China Slaver
China Slaver is a 1929 American action film produced by Trinity Pictures. Directed by Frank Mattison and written by Cecil Hill and L. V. Jefferson based on a story by Calvin Holivey and Rupert Hughes, the film features a cast that includes Sôjin Kamiyama, Albert Valentino, Irisi Yamaoka, Ben Wilson, Jimmy Aubrey, and James Leong. The storyline involves a Chinese spy who is sent to infiltrate a remote island that is suspected to have become a hotbed of narcotics and white slavery under the rule of a tyrannical Chinese criminal. The film received generally lukewarm reviews from critics, although Sojin's performance in particular was praised.
China Slaver | |
---|---|
Directed by | Frank Mattison |
Screenplay by | Cecil Hill L. V. Jefferson |
Story by | Calvin Holivey Rupert Hughes |
Starring | Sôjin Kamiyama Albert Valentino Iris Yamaoka Ben Wilson Jimmy Aubrey James Leong |
Cinematography | Jules Cronjager |
Edited by | Minnie Steppler |
Distributed by | Trinity Pictures |
Release date |
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Country | United States |
Language | English |
Cast
- Sôjin Kamiyama as Ming Foy/Wing Foy/The Cobra
- Albert Valentino as Mark Conover
- Iris Yamaoka or Iris Shan[1] as Foo
- Ben Wilson as Sam Warren
- Jimmy Aubrey as Willie Kegg
- James Leong as Lee Mandarin
- Carl Theobald
- Robert Shaw
- Dick Sutherland
- Opal Baker
Production
The project was first announced in December 1928, after Albert Valentino announced his participation in the film alongside Sojin; Trinity Pictures acquired distribution rights, with the film's release date set at January 25, 1929.[2] Touting its noteworthy cast, the film was marketed as "the year's most exciting melodrama".[3]
Reception
A reviewer for Photoplay described China Slaver as a "rather ragged production attempting epical heights", but "handicapped by an overly-fantastic story and amateur direction." However, he also lauded Sojin for his "excellent" and "inscrutable" performance.[4]
References
- Kenneth Munden, ed. (1997). The American Film Institute Catalog of Motion Pictures Produced in the United States, Part 1. University of California Press. p. 125. ISBN 9780520209695.
- "(Untitled)". Democrat and Chronicle. December 2, 1928. p. 57.
- "The China Slaver". Reading Times. April 29, 1929. p. 9.
- "The China Slavers". Photoplay. April 1929. p. 114.
External links
- China Slaver at IMDb
- China Slaver at the TCM Movie Database