Though the well-known Hollywood film the cheat is a silent film, it skillfully tells a story about cheating and redemption with the perfect combination of music, lighting and exquisite acting.
Everybody cheated in some way. But the American couples, Edith and Richard, were redeemed in the end. Though Edith stole the fund from the charity, she confessed to the crime in the trial. Her husband, Richard, failed to be the protector of the family at first, took the blame in order to protect his wife’s reputation. However, the wealthy Oriental Tori is the exception in the story. He behaved himself like an upper-class white man with the delicate western suit, a high class sedan and his grand mansion, yet he always remained as the outsider. During the climax, he branded Edith’s shoulders with a Japanese sign to claim his ownership and attempted to coerce Edith into sexual relationship with him. His character as disruptive and deviant was obvious, leaving no chance for him to be redeemed. At the end of the trial, Edith and Richard were back to the normal life, yet Tori was the one that took the blame of the whole conflicts.
The Oriental Tori well represents the typical Asian characters in the early Hollywood films. No matter how difficult they try to assimilate with the mainstream American society, they are outsiders with threat and danger.
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