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Chinatown Slavery
(1909) United States of America
B&W : Split-reel
Directed by (unknown)
Cast: (unknown)
The Selig Polyscope Company, Incorporated, production; distributed by The Selig Polyscope Company, Incorporated. / Released 6 May 1909; in a split-reel with Adventures of a Keg (1909). / Standard 35mm spherical 1.33:1 format.
Drama.
Synopsis: [The Moving Picture World, 1 May 1909, page ?] Strange as it may seem to the average citizen of these enlightened times, slavery still exists, and a traffic in human beings is carried on to-day, in open defiance of the laws. True the perpetrators are heathens, and never have, nor will they ever acknowledge the laws of the government under which they gain their livelihood. How our laws are thus openly defied is clearly set forth in this picture story of an instance of slavery, recently unearthed in San Francisco by the efforts of a Presbyterian minister. Lee Chang, a Christianized Chinaman, a convert of the Bush Street Mission, had sent to China for his boyhood sweetheart, San Tao. Upon her arrival in America he places her with a Chinese family in Chinatown. After his days work he returns one evening to be greeted with the startling information that the dealers have kidnapped San Tao and spirited her away. Lee locates her hiding place, then sends to the Mission for help, and upon receiving the news the minister in charge calls several secret service officers, and the search begins. The Chinese boy whose services Lee had enlisted to deliver the note agrees to lead the officers to where Lee is on the watch. Chow Low, a high-class Chinese merchant, has cast lecherous eyes on pretty San Tao, and we see him arrive at the slave dealers’ headquarters to consummate her purchase. Lee, hidden under the balcony of the building where the woman he loves is held captive, is startled when she appears at the window and informs him that Chow Low is inside. Rendered desperate by this intelligence, the brave lad determines to act alone. Signaling his sweetheart to drop the rope ladder (used as a fire escape) over the balcony, he ascends and conceals himself just as Chow Low is ushered into the slave room by one of the keepers. Chow attempts to caress pretty Sun Tao, when the lover springs from his hiding place, and with a well-directed blow between the eyes, floors the astonished merchant. Lee and San Tao make a dash for liberty, they descend the ladder in safety, only to be surrounded by a horde of Chows aides who quickly secure the girl, but Lee fights his way through them and is hotly pursued by Chow and his crowd. Lee evades them once by a clever ruse, but they soon discover that they are on the wrong track, and he reaches the Joss house door as his pursuers turn into the street. A pipe vendor seated near the door has noticed Lee’s excited appearance and informs Chow of his quarry’s hiding place. Our hero knowing the superstitious nature of his enemies, sees an opportunity to outwit them; he will change places with the Joss and at the right moment come to life. The scene that follows is ludicrous in the extreme; a crowd of worshipers arrive as Chow and his followers appear, and as all bow to the idol, their amazement may be realized as the mighty Joss steps from his pedestal and begins a grotesque dance. The howling heathens flee for their lives, doughty Chow in the lead. Lee’s messenger runs in; he too is prostrated with fear at the sight of a living Joss until Lee’s well-known voice acquaints him with the deception. Telling Lee that help is below, and that his sweetheart is concealed in a neighboring restaurant, they at once join forces with the officers of the law, and a raid on the joint is determined upon. They descend the stairs to find a slumming party enjoying the mysteries of Chinese cookery, but they do not find Chow and his crowd; they have mysteriously disappeared. The quick-witted boy points out their possible means of escape; he discovers a crack in the floor which upon examination discloses a pair of steps leading to an underground room. The minister and Lee descend while the officers place the crowd under arrest until the search is over. The minister and Lee are horrified to find at the foot of the stairs an underground river and that Chow has eluded pursuit and taken the girl with him in a boat. Lee frenzied with grief seizes one of Chows servants, and wrapping the coolie’s cue around his throat, chokes him into submission and forces him to disclose the outlet of this cunningly devised underground means of escape. To drag their captive up to the street, secure a carriage and drive for the outlet is the next move in the game of hide and seek. With a revolver placed to the coolie’s temple, the carriage is rapidly driven to the outskirts of the city, a sewer opening is pointed out by the terrified coolie. Lee throws the cover off and descends just in time to drop on Chows shoulders: a brief struggle and San Tao is passed up to the minister, followed by Lee. The minister consoles the weeping girl by telling her that she and Lee must be married at once. At the mission American clothes are provided for Lee and his prospective bride by the mission converts, and Lee is given the legal right to protect San Tao always.
Reviews: [The Moving Picture World, 8 May 1909, page ?] The film is crowded with tense dramatic action and shows the most conscientious rehearsing and producing; indeed, the amount of work put into this film by those who made it is simply marvelous. There is, indeed, so much in it that it is difficult, if not impossible, to criticise it in detail. One is therefore perforce obliged to generalize and to rely upon the mental effect created by this strikingly beautiful piece of work. Possiblv from the standpoint of Chinese archaeology this picture of Chinese slavery may be open to similar objections. Be that as it may, we have no hesitation in handing out our highest praise to this film on the three principal grounds we always keep in view when writing of moving pictures. First of all, it is a grand piece of photography, it is a splendid dramatic production, magnificently staged, and then through all its many panorama-like effects it tells a good story in a clear, intelligible, and interesting manner; and these are the things that make for notable films of the week. Mr. Selig has achieved a very great success in this picture, and we believe that it will have an enthusiastic reception wherever it is shown.
Survival status: (unknown)
Current rights holder: Public domain [USA].
Listing updated: 20 November 2022.
References: Sloan-Loud pp. 81, 146 : Website-IMDb.
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