Film
What's on at the cinema plus reviews of the latest movie and DVD releases
Bookmark this pageForfaiture (1937)
Director: Marcel L'Herbier
Movie review
From Time Out Film Guide
A remake, in another time, another place, of Cecil B DeMille's 1915 The Cheat (written by Hector Turnbull) with Hayakawa repeating his role of the wealthy Oriental who literally puts his brand on the fair-skinned heroine - evidently a deliciously horrifying moment for WASP audiences of the day. It would be instructive, if a bit tedious, to list all the alterations the story has undergone. It's essentially a matter of tone, with the fastidious, sophisticated L'Herbier about the polar opposite of full-steam-ahead DeMille. The most significant embellishments involve a private secretary played by Jouvet on a darkly enigmatic note which does much to deflect Turnbull's compendium of unexamined prejudices.Author: BBa
Cast & crew
Director: Marcel L'Herbier
Producer: Pierre Braunberger, Michel Salkind
Cast: Sessue Hayakawa, Lise Delamare, Louis Jouvet, Victor Francen, Sylvia Bataille full cast
Duration: 99 mins
Most popular on this site
Top Stories
Has David Cronenberg turned tame?
Has director David Cronenberg veered too far from his radical and bloody roots with new film 'A Dangerous Method'?
The 10 worst date movies
Just in time for Valentine's Day, we present ten of the least romantic films ever made
Where to watch this year's Oscar-nominated films
Find out where to watch 2012's Oscar-nominated films in London cinemas
10 unlikely badboy biopics
Featuring Phil Collins, Jeremy Clarkson, Nick Clegg, David Starkey and a host of other unlikely subjects
Interview: Sean Durkin on 'Martha Marcy May Marlene'
The first-time director of the brilliant new thriller discusses religious cults and robot boxing
Pop-up cinema for Valentine's Day
Side-step romantic clichés with some alternative Valentine’s viewing
What do you think?
Post your review now