Chinatown Nights (1929) User Reviews

A Good Movie that Requires Some Allowances to Be Made

[Uriah43 · 6/10 · 27 March 2022]

This film begins with a bored socialite named "Joan Fry" (Florence Vidor) deciding at the last minute to take a tour bus to Chinatown late at night. Along the way the bus happens to venture into a street war between two rival tongs and is temporarily blocked by a dead body. Upon getting out to take a closer look, Joan deliberately stays behind in order to satisfy her craving for excitement. Having done so, however, has put her into a difficult situation because there are no more taxis running this late at night. Recognizing the danger she is in, a white man by the name of "Chuck Riley" (Wallace Beery) forcibly carries her into his apartment where she will be safe for the night. It is then revealed that Chuck Riley just happens to be the leader of one of the most powerful tongs in Chinatown and his war with his rival "Boston Charley" (Warner Oland) is about to get extremely brutal. Not only that, but as she spends more time with Chuck Riley, she soon finds herself falling in love with him as well. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this film initially started out as a silent film but was converted into a "talkie" along the way. To that effect, there are clearly some scenes which have retained elements of the silent film version here and there. Along with that, from what I understand, some of the voices were dubbed over after the film was initially made and this is reflected by the rather poor audio. Likewise, the picture quality isn't that good either. But that's to be expected in an old movie like this. That being said, I believe that in order to enjoy this film the viewer will have to make certain allowances--as it clearly isn't up to today's standards. Be that as it may, I liked this film for the most part and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.

Wellman gives birth to talkies during tong war.

[arthursward · 8/10 · 16 July 2002]

Filming of Chinatown Nights as a silent was one-third completed when production was stopped to adapt it to sound. Four days later, dialogue had been written and filming resumed. In the Movietone version that survives, the retained silent sequences sometimes jarringly remind the viewer that the silent cinema was a totally different art form. Over-emoted scenes are dubbed and the result is risable. Indeed, Florence Vidor quit the talkies immediately upon the completion of principle photography and her dubbing is handled by an actress who manages to inject a tremmello into every syllable. However, when the new footage takes over, the film paces itself well. The love story plays true and the Chinese Theatre set piece is rousing. Wellman keeps the camera moving. If you enjoy seeing the birth of a new art form, then you might not mind the man with the megaphone's sloppy looping. His voice will still bark even when the cone goes to his side. And did I mention Warner Oland plays an evil Oriental? Recommended.

Wellman's Chinatown Rang True To Me!

[JohnHowardReid · 9/10 · 4 October 2011]

It came as a most agreeable surprise to discover (a) that the film is 100% talking; (b) that it has an engrossing, action-full, well-characterized story to tell; (c) that the acting – with the possible exception of Jack Oakie's turns (which are too small to worry about anyway) as a stuttering newsman – is thoroughly convincing from all concerned, particularly from Wallace Beery (who has a romantic role, would you believe, and handles it well!), Florence Vidor (seamlessly dubbed by Nella Walker), and Warner Oland; (d) that the fast-moving, atmospheric direction and photography are well up to the highest Wellman standards. Indeed, here is an unsung film noir that belongs in all the reference books and deserves a place in every noir fan's DVD library.

Slightly flawed, but wonderfully made transition film! Wellman did a fine job!

[mmipyle · 8/10 · 12 December 2020]

"Chinatown Nights" (1929) from its title sounds as if it's going to be an early "B" meller with grade "Z" actors and the host of Hollywood Chinese and Japanese who played extras in "yellow peril" films which proliferated between 1915-1940. Well, it is about tong wars, and it's certainly a meller, but this happens to be a transition film (between silent and sound) that comes with loads of baggage, was directed by William A. Wellman, stars Wallace Beery, Florence Vidor, and Warner Oland (with many others), began as a finished silent, was both re-shot in many parts and dubbed in most others, goat-glanded in a spot or two (very little remains of any of that), and ends up being photographically brilliant - an early film-noir is not incorrect - and not only quite watchable, but invitingly so - and, in the end, good movie-making! But, this will bulge out your eyeballs: Wallace Beery plays a romantic part, and not only does it well, it may be about the best Wallace Beery acting I've ever seen. He's tremendous! None of the eye mugging or voice tricks he uses ubiquitously in most of his talkies. None! He's actually quite clean looking, slimmer than usual, half-way good looking, well-groomed. Florence Vidor (who's always good looking, and here ravishingly dressed) works nearly as well, except in a few scenes that began with her acting the silent parts, but the sound was dubbed by Nella Walker when Vidor wouldn't come back and dub her scenes. (Sound like Louise Brooks a bit??!!) Vidor retired after making this film...okay... Warner Oland is a bit more jaunty than usual. Not until his voice jauntiness and jaunty words in the Chan movies is he this...jaunty...

