Hai-Tang, also known as Le Chemin du déshonneur (The Road to Dishonour) is a 1930 British-German drama film directed by Richard Eichberg and Jean Kemm and starring Anna May Wong, Marcel Vibert and Robert Ancelin.[1] It was made at Elstree Studios.
| Hai-Tang | |
|---|---|
 Swedish poster | |
| Le Chemin du déshonneur | |
| Directed by | Richard Eichberg Jean Kemm |
| Written by | Monckton Hoffe Pierre Maudru Ludwig Wolff |
| Produced by | Richard Eichberg |
| Starring | Anna May Wong Marcel Vibert Robert Ancelin |
| Cinematography | Heinrich Gärtner Bruno Mondi |
| Music by | Hans May |
Production companies | |
Release date |
|
Running time | 80 minutes |
| Countries | Germany United Kingdom |
| Language | French |
Multiple-language versions
editLike many other films of the early talkie era before dubbing became more widespread, the film was shot in multiple-language versions, each with a different cast. Three versions of the film were made so they could be screened throughout Europe and the colonial world, such as in Mozambique, Australia and South Africa.[2] This was Wong's first sound film billed as the star,[3][4][Note 1] and in all three versions she appeared as the female lead.
An English-language version (The Flame of Love/The Road to Dishonour) and a German-language version (Hai-Tang: Der Weg zur Schande) of the film were made with different casts[Note 2] except for Wong, who spoke her part in three different languages. The French-language version was sometimes referred to as L’Amour, maître des choses in French film magazines).[5] Confusingly, all three versions are often referred to simply as Hai-Tang.[6]
Synopsis
editIn the Russian Empire, a young officer and a powerful Grand Duke both fall in love with a Chinese woman.
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Cast
edit- Anna May Wong as Hai-Tang
- Marcel Vibert as Le grand duc
- Robert Ancelin as Boris Ivanoff
- Armand Lurville as Le colonel Mouraview
- Hélène Darly as Yvette
- François Viguier as Viguier
- Gaston Dupray as Pierre Baron, le chanteur
- Claire Roman
- Mona Goya
- Gaston Jacquet
Notes
edit- ^ Wong acted in one of several vignettes in the earlier 1930 musical film review Elstree Calling.
- ^ Ley On played Hai-Tang's brother Wang-Hu in all three versions.
References
editSources
edit- Chan, Anthony B. (2003). Perpetually Cool: The Many Lives of Anna May Wong (1905–1961). Lanham, MD: The Scarecrow Press. ISBN 0-8108-4789-2.
- Hodges, Graham Russell Gao (2004). Anna May Wong: From Laundryman's Daughter to Hollywood Legend (3rd ed.). Chicago: Chicago Review Press Incorporated. ISBN 978-1-64160-883-1.
- Lim, Shirley Jennifer (2019). Anna May Wong: Performing the Modern. Philadelphia: Temple University Press. ISBN 978-1-4399-1834-0.
- St. Pierre, Paul Matthew (2010). E.A. Dupont and his Contribution to British Film: Varieté, Moulin Rouge, Piccadilly, Atlantic, Two Worlds, Cape Forlorn. Fairleigh Dickinson University Press. ISBN 978-1611474336.
See also
editExternal links
edit- The Flame of Love/The Road to Dishonour at IMDb
- German version: Der Weg zur Schande at IMDb
- French version: Le Chemin du déshonneur at IMDb
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