CARMEN/CHEAT (DVD) DOLBY DIGITAL STEREO DVD

Carmen
Even though Paramount already had a production of Carmen in the works, producer William Fox forged right ahead with his own, starring Theda Bara as the hot-blooded cigarette girl. Fox risked having his film pale in comparison to the other, which had Cecil B. DeMille directing, and opera diva Geraldine Farrar in her screen debut. But he brought in the talented Raoul Walsh to direct and spared no expense when it came to the lavish sets, so his picture pretty much ran neck in neck with Paramount's (with the exception of Bara's performance -- Farrar, who played the role on stage, did better work). Fox's Carmen sticks closer to the Prosper Merimee novel than Paramount's, which relied strongly on the Bizet opera (for obvious reasons). The story here includes Michaela, Don Jose's first love (Elsie MacLeod). But the story is basically the same, no matter the source -Carmen gets into a brawl with another girl at the cigarette factory (Fay Tunis -- this was her only acting credit) and is put under arrest. But her captor, Don Jose (Swedish actor Einar Linden in his first American film), falls in love with her and lets her go, bringing disgrace down on himself. Carmen runs off and joins some Gypsies and finds another lover, bullfighter Escamillo (Carl Harbaugh). Don Jose is furious at being cast aside so callously and stabs Carmen to death outside the bullring. According to Variety's review, Fox's Carmen "just misses being a masterpiece." We'll have to take the critic's word for it, as the film apparently no longer exists. ~ Janiss Garza, All Movie Guide

The Cheat
The Cheat was the picture that "made" the reputation of director Cecil B. DeMille. Broadway star Fannie Ward plays an irresponsible socialite who uses the charity funds entrusted to her to play the stock market. When she loses the money, Ward is afraid to tell her husband Jack Dean, so she arranges to borrow $10,000 from wealthy oriental Sessue Hayakawa. It is understood that, in exchange for the loan, Ward will surrender herself sexually to Hayakawa. When her husband gives her a gift of $10,000, Ward tries to call off her deal with Hayakawa, but the enraged oriental calls her a cheat; wrestling her to the floor, he brands the woman with a symbol signifying that she belongs to him. She responds to this humiliation by shooting Hayakawa. Ward's loyal husband takes responsibility for the shooting, standing trial on an assault charge. To save her husband, Ward confesses all in court, displaying the brand mark on her shoulder. Logically, Ward should now be charged with the crime, but this is 1915: the all-white courtroom spectators pounce upon Hayakawa, nearly killing the poor fellow, and Ward and her husband are exonerated. Depending upon where this film was shown, Sessue Hayakawa's character was either Japanese or Burmese: either way, he was regarded as the villain of the piece almost solely on the basis of his race. Interestingly, Hayakawa was elevated to stardom on the basis of The Cheat, permitting him to play far more sympathetic characters in the future. As mentioned, The Cheat also served as the breakthrough film for Cecil B. DeMille: critics of the time fell over themselves praising DeMille's creative use of low-key lighting and shadow effects to artistically convey his melodramatic yarn. Though The Cheat was remade several times, the 1915 DeMille film remains the definitive version. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

The Burlesque on Carmen
Burlesque on Carmen was intended by Charlie Chaplin to be a two-reel film, but to his annoyance additional material, shot by Leo White and featuring Ben Turpin, was added for its release after Chaplin left Essanay. It is a parody of two contemporary films based on Bizet's opera, by Cecil B. De Mille (starring opera star Geraldine Farrar) and Raoul Walsh (starring vamp Theda Bara). Chaplin plays Darn Hosiery (Don Jose) the Corporal of the Guard who is seduced by Carmen (engagingly played by Edna Purviance) so that Gypsy smugglers can get their swag through the city gates. His chief rivals for Carmen's affections are Escamillo, the Toreador and a fellow soldier of the guard, Leo White. The interjection of the Turpin sections and the use of outtakes of the Chaplin material makes the plot rather murky. Don Jose is charmed by Carmen and ignores his military duties. He allows the smugglers to enter the city gates but other guards, alerted by his rival White, give chase. Later, as the guards and gypsies struggle at a village gate, Don Jose gets into a duel for Carmen's attentions with White, during which Don Jose engages in some Chaplinesque fencing and wrestling, but aided by Carmen he kills White. Realizing the depth of his deed he pursues Carmen who has taken off out a window. He catches up with her, but the Toreador interrupts his accusations and takes Carmen away. Sometime later they are seen arriving at the bull ring. Don Jose catches up with Carmen and, playing it perfectly straight, he chillingly accuses her of infidelity and when she mocks his love, he stabs her and then himself. They are discovered by the Toreador, but Don Jose revives, mule kicks Escamillo back into the arena and picks up Carmen who also comes back to life. Looking into the camera, they smilingly show the audience the collapsible knife as the camera irises in. ~ Phil Posner, All Movie Guide

