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Lon Chaney.
Photo: Silent Era low-res collection. |
Outside the Law
(1921) American
B&W : Eight reels
Directed by Tod Browning
Cast: Priscilla Dean [Molly ‘Silky Moll’ Madden], Ralph Lewis [‘Silent’ Madden], E.A. Warren [Chang Low], Lon Chaney [‘Black Mike’ Sylva; and Ah Wing], Wheeler Oakman [‘Dapper Bill’ Ballard], Stanley Goethals [the neighbor boy across the hall]; Melbourne MacDowell, Wilton Taylor, John George [the dwarf, Sylva’s henchman]
The Universal Film Manufacturing Company, Incorporated, production; distributed by The Universal Film Manufacturing Company, Incorporated [Jewel]. / Scenario by Tod Browning and Lucien Hubbard, from a story by Tod Browning. Art direction by E.E. Sheeley (Elmer E. Sheeley). Photographed (cinematography) by William Fildew. Subtitles (intertitles) by Gardner Bradford. Art titles by Lewis Lipton and Fred Archer. Presented by Carl Laemmle (Sr.). / © 1921 by The Universal Film Manufacturing Company, Incorporated. Released January 1921. / Standard 35mm spherical 1.37:1 format. / The film was rereleased in the USA in 1926.
Drama: Crime.
Synopsis: Crime boss ‘Silent’ Madden and his daughter ‘Silky Moll’ Madden are friends with legitimate and respected Chinese-American community leader Chang Low, whose influence is slowly shofting the Maddens’ thinking toward reform. Ruthless ‘Black Mike’ Sylva and ‘Dapper Bill’ Ballard are conspiring to frame ‘Silent’ Madden and turn Molly against recent positive influences. When Madden is wounded, shot by Sylva’s gang in Chinatown, he is helped away to safety by Low’s dedicated servant Ah Wing. Meanwhile, Sylva has a gang member plant a gun that has been used to shoot a beat cop and tell the police its location and where the shootist is — framing Madden, who receives a eight-month prison sentence. Sylva then begins to exert his manipulation of Molly, pulling her back into criminal activities, with the plan of double-crossing her.
Survival Status: Print exists in the Film Preservation Associates film collection.
Keywords: Asians - Books - Children - Chinese (Immigrants) - Crime: Frame-ups, Murder, Theft - Death: Murder - Dual roles - Fights - Games: Pool (Poolrooms) - Jewelry - Kites - Police: Arrests, Policemen - Religion: Religious renewal - Transportation: Automobiles, Buses - USA: California: San Francisco (Chinatown) - Weapons: Guns
Listing updated: 24 March 2007.
References: Film credits, film viewing : Edmonds-BigU pp. 69, 70, 97, 112-113; Hirschhorn-Universal p. 36; Marrero-Vintage p. 20; Parish-Gangster pp. 2, 303; Vermilye-Twenties pp. 48-49; Weaver-Twenty p. 76.
Home Video: DVD.
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