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I have always been a fan of Lon Chaney, but I have never had the opportunity to see some of his early films. "Outside the Law", released in 1920 is one of his early gems.

Chaney at this time, had not yet achieved the stardom that he was to experience in a few short years. In this film, Chaney plays two supporting roles, that of a thug named "Black Mike" and a Chinese servant named Ah Wing. The hero and heroine are played by Priscilla Dean and Wheeler Oakman. I had not heard of Ms. Dean before this, but I can say that she gave an excellent performance. Oakman, who wound up in "B" westerns in the 30s, was good as well.

Chaney's characters are totally different and his makeup for the Ah Wing character is phenominal. It gives us a glimpse of kind of makeup artistry that we would experience in his future films.

The tape that I watched this film on was duplicated from a partially decomposed nitrate print, however most of the "bad film" is in the final reels but is still watchable.

In "Outside the Law", we can see the emergence of the genius that was Lon Chaney.

This is an awesome film, Lon Chaney is so creepy looking as the gangster 'Black Mike'. When Lon Chaney is on the screen you can't get your eyes off of him, his facial expressions and body gestures speak a thousand words. Not only was he brilliant as the gangster he also plays another role as a chinese servant, (a somewhat similar role he would reprise 2 years later in the film Shadows) the transformation is astonishing! Thats why he is called a man of a thousand faces!

The story is about Black Mike's attempt to frame an affluent citizen in a crime, and then have him turn against the law because of his time spent in jail as an innocent. Most of the story focuses on the man's daughter who turns to a life of crime by stealing some expensive jewelry. There is tons of swindling and double crossing in this film.

This Film Directed by 'Freaks' Director Todd Browning is a tense thriller that can still keep you riveted to your seat. It is most saddening that many of Lon Chaney's films are lost, the quality is pretty bad on this one with last reel being totally washed out. Something must be done to restore all of these films or we will loose an integral part of film history, and one of best actors ever!

Chinatown, San Francisco serves as the backdrop to this intriguing story of a couple of criminals, having stolen some jewels in a heist, holed up in an apartment building to stay low from the cops and another criminal they rooked named Black Mike. The woman, played with fiery intensity by a ravishing Priscilla Dean, and man, Dapper Bill played by Wheeler Oakman with some charisma, soon realize they want to go straight and make new lives for themselves. An older Oriental figure of some importance in the Chinatown community had been telling Molly, Dean's character, and her father that crime does not pay and lives can all be changed for the good. This influence and the kindness/understanding that goes with it, the love that develops between Molly and Bill, and a small child that wends his momentary ways into their hearts all help this transformation of character take place. Outside the Law is a really remarkable film for a number of reasons when you considered it was made in 1920! Director Tod Browning shows that he can direct. After all he learned under the master himself, D. W. Griffith. Browning paces the flow and action of the film very nicely and manages to create characters that are not just stereotypes but three-dimensional. The acting helps do this naturally as well as all of it is quite good, but make no mistake - acting honors go to the "Man of a Thousand Faces" Lon Chaney in an early screen role well before he and Browning were stars. Chaney is brilliant not only as the nefarious Black Mike - oozing oily charm, but also as Ah Wing, the Asian helper to the old Chinese friend of the Madden family. Chaney could have played both roles in a very stereotypical fashion and still be credible, but Chaney pours his heart into each and makes them truly believable. As Ah Wing he is also almost undetectable. As far as Chaney's very early features go, Outside the Law is currently my favorite.

Many people know Lon Chaney by his classics where he plays macabre characters whose faces and bodies are abnormally distorted. Little do they know a large majority of his roles were playing gangster-type baddies. In his second Tod Browning-directed movie, Dec. 1920's "Outside The Law," Chaney is a mobster who looks to frame a rival, Silent Madden, for murder. Madden's daughter, actress Priscilla Dean, is equally a tough cookie. When Chaney's plan becomes successful, Dean looks for revenge.

"Outside The Law" is cinema's first psychologically-driven gangster film where a main character undergoes a transformation and seeks redemption for her previous crimes. One of Chaney's associates, actor Wheeler Oakman, has fallen for Dean and tells her his boss is setting her up to take the blame for a jewelry heist. She foils Chaney's plans and her and Oakman hide out in a cramped apartment whiling away the time while they have the rocks. It's here, seeing a shadow of a crucifix on the floor, Dean realizes the error of her ways and decides to come clean. Of course, coming clean means fingering Chaney, setting off one one of the most chaotic shootout conclusions in cinema. This ending was so complex it took Browning and crew two weeks to film.