Cast Charles Chaplin as Darn Hosiery Edna Purviance as Carmen John Rand as Escamillo, the toreador Ben Turpin as Remendado, a sumggler Leo White as Officer of the Guard Jack Henderson as Lilas Pastia Wesley Ruggles as Vagabond May White as Frasquita Bud Jamison as Soldier Lawrence A. Bowes as Gypsy Frank J. Coleman as Guard

Crew Ernest Van Pelt - First Assistant Director Charles Chaplin - Director Harry Ensign - Cinematographer Jesse Robbins - Producer Charles Chaplin - Screenwriter Georges Bizet - From Opera by Ernest Van Pelt - First Assistant Director Charles Chaplin - Director Harry Ensign - Cinematographer Jesse Robbins - Producer Charles Chaplin - Screenwriter Georges Bizet - From Opera by Ernest Van Pelt - First Assistant Director Charles Chaplin - Director Harry Ensign - Cinematographer Jesse Robbins - Producer Charles Chaplin - Screenwriter Georges Bizet - From Opera by

Carmen
(not reviewed)
 

The Cheat
One of the key films from Cecil B. DeMille's silent period, The Cheat was a sensation at the time of its initial release and secured Sessue Hayakawa's status as a major star of the day. It almost goes without saying that a 1915 movie about a Japanese man attempting to possess a wealthy white woman is bound to touch upon some thorny racial issues and have its share of cringe-inducing scenes. But aside from the horror of the branding scene and the hysteria of the climactic courtroom riot, DeMille is more interested in pure melodrama, and few filmmakers in the history of the movies have been so skilled at making melodrama so entertaining. A major reason for the film's effectiveness is the performance of Hayakawa as the villain Tori. While the other actors, especially Fannie Ward, are busy emoting, Hayakawa displays a tremendous subtlety not often seen in films of that period. He often reduces his performance to nuanced body language and eye movement, but it is with those little touches that he gets across more than the rest of the cast combined. At this early stage DeMille was already displaying considerable talent, and the branding scene is a particularly powerful moment in what must have been shocking to audiences of the day. It is also worth noting that the Japanese government was so offended by the film that upon its re-release during World War I (when Japan was a U.S. ally), Tori's name was changed to Haka Arakau and his nationality became Burmese. ~ Bob Mastrangelo, All Movie Guide
 

The Burlesque on Carmen
(not reviewed)
 

The Cheat - Film Awards: Library of Congress, U.S. National Film Registry (winner) Telluride Film Festival, Film Presented (nominated)

General Specifications: Language Options: English Subtitle Options: Sound Processing: 2: PCM stereo Additional Features: Bonus feature DVD Aspect Ratio: 1.33:1: Pre-1954 Standard MPAA Rating: NR DVD Discs Included: 1 DVD Sides: 1 DVD DVD Region Code: 1 Content Length: 147 min   DVD Chapters: Carmen 0. Carmen 0. Chapters 1. The Cheat [4:30] 2. A Marital Spat [7:48] 3. Playing The Market [15:56] 4. The Red Cross Ball [10:09] 5. Money To Burn [4:29] 6. The Cheat [3:56] 7. With The Morning Light [9:37] 8. The Trial [:46] The Cheat 0. The Cheat 0. Chapters 1. Carmen [7:46] 2. The Smuggler's Camp [3:59] 3. Sunset-and Carmen Smiles [5:05] 4. The Following Day [10:21] 5. Playing The Fool [4:15] 6. The Message Of The Cards [9:45] 7. In Seville [7:47] 8. End Credits [4:46] Bonus Feature starring Charlie Chaplin: Burlesque on "Carmen" 0. Bonus Feature starring Charlie Chaplin: Burlesque on "Carmen" 0. Chapters 1. Burlesque On "carmen" [2:32] 2. Carmen, The Gypsy [3:40] 3. Under The Tavern Lights [6:58] 4. A Tempting Diversion [5:10] 5. The Following Day [8:30] 6. Near The Bullring At Seville [4:32]