A dying Chinese man converts to Christianity in order to stop a friend from being blackmailed.A dying Chinese man converts to Christianity in order to stop a friend from being blackmailed.A dying Chinese man converts to Christianity in order to stop a friend from being blackmailed.
Billie Latimer
- Tall Woman at Engagement
- (uncredited)
Joe Murphy
- Townsman at Engagement
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaFollowing the successful telecasts of Othello (1922) and The Eagle (1925), New York City's WJZ (Channel 7), began a weekly series of Sunday evening silent film feature presentations, shown more or less in their entirety, which aired intermittently for the next twelve months. This feature was initially broadcast Sunday 12 December 1948, and, like the rest of the series, aired simultaneously on sister stations WFIL (Channel 6) (Philadelphia) and freshly launched WAAM (Channel 13) (Baltimore), as well as in Washington DC the following Thursday 16 December 1948 on WMAL (Channel 7),an innovation at the time; the following week's selection would be Peck's Bad Boy (1921). This film was initially telecast in Chicago Wednesday 30 March 1949 on WENR (Channel 7) as part of their Flicker Favorites series.
- GoofsIn a title card, the minister says it's been "over a year" since he learned that Daniel was still alive on the day his daughter was born, yet in the final scene the baby is no bigger than she was at birth.
- Quotes
John Malden: I have suffered - but you, Nate - you must have suffered a thousand times more - to do the thing that you did.
Yen Sin,'The Heathen': Mista Minista - you forgive Mista Nate Snow - ?
John Malden: He has confessed - he must be forgiven.
Yen Sin,'The Heathen': If you forgive, then Yen Sin believe.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Lon Chaney: A Thousand Faces (2000)
Featured review
Another Early Gem From Lon Chaney
"Shadows" is another remarkable performance from the legendary Lon Chaney. In this story, he plays a Chinese immigrant Yen Sin, who appears on the scene following his rescue at sea after a violent storm.
The lovely Marguerite De La Motte is the heroine, Sympathy who is married to the brutish Daniel Gibbs (Walter Long) who was apparently lost at sea in the same storm. Along comes a new minister, Harrison Ford (no, not THAT Harrison Ford) who falls in love with the heroine. John St. Polis plays the Minister's faithful friend (or is he?) who is also in love with Miss Sympathy. Mixed in with all of this melodrama are the Minister's efforts to convert the Chaney character.
Chaney's makeup, as always, is astounding. He basically becomes his character and makes you believe that he IS Yen Sin. You just can't help but feel a little sorry for him. He minds his own business despite all of the pressures around him until the final reel when he reveals an unexpected turn of events.
I wish that more of Chaney's movies were available. He was and is one of the true greats of the silent screen.
The lovely Marguerite De La Motte is the heroine, Sympathy who is married to the brutish Daniel Gibbs (Walter Long) who was apparently lost at sea in the same storm. Along comes a new minister, Harrison Ford (no, not THAT Harrison Ford) who falls in love with the heroine. John St. Polis plays the Minister's faithful friend (or is he?) who is also in love with Miss Sympathy. Mixed in with all of this melodrama are the Minister's efforts to convert the Chaney character.
Chaney's makeup, as always, is astounding. He basically becomes his character and makes you believe that he IS Yen Sin. You just can't help but feel a little sorry for him. He minds his own business despite all of the pressures around him until the final reel when he reveals an unexpected turn of events.
I wish that more of Chaney's movies were available. He was and is one of the true greats of the silent screen.
helpful•72
- bsmith5552
- Jul 10, 2001
Details
- Runtime1 hour 10 minutes
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.33 : 1
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