Dean was one of the most active actresses in silent movies. Her movie career began in 1911 and she appeared in dozens of films. She was one of those actresses who didn't make the successful transition to sound, ending her film career in a handful of low-budget productions after 1930. She was married to her counterpart in "Outside The Law," Wheeler Oakman at the time she made the film, but the two divorced in 1926.

Chaney in "Outside The Law" was not only the main gangster but also was made-up as a Chinese assistant, Ah Wing, to an influential Confucian scholar. This was the "Man of a Thousand Faces" actor's first time playing an Asian character. "Outside" came on the heels of Chaney's breakout movie released a few months earlier in August 1920 "The Penalty." Chaney plays a bitter legless man seeking revenge against a doctor for operating on him on a needless amputation during his youth.

Not a stab at the movie's quality but (as with many Lon Chaney vehicles) it's worth a watch mostly for his typically electrifying performance. He plays another tough as nails gangster bad guy called Black Mike (and has a secondary role as Ah Wing, Chinese sage Chang Low's assistant) but instead of merely fulfilling his genre role as antagonist and villain, he brings a level of malevolence that elevelates his character to a whole other kind of grotesque not far from horror territory.

As is true for other films that Chaney received second billing, he's mostly in the opening and closing 15 minutes which are packed with explosive action. The middle deals with the mandatory romance between protagonist Molly Maddoc (played by the sashy Priscilla Dean who steals scenes) and Black Mike's right hand man Bill who double crosses his boss out of remorse and love for miss Maddoc. They spend the middle act holed up in an apartment after a successful jewel robbery, hiding from cops and Black Mike alike.

All in all Outside the Law is not a masterpiece of any kind but fans of silent films and especially Lon Chaney will find enough to appreciate.

With a sometimes hard-to-follow storyline, "Outside the Law" begins with some observations from a famous Chinese philosopher. Confucius said, "If a country had none but good rulers for a hundred years, crime might be stamped out and the death penalty abolished." This view lives through the ages, and brings us to the present setting of filmmaker Tod Browning's crime drama, "On the crest of a yellow torrent" to "the Orient of America" in San Francisco's Chinatown. The poppy-smoked streets and alleys are a haven for crime, but trusty Chinese do-gooder E. Alyn Warren (as Chang Low) is attempting to reform underworld mastermind Ralph Lewis (as "Silent" Madden).

Elsewhere, forces are plotting against Mr. Lewis' reformation. Fearsome and vengeful Lon Chaney (as "Black Mike" Sylva) arranges for Lewis to be framed for killing a cop during a shoot-out. Nasty business. Next, Mr. Chaney plans to lure Lewis' strong-willed daughter Priscilla Dean (as Molly "Silky Moll" Madden) into participation in a jewel heist. But Chaney's sticky-fingered friend Wheeler Oakman (as "Dapper Bill" Ballard) decides to team-up with Ms. Dean and escape with the booty. As the film plays, we see Dean and Mr. Oakman as a possible romantic couple. Oakman develops a fatherly relationship with a "Kid Across the Hall" (Stanley Goethals). Confucius approves.

This is a nicely-produced film. The actors are much more natural that you might assume, with Mr. Browning's direction being an obviously positive factor. The problem is that the story, while a good one, unfolds in a confusing manner and seems to leave out details regarding the characters' relationships and motivations; we must make assumptions. "Yellow-face" watchers note Chaney also plays Mr. Warren's devoted servant; both men use the standard tape method to achieve their "slant eye" effect. There is some obvious film deterioration during the climax (making it look like a fire is also blazing!) but the film's basic integrity is intact; still photographs reveal beautiful detail.

Also note the words "you dirty rat!" often wrongly attributed to James Cagney are written herein for Chaney.

****** Outside the Law (12/26/20) Tod Browning ~ Priscilla Dean, Lon Chaney, Wheeler Oakman, Ralph Lewis

Silky Moll (Priscilla Dean) is a renowned thief and the daughter of gang boss Silent Madden (Ralph Lewis). They're friends with Chinatown businessman and personal counselor Chang Lo (E. Alyn Warren), who has convinced them both to go legit and leave their life of crime. Rival gangster Black Mike Sylva (Lon Chaney) needs Silky Moll's skills for a jewel heist, so he concocts a frame-up on her dad that drives the angry young woman back into the life. However, fellow criminal Dapper Bill Ballard (Wheeler Oakman) gives Silky the lowdown, and the two of them steal the jewels for themselves. They go into hiding until things cool down, during which time they both reflect on the life they've lived and what their future holds. Chaney also plays Ah Wing, the Chinese servant of Chang Lo. Also featuring Anna May Wong.