The film begins on an incredulous note: the leader in Chinatown (USA) is a white man: Beery. Because of arranged hits - by both sides - Beery decides to even the score, this, while Oland is deciding to decide the score in his favor for good. Meanwhile, a very bored uptown girl, Vidor, comes to Chinatown to see how the other poor/wild/Chinese half lives. She comes as a murder is committed before her eyes, meets Beery, becomes more than intrigued, eventually falls in love with him, moves in with him (yes, this is a Pre-Code's Pre-Code and doesn't leave anything out!), sees she can't stay because "it'll never work out", gets let go (so to speak), becomes amazed that she can't go because she truly loves Beery, becomes disenchanted with the life Beery leads, gets thrown out, becomes almost a bum(messe?), tries to drink herself silly, becomes sick, nearly dies - but I won't let you know the ending. Suffice it to say the ending nearly seems tacked on. It's not a disappointment as much as it is...well, no, I won't say. You watch.

Beery is amazing in this film. Vidor's a pleasure to watch, though some of the dubbing is wobbly where she's dubbed. Oland is always fine. The rest of the cast, especially Jack McHugh who plays The Shadow, is really great. But why shouldn't it be? It includes Jack Oakie as a stuttering news-news-news-newspaper m-m-man, Tetsu Komai as Beery's watch-out guy, Richard Cramer, Willie Fung, Broderick O'Farrell, Bess Flowers (with a line or two!), and others who play flawlessly. One other thing shows up here: a lot of very violent scenes. One in particular is heartbreaking. None of the violence is grade "D" exploitation, either; it's very real and it's very much a part of the plot and it's strikingly well done.

A real find, not perfect, but a joy to watch anyway. If you're a Wellman fan, you'll see some precursors to things he did two years later in "The Public Enemy" and some things he'd already done in "Wings" a year or two previously. He has a very masculine directing style, and he's very sure of his direction and editing. It shows. Recommended!

Very Odd Movie

[januszlvii · 8/10 · 20 May 2020]

This is a movie you would expect to be better. Why? Directed by William Wellman and starring Wallace Beery, and David O. Selznick was a producer. My biggest complaint was the Chinese music it was extremely aggravating, I was not impressed with Florence Vidor ( Joan) either. She is not exactly Clara Bow ( who was at Paramount when this was made). The best one In the movie (by far)was Beery ( Chuck Riley). Riley is a gangster who despite being white runs Chinatown, and treats Joan ( like he did everyone else: badly). The funny thing is she is so devoted to him, he ends up falling for her. Riley has an Asian enemy named Boston Charley ( Warner Oland best known for playing Charlie Chan and Fu Manchu), and they are having a turf war. One thing about the movie is it was pre-code so movies like this can happen. What happens? Spoilers ahead: After Joan is taken ill, Chuck decides to quit the rackets and close his speakeasy. Then a doctor tells Chuck "If you care anything about her, you will take her out of here." Joan is able to survive and Chuck also survives ( I expected one of the two ( probably him) to die), and he decided to live in her world. Here is the oddest twist, Boston Charlie not only lives, but takes over all of the rackets. Again, that is something you never see. Something else you never see: Beery as a romantic lead. Usually, the only women you see him end up with are old and ugly women like Marie Dressler. While Florence Vidor is not Clara Bow in looks or acting ability, she did not look like Marie Dressler either. By the way, this movie can be found on YouTube, so if someone likes Beery or is a Wellman completist it should be a must see. Again a very odd movie I give 8/10 stars.