Lucybespro It is a performances centric movie

VeteranLight I don't have all the words right now but this film is a work of art.

Spoonatects Am i the only one who thinks........Average?

filippaberry84 I think this is a new genre that they're all sort of working their way through it and haven't got all the kinks worked out yet but it's a genre that works for me.

drjgardner This is one of the last silent films, made just before "The Jazz Singer" came out, and it is technically better than most of the other silent films as it used Warner Brothers Vitaphone technique.It also benefits from a tour d'force by Dolores Costello (who was the wife of John Barrymore at the time) and is probably one of her best roles. She manages to go beyond the silent film melodrama, as does Anna May Wong, the busiest Asian woman in films in the first half of the 20th Century.Warner Oland (a Swede who nonetheless almost always play an Asian, including his stint as Charlie Chan) shows up as a Chinese thug who masquerades as a White man, although Oland is not at the top of his game here.The climax of the film is the 1906 earthquake and for the time it is spectacular. The version of the restored film I saw had both the beginning and the end in harsh sepia tones, but the middle was fine.The film is well worth viewing as one of the last great silent films.

GeoPierpont Accidentally came across this film on TCM as Sunday evenings were typically relegated for this film type. Against my better judgement, I decided to persevere since one cannot predict what film footage may be used from the 1920's that document the history of a world famous city. I was fascinated with the street scenes and especially the beautiful Dolores Costello. The prologue created an intrigue of mystery and history combined that hooked me into further viewing and with no misgivings! I found the treatment of the Asian community completely horrifying but know there was truth to this aspect of racism that hopefully has long passed. The secret tunnels underground, the 'trading' business, seemly characters and abusive brothers made for compelling drama.I enjoyed the love story between the Mexican girl and Irish boy. Have interacted with this ethic coupling once in my life and the match made for an eternal love affair. Enjoyed the sweet, simple yet heartfelt emotions portrayed on screen in silence, save for the perfectly sublime music score.The earthquake scene was most anticipated and worth waiting for as the special effects were profoundly realistic for this time period. I was absolutely amazed at the director's ability to shoot many difficult scenes i.e. underground chase scene, tunnel travel, exterior city shots, close ups, and more.Very pleased with this format and will give the silent treatment a thumbs up for future viewing!

kidboots With a wonderful rousing score by Hugo Riesenfeld and synchronized by the Vitaphone Symphony Orchestra, this film (a pristine print) was obviously a jewel in the crown for Warner Brothers. Produced by Darryl F. Zanuck (one of his first as both a writer and producer, although an uncredited one), it starred Warner's reigning screen Goddess, Dolores Costello. The film has everything - romance, adventure, tension between the races, white slavery, an earthquake - but it did drag a bit. The prologue, featuring Tom Santschi and Martha Mattox (from "The Cat and the Canary"), showing how San Francisco was founded, went on for almost 10 minutes but was completely unnecessary to the story - a few titles would have sufficed.Then "The Story" starts in 1906 - Dolores (Dolores Costello) is the apple of her grandfather's eye but he has worries. He is desperately trying to ward off unscrupulous buyers who want to buy his ranch for peanuts!!! Dolores also catches the eye of Terence O'Shaughnessy (Charles Emmett Mack), a young partner in his uncle's law firm. They are acting on behalf of an evil businessman, Chris Buckwell, the "Czar of the City" - he wants the ranch and he will stop at nothing to get it. Played by Warner Oland, who made a career out of playing Orientals such as Fu Manchu and Charlie Chan, even though he was in fact Swedish. The twist to the story is that he is Chinese (shock!! horror!!) - a secret known only to his brother (Angelo Rossitto), a dwarf, whom he taunts and keeps in a cage and a "flower of the Orient" (Anna May Wong) his partner in crime.The appearance of slimy Don Luis (John Miljan, who else!!) sets the wheels turning. Hernandez hopes he will save the ranch but finds he is only lusting after his grand-daughter, as does Buckwell, who arranges for Hernandez to be in the city so he can be alone with Dolores!!! Only an earthquake can save her from a fate worse than death!!! No, not that fate - she has rebuffed Buckwell, who in his rage carries her to his "inner circle" where she is all set to become the latest export for the white slave trade. She has also discovered his secret!!! Dolores Costello is "preposterously beautiful" as John Barrymore once claimed. From the little you see of her, Anna May Wong is very fetching. Charles Emmett Mack, who, sadly, died the same year in a car accident, was sufficiently heroic and Warner Oland showed how wonderful he was in duplicitous roles. The earthquake was quite spectacular with tinted scenes of red and purple.Highly Recommended.

Ron Oliver A dastardly Chinese criminal in OLD SAN FRANCISCO schemes to possess a lovely señorita and her Spanish land-grant rancho.Although replete with racial stereotyping, it must be admitted that this vintage Silent film is an awful lot of fun. Produced just before the onset of Talkies, the movie represents the high degree of expertise the Studios had attained in telling a story through the medium of filmed pantomime. Excellent production values, an exciting story and very good acting are all part of the mix in the film's success, while the climaxing special effects depicting the great 1906 San Francisco earthquake & fire are satisfying both visually and as plot development.Beautiful Dolores Costello is exceptional as the privileged young lady who must survive a terrible adventure into San Francisco's criminal depths, her lovely face & eyes conveying every emotion her character experiences. Joseph Swickard gives a noble performance as her proud, patrician grandfather. High-spirited Charles Emmett Mack ably fills the requisite hero's role as the courageous young Irish lawyer who loves Miss Costello. Looking like evil incarnate, Swedish actor Warner Oland steals a few scenes as the malicious malefactor who plots Miss Costello's undoing.Exotic Anna May Wong appears briefly as an Underworld minx. Tiny Angelo Rossitto is memorable as Oland's dwarf brother.Movie mavens will recognize Sojin as a Chinatown elder, John Miljan as a slightly craven Spanish-Californian, and Willie Fung as a smiling servant, all uncredited.