion an Oriental cast to his eyes and grey crepe hair was used for the mustache and goatee. The make-up procedures took from four to six hours to apply.
Wu Li Chang, a Spanish-language version of Mr. Wu, was produced in 1930.
In 2000, Turner Classic Movies presented the television premiere with a music soundtrack composed, produced, edited and mixed by Maria Newman, who also conducted the Viklarbo Chamber Symphony.
[edit] References
Article on Mr. Wu at TCM Movie Database
