China Slaver

China Slaver
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	January 25, 1929;
Country	United States
Language	English

China Slaver is a 1929 American pre-Code 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, Iris 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.

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

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

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[1] 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.

[2] "(Untitled)". Democrat and Chronicle. December 2, 1928. p. 57.

[3] "The China Slaver". Reading Times. April 29, 1929. p. 9.

[4] "The China Slavers". Photoplay. April 1929. p. 114.

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