There's a lot to applaud here, and also some to lament. On the positive side, both Dean and Oakman are terrific. They were a real couple at the time, and they have genuine chemistry. Dean, in particular, gives one of the most nuanced, multi-layered performances by an actress that I have seen from this period in film. One thing that helps is Browning's use of close-ups, allowing the performers to emote more naturally. Chaney is of course terrific, but this brings up the issues I have with the movie.

The only version that survives is a re-release from several years after the original premiere, and a good chunk of footage had been edited out, namely the majority of the sub-plot featuring the Chinese characters Chang Lo and Ah Wing, and it's a real shame, too, since, although still being played by Caucasian actors in "yellow-face", the Chinese are treated with respect, and Confucian philosophy and its strength are keys to the plot. What remains of the film is very enjoyable, though, and the climax is a surprisingly violent, fast-edited powerhouse. Recommended.

It's always great to see Lon Chaney films. In this one he plays two roles, two men at opposite ends and although his screen time is limited, he rescues the film. This is the second collaboration of Chaney and Browning and there are already seeds of further and more elaborate collaborations. Although Tod Browning had assisted D.W. Griffith some four years prior in "Intolerance" there is precious little he picked up on camera movement. In fact the camera never moves at all in this film, and after a while it begins to "feel" like filmed theater with the camera nailed to the floor and not much more. In fact, the only film I can recollect in Browning's work is where the camera actually does move during the opening scenes of "Dracula". Then, the camera work is mesmerizing but apparently Browning dismissed the cameraman and that was that. This is a film for Lon Chaney fans who will not be disappointed.

Curtis Stotlar

Recently released Blu-Ray Kino Lorber "Outside the Law" (1920) starring Priscilla Dean, Wheeler Oakman, Lon Chaney, Sr. (in two rôles), E. Alyn Warren, Ralph Lewis, John George, Stanley Goethels, and others (including an uncredited Anna May Wong and two of her sisters), is standard fodder for early twentieth century stories about criminal activity in Chinatown, San Francisco, but this is played out in an exceptionally exciting manner. The fight at the end is one of the best fight scenes I've ever seen in any film. The 1926 re-release totally gets rid of this scene! This "restored" version of the 35mm original print is superb, though it possibly has a couple of minor little scenes missing or partly missing. Not sure about that, but it seemed so while I watched. I've watched this film three times before, first on VHS (twice), then once on DVD. Never has it looked as good to me as this version, which is very sharp and so clear until near the end where there is some serious nitrate deterioration. Of course the deterioration is disturbing, but none of the plot seems to be excised as a result, and we can follow it just fine. One thing which struck me very clearly this time was how much Priscilla Dean in this film reminded me of early Barbara Stanwyck. She even looked like her in some scenes. She really did a super job of portraying her part here. Wheeler Oakman was very good himself, as were all the others, but...Lon Chaney not only stole every scene he was in, he simply proved why many consider him the finest actor of all time on film. He's superb to the hilt. As "Black Mike", the evil gangster of the area, he's just as mean as mean can be. His face could be a monster of hatred when he so chose to make it one. But he also plays a foil in the guise of a Chinois servant named Ah Wing. Beautifully acted! This is highly recommended for any Chaney fan. Recommended otherwise, too; though, I will admit I found it disturbing three or four times when the intertitles wiggled and blurred, then wiggled back into place. Shouldn't have happened. Still, the picture itself never did, and it was exceptional in Blu-Ray.

Let's get this out of the way first and foremost: there are aspects of this movie that have NOT aged well. Language in even the very first intertitle to appear on-screen is wildly outdated and cringe-worthy. That two white actors, E. Alyn Warren and Lon Chaney, are cast as Chinese men in chief roles, and dressed with makeup to try to make them appear so, is simply appalling; one can raise the canard of "standards of the time" all they want, there were plenty of early filmmakers who didn't stoop to this low. This isn't to say that celebrated filmmaker Tod Browning should be discarded for falling into the same trap as many of his contemporaries, but it's certainly an asterisk on his output generally, and on this film specifically. It's not entirely wrong to say that watching becomes a matter of weighing the otherwise quality against such glaring, unfortunate distractions.

