Mr. Wu is a 1927 film directed by William Nigh.
No, it's not a Deadwood spinoff. Grandfather Wu (Lon Chaney), head of the rich, powerful House of Wu, hired an Anglo teacher in order to teach his grandson the ways of the West. A couple decades pass and the young grandson grows into adulthood as Mr. Wu (also played by Lon Chaney) who is even richer and more powerful than his grandfather. Mr. Wu marries, but his wife dies in childbirth after delivering a daughter, Nang Ping.
A couple more decades pass and Nang Ping is now a lovely young woman (Renee Adoree). Mr. Wu has, in accordance with custom, found a young man to join his daughter in an Arranged Marriage. What Wu does not know is that Nang Ping has fallen in love with a white man, an Englishman named Basil Gregory, and Basil has deflowered her. Basil asks Nang Ping to marry him, but when Mr. Wu finds out what has happened, he takes a terrible revenge.
Anna May Wong has a supporting role as Loo Song, Nang Ping's companion.
Tropes:
- Appeal to Tradition: After finding out his daughter is no longer a virgin Mr. Wu consults his ancient scrolls, which state that in such a case the daughter must be killed to save her soul. So he does it.
- Arranged Marriage: Grandfather Wu tells his grandson that "Your wife was born last week!" When Mr. Muir challenges Mr. Wu on the custom of arranged marriages, Mr. Wu asks if Western marriages are any more successful than Chinese.
- Death by Childbirth: Mr. Wu's wife dies after giving birth to Nang Ping.
- Defiled Forever: What Mr. Wu believes about his own daughter, which is why he kills her.
- Died Standing Up: Wu dies holding a large scimitar that props him up when his body crumples. Mr. Muir the tutor then strolls in, slaps Wu on the back, and is shocked to see Wu tumble to the ground.
- Discreet Drink Disposal: Basil's father Mr. Gregory does this with the tea at Wu's house, because he is a racist Jerkass.
- Face Death with Dignity: When Mr. Wu tells his daughter that he has to kill her, Nang Ping takes it quite calmly, saying "I am not afraid."
- Gory Discretion Shot: A curtain is drawn in front of the Wu family altar, as Wu stands over Nang Ping while holding a sword.
- Identical Grandson: Lon Chaney plays both Grandfather Wu and his grandson, protagonist Mr. Wu.
- A Minor Kidroduction: Mr. Wu is introduced in the opening scenes as a child in his grandfather's household, before a time skip of 20 years or so to him as a grown man played by Lon Chaney.
- Sadistic Choice: Wu offers Mrs. Gregory the following choice: either Wu has her son Basil killed, or he has her daughter Hilda raped and forced into prostitution.
- Secret Test of Character: Nang Ping tells Basil she's pregnant. He freaks out, but soon after comes back and asks her to marry him. She smiles and says it was a test to see if he's an "honorable gentleman".
- Shoot the Messenger: Wu promptly murders the nosy gardener who comes to him and tells him about Nang Ping and Basil.
- Take a Third Option: Rather than the Sadistic Choice Wu offers her to either kill one child or rape the other, Mrs. Gregory suggests that he kill her. When Wu refuses, she stabs him.
- Yellowface: As was typical of the day, white people in yellowface play the lead roles (Mr. Wu and Nang Ping), with actual Asians like Anna May Wong relegated to minor parts. It's a bit distracting when Renee Adoree in yellowface is in the same shot as Wong.
