A growing source of silent era film information. This listing is from The Progressive Silent Film List by Carl Bennett. Copyright © 1999-2013 by Carl Bennett and the Silent Era Company. All Rights Reserved.

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Lillian Gish and Richard Barthelmess.     Photograph: Silent Era image collection.

Cast: Lillian Gish [Lucy Burrows], Richard Barthelmess [Cheng Huan], Donald Crisp [‘Battling’ Burrows], Arthur Howard [the manager], Edward Peil [‘Evil Eye’], George Beranger (André Beranger) [the spying one], Norman Selby (Kid McCoy) [boxing opponent]; Ernest Butterworth, Fred Hamer, Wilbur Higby, Moon Kwan, George Nicholls, Karla Schramm

D.W. Griffith production; distributed by United Artists Corporation. / Originally produced by Adolph Zukor. Scenario by D.W. Griffith, from the short story “The Chink and the Child” by Thomas Burke. Technical advisor, Moon Kwan. Special effects by Hendrik Sartov. Cinematography by G.W. Bitzer. Camera operator, Karl Brown. Edited by James Smith. Original music score composed and arranged by Louis F. Gottschalk + [D.W. Griffith]. Theme song “Broken Blossoms” by Robert Edgar Long, in collaboration with Louis F. Gottschalk. / © 31 March 1919 by D.W. Griffith [LP13755]. Premiered 13 May 1919 at the George M. Cohan Theatre in New York, New York. Released 20 October 1919. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.37:1 format. Color-tinted. / Production started on the film in November 1918. Working title: The Chink and the Child. The production was shot in southern California in eighteen days. Crisp’s scenes were shot at night because he was directing another film during the day.

Drama.

Synopsis: Synopsis available in AFI-F1 n. F1.0500.

Survival status: Print exists [35mm positive].

Current rights holder: Public domain.

Keywords: Abuse - Asians - Athletes: Boxers - Beatings - Children - China - Chinese - Crime: Murder - Death: Murder, Suicide - Rescues - Sailors - Sports: Boxing: Boxing rings - United Kingdom: England: London - Weapons: Guns

Listing updated: 18 March 2012.

References: Film credits, film viewing : AFI-F1 n. F1.0500; Baer-Film p. 35; Bardèche-History pp. 53, 104, 201; Barry-Griffith pp. 28, 29, 35, 58, 60, 61, 63, 67, 74, 86; Bohn-Light pp. 60, 94, 175; Brownlow-Parade pp. 80, 90, 93, 338; Card-Seductive pp. 40, 41, 45; Cooper-Dark pp. 153, 238; Dardis-Keaton p. 132; Drew-Speaking pp. 32, 164, 219; Everson-American pp. 4, 98, 113, 123, 150, 171, 177, 179, 184, 189, 208, 370; Everson-Detective p. 72; Fell-History pp. 56, 71, 72-74, 75; Gallagher-Ford p. 9; Geduld-Birth p. 38; Higashi-Virgins pp. 4, 8-10, 14; Katchmer-Eighty pp. 16, 17, 20; Kerr-Silent pp. 31, 272; Lahue-Collecting p. 59; Lahue-Gentlemen pp. 25, 26, 28; Leish-Cinema p. 53; Limbacher-Feature p. 32; LoC-MoPic-2 p. 95; Maltin-Guide p. 162; Nollen-Karloff p. 1; Paris-Brooks p. 122; Sarris-Sternberg p. 6; Shipman-Cinema p. 66; Sinyard-Silent pp. 8, 9, 30, 31, 33, 76, 157; Sklar-Movie p. 50; Steinbrunner-Encyclopedia p. 54; Weaver-Twenty p. 146; Webb-Hollywood p. 129; Weinberg-Stroheim p. xi ; Website-AFI.

Home video: DVD.