Sessue Hayakawa
Hishuru Tori (original release) / Haka Arakau (1918 re-release)
No subtitle track in this language
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Audience rating
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Synopsis
A society woman's spending exceeds the money her husband can provide. Responsible for a charitable fund, she faces temptation as her private debts grow. Her effort to protect status and appearance leads toward an agreement with consequences she cannot comfortably accept.
Cast
DirectorsCecil B. DeMille (uncredited)
Reception and legacy
Contemporary reviewers praised both Fanny Ward's performance and the lighting. The visual design's importance helps explain why the film is discussed as more than a sensational social melodrama.
Sources and availability
The synopsis and editorial text were written for this collection. The references below were cross-checked to identify the film and its copy; each editorial section identifies its reference.
Work catalogued as public domain in the United States.
The reference concerns the original work. Restorations, colorization, translations and other territories may have different conditions. This site uses the player enabled by the channel.
Availability checked on September 10, 2026.
Photograph credit
Photographs cropped, resized and optimized as WebP, displayed in monochrome.
- Sessue Hayakawa — Fred Hartsook · Public domain
- Fannie Ward — Unknown author · Public domain
- Jack Dean — Unknown photographer · Public domain
- James Neill — Theodore C. Marceau · Public domain
