SONG

 

One of the books I've recently read is DAUGHTER OF THE DRAGON: Anna May Wong's Rendezvous With American History, written by Yunte Huang. It is a biography of the Chinese-American performer, but it also places her life and experiences in context with what was going on internationally at the time. 

The book inspired me to seek out some of Wong's lesser-known films. SONG, original title SCHMUTZIGES GELD (which translates as "Dirty Money") was a silent film made in Germany in 1928. Producer-Director Richard Eichberg enticed Wong to go to Europe by offering her a multi-picture contract. Already at this point in her career Anna May Wong realized her roles in Hollywood would be very limited, and SONG gave her a chance as the main star in a feature length film, and a trip abroad as well. 

SONG is a very heavy Weimar drama, with Wong as the title character, a homeless waif trying to survive in an unnamed Eastern port town (the location appears to be Istanbul). While walking on the beach one day, Song is attacked by a group of ruffians, and is saved by the burly Jack Houben (Heinrich George). Song is so taken by Jack's act that she follows him home to his ramshackle apartment. Houben is a morose man, down on his luck and harboring a dark secret involving his love for an acclaimed ballerina, Gloria Lee (Mary Kid). Houben also happens to be a professional knife-thrower, and he reluctantly allows Song to stay with him, and incorporates her into his act (the two perform at a seedy dive). Gloria Lee shows up at the port town on a world tour, and Houben's feelings for her come back stronger than ever. Now that he's a has-been, Houben is convinced more money will gain Gloria's favor, so he decides to participate in a train robbery. Jack winds up getting temporarily blinded in the scheme, and while recuperating, Song--who has been loyal to Jack all along--takes the extreme measure to pretend that she is Gloria just to make Jack happy. Song also gets a dancing act of her own, but she's still obsessed with Jack, while he is still obsessed with Gloria. 

I discovered SONG on a YouTube channel devoted to Anna May Wong. The print was in excellent condition, with English subtitles and an effective music score. (This version had the English title SHOW LIFE.) The movie is a great showcase for Wong--she gives a very moving and subtle performance, and Richard Eichberg gives her a number of dramatic close-ups. Wong's screen presence is more than evident here, and her acting is much more realistic and natural compared to the sometimes overwrought German players she interacts with. Heinrich George, who was the imposing workers foreman in METROPOLIS, makes Jack a very unappealing fellow, a brooding, distraught man who only has himself to blame for his situation. 

Unfortunately the character of Song, and her self-sacrificing and devoted nature, borders on the unbelievable at times. One can understand why the naive and uneducated Song would have feelings for Jack because he saved her from a vicious assault, but the man is not Price Charming. Jack is blustery, swarthy fellow who appears old enough to be Song's father, and he has brutal tendencies besides (he's also fond of drink). Jack is also absolutely devoted to Gloria Lee, his dream woman who is basically an upper-class snob. It appears that the main theme of SONG is the tragedy of unrequited love. No matter what Song feels for Jack, he doesn't properly appreciate her, and no matter what Jack feels for Gloria, she's never going to properly appreciate him. The result is a climax that deals Song an undeserved fate, a situation that happened way too many times to characters played by Anna May Wong onscreen. SONG may have given Anna May a true leading role, and it's a prime example of her talents, but she doesn't even get to kiss anyone, her character's needs are put aside for another's, and she doesn't get a happy ending. 

Despite its heavy-handedness, SONG is a well-made picture (Richard Eichberg had a co-production deal with British International Pictures, which I'm sure probably helped on the budget). Eichberg is quite effective in using close-ups to provide impact to emotional scenes, and he's quite good at establishing the surroundings that the characters are interacting in. 

The main thing one takes away from SONG is what a striking and talented actress Anna May Wong was, especially in silent roles. PICCADILLY is Wong's most famous silent performance (and rightly so), but SONG ranks very highly in her overall career. I do wish, though, that Wong had had the chance to have some fun and enjoy herself onscreen--heavy drama and tragedy are a constant thread in her movies, but she was much more capable than just playing mysterious, exotic, doomed women.