Thankfully, there is no small amount of value in 'Outside the law' if we can compartmentalize enough to see it. For one thing, while "Black Mike" is the clear villain of this story, there are welcome tinges of abolitionist sentiment in the telling, spotlighting the shortsightedness, cruelty, and uselessness of police and prisons. For another, as one might expect of the silent era at large and perhaps Browning's works in particular, the visual presentation is quite lovely. The production design, art direction, costume design, and (noted caveats and exceptions aside) hair and makeup are all utterly splendid and wonderfully fetching, readily inviting us to take a load off and indulge the cinematic fancy. The cast are terrific, with Priscilla Dean especially impressing in a performance of charming personality, poise, and nuance; as villainous Black Mike, Chaney absolutely demonstrates once more why even today he's so highly celebrated. Wheeler Oakman is less known to me, but he also gives a good show as "Dapper Bill Ballard"; others in small roles are just as swell. And for that matter, Browning's direction is reliably great in terms of orchestrating shots and scenes and guiding his cast.

On the other hand, I definitely take issue with parts of the screenplay, a facet which does also affect the characterizations and acting in some measure. Broadly speaking 'Outside the law' dabbles with a familiar narrative thrust of silent features: a girl who finds herself on The Wrong Side, and ultimately makes good while others around her of far seedier personage get their dues. Yet at times this rendition seems to at once both reduce the essential beats to their most basic elements, and also amplify them to such a degree that they become garish and heavy-handed. Above all, the abject ham-handedness of the unnamed "kid across the hall," and his use as a device for both the plot and character development, is plainly tiresome and flagrantly unconvincing, not to mention oafishly simplistic. Even for a period known to some extent as, well, "simpler entertainment for a simpler time," and recognizing different values of one hundred years past, this component just does not come off well. Factor in a cheeky visual ploy pounding on the same nail that The Kid already ruthlessly hammered in, and smartly worded intertitles describing the course of events that in another picture might be a source of minor delight instead seem to feed directly into the gawky, club-footed writing.

All these weaknesses are deeply unfortunate, for overall the tale is strong, compelling, and absorbing, despite easily recalling other titles. The exposition, rising action, climax, and ending are all pretty super, as far as I'm concerned, both on paper and in realization. It would have actually taken very little to improve 'Outside the law' and let it stand much taller - perhaps only two discrete elements, in fact. Firstly, the characters of Chang Low and Ah Wing are not so vital to the storytelling that they couldn't have been substituted with figures that DIDN'T mean putting two white actors in yellowface. Or hey, here's a novel thought, why not cast Chinese actors in Chinese roles? Secondly, "the kid across the hall" is a decidedly silly, gawky shortcut of a plot device, the inclusion of which represents in turn a sacrifice of meaningful, judicious storytelling and character development. The physical amount of film stock that was used to capture scenes with young Stanley Goethals could have been employed to illustrate some other story beat that served the same purpose without going so cheap and kitschy. Whether the inclusion as we see it was a dictum of studio executives or a reflection of lack of imagination on the part of Browning and his cowriters I don't know, but the end result suffers either way. It's frustrating that both of these faults could have been so easily remedied.

The bad news is that these flaws are, respectively, dismaying and insulting; by them alone is a picture brought low that might have otherwise been a must-see. The good news is that they do not wholly detract from the quality the feature otherwise represents, and neither is truly a focal point, so 'Outside the law' still remains something that's worth checking out if you come across it (albeit with notes). I'd love to say I like this more than I do, given the strength of the cast and crew, Browning's direction, and the general narrative thrust; that two issues that were so readily fixable are part of the final cut, however, drags down my opinion. I still appreciate this movie, but golly, I could have appreciated it more.

As a fan of Lon Chaney since childhood, I chanced upon this film but was rather disappointed. His characterisations in this case were good but Caucasian actors just cannot convince as Chinese characters. The plot was dense and contrived. Priscilla Dean did well and carried much of the impetus of the film. Chaney was not on screen enough and his crook persona was rather one-dimensional. This film needed sound and the music was totally unsuited, it sounded like a funeral march. There is no comparison with The Unholy Three or other Browning-Chaney collaborations which had an appealing subversive quality and real sense of the macabre that was totally lacking here.

I can't believe that this is the same movie that came out on DVD 20 years ago. So much has happened since then regarding the preservation and restoration of silent movies that this Blu-Ray looks like a completely different film. It's the same movie but the picture image is so much sharper and the previous defects (scratches, splices) have been cleaned up considerably. The last reel had suffered such severe nitrate decomposition as to be unwatchable. That's not the case now. The edges are still quite obvious but there is enough image in the center of the frame that you can clearly see what is going on. This is very important as the ending contains one of the most physical knockdown drag-out fights ever captured on film. An alternate ending from a later 16mm print which eliminates all that mayhem is included as a bonus extra.

