Silent Film Sources - Reviews

PRISCILLA DEAN in OUTSIDE THE LAW. A Tod Browning Production. Passed by the National Board of Review. Copyrighted 1921 by Universal Film M'f'g Co. 

Story by Tod Browning. Scenario by Tod Browning and Lucien Hubbard. Subtitles by Gardner Bradford. 

Photographed by William Fildew. Art Titles by Lewis Lipton & Fred Archer. Art Director E.E. Sheeley. 

Cast: PRISCILLA DEAN, Ralph Lewis, E.A. Warren, Lon Chaney, Wheeler Oakman, Stanley Goethals. 
 
 

redits. 

It begins with crime kingpin, Silent Madden (Ralph Lewis) and his daughter, "Silky Moll" reforming under the influence of Chang Low, a charismatic teacher of Confucianism. Bridling from ambition and jealousy, Madden's underling, Blackie Sylva frames Madden for the death of a policeman. Madden's imprisonment sways Molly away from Chang and back to the old gang. She joins Blackie and handsome "Dapper" Bill (Wheeler Oakman) in a society jewel robbery. Bill is smitten with Molly. He comes clean about Sylva's plan to doublecross and frame her during the robbery. They escape with the jewels, concealing themselves from both the police and their duplicitous partners. It ends with a pair of furious clashes after Sylva has tracked them down, climaxing with a battle royal at Chang Low's. 

Outside the Law generally belies Browning's reputation as a staid, uncinematic director. The action scenes are brutally and fluidly rendered. Otherwise, Outside takes place in hotel rooms, drawing rooms and police stations and relies on both strong performances by Dean and Chaney and the Universal Jewel production values to keep us interested. 

Outside the Law affords the fun of watching the gangster genre as it's taking shape. This is one of the first psychologically driven gangster stories. Molly re-enlists with Sylva's gang due to disillusionment with both Chang and her father whom she believes to be guilty. 

Browning also glamorizes crime using suave characters and attractive leads. He then does an about face, stumping for criminal rehabilitation with a sentimental pitch for domestic bliss between Bill and Molly. And don't forget the exertions of good Chang Low and the household religion. There's a mighty streak of Victorian sentiment running through this tough action picture. The old-fashioned charm of its hypocrisy gives Outside the Law much of its appeal today. This sounds patronizing, but contemporary gangster films with conventions we take for granted, such as Donnie Brasco, will be lucky to date so well. 

Chaney is in all of the toughest scenes. As Blackie, he is a grotesque with no assistance from makeup. Portraying criminal depravity, he strikes every note from craven obsequiousness to animalistic fury. His other character, Ah Wing functions mostly as an early showcase for his makeup skills. He is utterly convincing as a young Chinese man, although his tightly encased face doesn't permit much expression. 

The elaborate production values include Chung Low's finely detailed offices and a room with a view of San Francisco composed of glass-backed panoramic photos through which light was projected. If I hadn't read the new Browning biography, "Dark Carnival," I would have thought it had been shot on location. 

Be prepared for some lengthy nitrate decomposition in one of the last reels and spliciness at a crucial moment of the climactic shootout. This argues strongly for film preservation. The uncredited orchestral score is also evocative and entertaining. Kino on Video provides a handsome version of an important genre film. (Review © 1998 Christopher Clotworthy)