| Madame Butterfly | |
|---|---|
Theatrical poster |
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| Directed by | Sidney Olcott |
| Written by | John Luther Long (novel) |
| Starring | Mary Pickford |
| Distributed by | Paramount Pictures |
| Release date(s) | November 7, 1915 |
| Country | United States |
| Language | Silent film English intertitles |
Madame Butterfly is a 1915 silent film directed by Sidney Olcott. The film is based upon a John Luther Long novel and the opera Madama Butterfly.
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Reportedly, leading actress Mary Pickford fought constantly with Sidney Olcott about the character. Olcott wanted Pickford to be more reserved and thought she was "too Americanized to play a Japanese".[1]
The film takes place in Japan in 1904. Lieutenant Pinkerton (Marshall Neilan) marries Cho-Cho-San 'Butterfly' (Mary Pickford), a 15-year-old Japanese geisha. Cho-Cho-San is lucky with her new husband and takes the marriage very seriously. Pinkterton, however, regards it as entertainment. He is not in love with her and plans to break off the wedding in a month. The American Consul (William T. Carleton) begs him to break off the wedding as soon as possible, to avoid hurting her feelings. The lieutenant laughs him off.
Pinkerton soon discovers Cho-Cho-San broke contact with her disapproving family in order to be married with him. He also finds out her father was a samurai who killed himself and that was the reason why Cho-Cho-San was taught to be a geisha. When Pinkerton is ordered to return to America, he promises Cho-Cho-San he will return before he leaves. Three years go by. Cho-Cho-San, now a mother, still believes Pinkerton will return someday, while he is engaged to an American woman. He sends her a letter to announce he will marry another woman, but Cho-Cho-San can't read.
Meanwhile, The Prince of Japan (David Burton) takes interest in Cho-Cho-San, but she refuses his company and claims she is still waiting for her husband. Sometime later, Pinkerton returns to Japan and announces to Cho-Cho San's maid, Suzuki (Olive West), that he will marry an American woman. The American woman asks Cho-Cho-San to give them her child, as he will be given better opportunities and prosperity under their parenting. Cho-Cho-San is crushed but complies and hands over her child. She kills herself in the final scene by walking into a river and drowning.