The main reason OUTSIDE THE LAW is around today is that it marks an early collaboration between director Tod Browning and Lon Chaney but the movie was made as a starring vehicle for Priscilla Dean who was Universal's biggest star in 1921. She was a carryover from the late teens when how a woman acted was more important than how she looked. Priscilla would be considered too heavy by later standards (especially today's) but she was attractive, intelligent, and resourceful. No man was needed to save her as she could more than take care of herself. That was the principal theme in most of her movies as her characters were strong and independent although she usually fell in love at the end and wound up with the leading man.

The story is set in San Francisco's Chinatown and concerns a gangster and his feisty daughter (Dean) who are being reformed by a sympathetic Chinese philosopher who follows the teachings of Confucius. They cross paths with "Black Mike" Sylva (Chaney), a thoroughly despicable hoodlum who frames Dean's father forcing her to go "outside the law" in order to clear his name. They are aided by a young safecracker (Wheeler Oakman, Dean's real life husband) and the philosopher's Chinese servant (also Chaney) as they battle "Black Mike" and his gang leading to the climatic free-for-all. In addition to the performers, the movie is noteworthy today as a prototype for film noir with its dark lighting, interesting camera set-ups and tight editing.

The problem for a modern audience is that, even though they are sympathetic, the main Chinese characters are played by white actors which was standard practice for the day. The philosopher doesn't look Asian at all and Chaney's make-up, though remarkable, is strictly caricature with slant eyes and buck teeth. Personally it doesn't bother me as I always try to view old movies within the context and the time period of when they were made but there are many people today who would find it offensive. If you can get past that then what you have is a crackerjack crime film with a strong heroine, a vile villain, and a powerhouse ending. This is one of two Priscilla Dean Blu-Rays that have just been made available (the other is DRIFTING / WHITE TIGER) from Kino. Thanks to them and to Universal for making this unjustly forgotten star available once again...For more reviews visit The Capsule Critic.

No need to go into the plot of this movie. I will just comment of the realism of the fight scenes, clever cutting allows both Chaney roles to be seen in rapid succession; the opportunity, as in "Ace of Hearts" to get a glimpse of 1920 fashions, decor and motor vehicles. It was interesting to see a wall-mounted light switch, as opposed to a pull-string on the lamp. Scenes in Wong Low's store also feature a ceiling; previously I had been led to believe that this was not done until, I think "The Magnificent Ambersons" (Orson Welles). Finally, it struck me that the actor, Wheeler Oakman, occasionally bore a resemblance to James Cagney both in his looks and mannerisms.Oakman had been in films since 1912, when Cagney was 13 years old.

Todd Browning is definitely a big name in the early days of Hollywood, and this crime drama (I am somewhat hesitant to label it as film noir, seeing as that genre had not really been coined yet) is definitely one of the standouts in his career, and of course in the early days of Hollywood. And given how many silent films I have given a watch throughout the years, it is by no means a faint statement.

The cinematography, ever important in this style of filmmaking, is great, and so is the acting, providing a visual and facial sense that was always important, an art lost in time somewhat if you will.

The script is of course incredible, and it is truly one of Browning's best films.

Very much recommended for any lover of film!

Chaney is incredible in dual roles. You quickly realize that his characterizations are not just fancy make-up. He puts every fiber of his being into the roles.

The final fight scene/brawl lasts long enough to be in a Jackie Chan movie, and has a reality to it we no longer see in movies.

Outside the Law (1920)

** 1/2 (out of 4)

After her gangster father is framed and sent to jail, a young woman (Priscilla Dean) decides to take revenge and start stealing herself. This goes against the wise advice of Ah Woo, an Oriental wiseman and Black Mike Sylva (Lon Chaney) a gangster who framed her father. This Tod Browning directed gangster/moral tale has a brilliant start and finish but the big problem is the center section when the girl is hiding out with a man who she eventually falls in love with. During this middle section Ah Woo isn't in the picture nor is Chaney's Black Mike or Ah Wing, a second character he plays in the film. The moral section of the middle half lasts way too long and just isn't very interesting. The shootout at the start and end of the film are highly entertaining and look terrific. Chaney is good as Black Mike, although he's a tad bit better in The Penalty made a few years later.