Forgotten movie stars - an occasional series: Anna, Nils

Anna May Wong (1905-1961)

The first Chinese-American movie star, a third-generation American, she managed to have a substantial acting career during a deeply racist time when the taboo against miscegenation meant that Caucasian actresses were cast as "Oriental" women in lead parts opposite Caucasian leading men (even Katharine Hepburn in DRAGON SEED in 1944!). The discrimination she faced in the domestic industry caused her to go to Europe for work in English and German films, as in PICCADILLY in 1929 or   Von Sternberg's SHANGHAI EXPRESS with Marlene Dietrich in 1932. One of her final roles was in Ross Hunter's PORTRAIT IN BLACK in 1960 and she was signed to play in Hunter's FLOWER DRUM SONG before her death. 

Her IMDB biography is fascinating showing the racism of the time when Asian women could not be cast opposite white actors or have leading roles in films. Anna should be a major discovery now.  http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0938923/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm

Nils Asther (1897-1981)

Nils was born in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1897 and raised in Malmö, Sweden. He moved to Hollywood in 1927, where his exotic looks landed him romantic roles with co-stars such as Garbo, Pola Negri and Joan Crawford, and his exotic Chinese warlord in THE  BITTER TEA OF GENERAL YEN with Barbara Stanwyck in 1933. Although his foreign accent was a hindrance in "talkies", his Hollywood career continued until 1934 when he was blacklisted for breaking a contract and went to Britain for four years. After his return to Hollywood in 1938, his career declined and by 1949 he was driving a truck. In 1958, he returned to Sweden, where he remained until his death, making occasional appearances in television and on stage. He was also unabashedly gay at a time when gays remained discreet about their sexual orientation so there was no public suggestion of impropriety.

Next: Charles Farrell, Ramon Novarro, Anton Walbrook - who may not be so forgotten ...

A discovery: The River, 1929

Frank Brorzage's THE RIVER, a lost silent from 1928/29, has turned out to be an unexpected treat. I only discovered it as two pals over at IMDB were discussing it the other week. 

As Daryl said: Borzge was "The master romanticist of the American cinema! He developed his distinctive romantic style during the silent period, when he became one of the most prominent and celebrated directors at the Fox Studio; though it exists only as a fragment, THE RIVER is one of his most sensual films, with an almost mystical emphasis on the physical connection between the protagonists (and Charles Farrell's nude swim remains enchanting). LILIOM is a gorgeous phantasmagoria: using the leftover sets from Murnau's SUNRISE, Borzage was able to create an entire universe for Molnar's theatrical conceit.,,,,,,  The Janet Gaynor-Charles Farrell partnership was the most celebrated of Fox movie couples, but both would be paired with others in an attempt to show their versatility". 

I now have four more Borzage's with them on order: STREET ANGEL, LUCKY STAR, LILIOM (which was turned into CAROUSEL) and 7TH HEAVEN. 

Borzage died aged 68 in 1962, I also like his MAN'S CASTLE from 1934 with Tracy and Loretta Young as the perfect Depression waif (see 1930s label); Stewart and Margaret Sullavan in THE MORTAL STORM, one of my favourite '40s films; Sullavan again in THREE COMRADES; Crawford and Gable in STRANGE CARGO, and his 1932 version of A FAREWELL TO ARMS was re-released here recently

In all Gaynor and Farrell did 12 films together between 1927 and 1934, yet he is almost forgotten today. Born in 1900 he lived until 1990, so practically all of the 20th century! He retired from movies apart from some television in the '50s (THE CHARLES FARRELL SHOW in 1956), married and moved to Palm Springs where he became mayor. It is interesting now discovering this attractive matinee idol of the late silents and early talkies. 

The 55 minutes that remains of THE RIVER is a marvellous treat now, with its stylised sets for that mining village in the Rockies, its cartoon villain with his pet crow, the deaf mute who saves the day, and the odd romance between innocent Allen John (Farrell) and the more wordlywise Rosalee (Mary Duncan) and that cabin by the river where she first sees him swimming naked ... he amusingly keeps missing the train (surely a model train set) to go to "the city" after sailing downriver on his homemade barge. Oh, those innocent days ... it reminded me of W C Fields' THE FATAL GLASS OF BEER, one of his great shorts which I have also ordered, so more on them, and the Borzage-Farrell films in due course.
Below: a perfect late '20s shot: Johnny Mack Brown, Flash (the dog) and Charles Farrell.