User Reviews

Outside the Law marks the second time Todd Browning and Lon Chaney teamed together to make a film and it shows both of their great talents. Chaney was by no means a star when Outside the Law was made but he was considered the premiere character actor in Hollywood, and his turn as gangster "Black" Mike is one of his finest character driven roles.

Chaney's characters all ways had a quality of redemption or sadness to them that we as an audience could relate to. The villains like The Blackbird, Alonso the Armless, and Echo all had a soul that the audience could find and relate to and all though we didn't agree with their methods or actions we understood what made them tick. With "Black" Mike none of that is there. Chaney plays a villain that the audience despises. There is nothing even remotely worth liking in this character. Chaney is outstanding in this role. We need to remember that Outside the Law isn't Chaney's picture, Priscilla Deann is the star and Chaney is here to be an antagonist.

Priscilla Dean deserves great credit as well. She offers a terrific performance as Molly. We have to identify with her for the picture to work and she more than succeeds. Molly offers the different convictions to her character. She has to go from being a dislikeable villain to trying to find that conscience. Dean excels at portraying every end of the spectrum. I wish her transition from being a crook to a moral woman wasn't so fast because I would have liked to have seen what more Dean could have done with the thoughts and emotions of this character. I like her a great deal as the villainous crook. She is the one who wants to go through with the heist despite the fact Black Mike has set her up. Dean is very spunky and sexy as the crook but when she finds her morality hugging that child we see real tenderness. Ahe was a fine actress.

What I was most impressed with was the fact that both Chaney and Browning have essentially created a blueprint for the Cahney gangster films of the 30's. Outside the Law in it's visuals and in Chaney's performance is a 30's gangster film. I imagine the remake got lost in the shuffle but it looks as if this picture was truly ahead of it's time.

Here is what brings it down, the Chinatown subplot with Chang Low. It isn't needed whatsoever. The setting to the story is really irrelevant in the grand scheme of things and E. Alyn Warren is painfully unconvincing as an Asian wise man. Chaney gets the opportunity to try out his Asian make-up and it is impressive and very realistic. If Browning felt he absolutely had to have this aspect of the story, Chaney should have played Chang Low. In the long run, the morality and Confuscisim could have easily been substituted by Christianity and Chang Low could have been a Reverend or a Catholic priest. The boy's kite takes the form of a cross not a Daoist symbol.

Lon Chaney has been nicknamed "the man of 1000 faces" for his amazing ability to make himself look like so many different people. I have seen an awful lot of his films and am amazed at his makeup and characterizations--they were very impressive. However, at the same time, he played a couple of Asian roles where, frankly, he sucked. Perhaps for a White guy who doesn't look Asian he was pretty good in films like MR. WU and OUTSIDE THE LAW--but he still didn't look like a native! Fortunately in OUTSIDE THE LAW the film does not rely completely on this silly characterization. That's because although Chaney plays the part of 'Ah Wing' (a Chinese man), he also plays an evil gangster ('Black Mike')--and Black Mike is one of the major players in the film and Ah Wing is not. So, it's bad but the film doesn't hinge on the Ah Wing character.

The film is rather moralistic--beginning and ending with a quote supposedly from Confucius about enlightened leaders producing a Utopian society and all that. In other words, good politicians can somehow make society overcome its baser nature (something Freud and many others would probably not agree with).

As an illustration, you see the story of a gangster who is changing--giving up his evil ways. Yet, despite his new desire to do good, Black Mike is determined to destroy the man and his daughter. So, he tries to have the gangster framed for murdering a cop. Well, the plan isn't quite 100% perfect--the gangster is convicted of the crime he didn't commit but this enlightened legal system is fooled enough that he serves 8 months for being at the scene of the crime.

Here is the odd part. Despite this minor conviction, the gangster's daughter goes off the deep end. She joins forces with Black Mike to commit a jewel robbery and is now a hardened woman--presumably because of her father's wrongful conviction. So, we are asked to believe that a short sentence in prison causes this daughter to switch from the side of niceness to evil so quickly--not a particularly believable idea. Had they done the transition more slowly it would have worked more convincingly for me. What also isn't so convincing is how easy it was later in the film for the now evil lady to be turned towards niceness one again. She sure did seem fickle!! All this leads to a huge confrontation with Black Mike and there is certainly a lot more to this story. But, these are all things you'll need to find out for yourself.

Overall, while far from believable, the story is interesting and very well constructed for 1920. For lovers of silents, I'd give this film an 8. For the average shmoe, I'd score it a 6. Well worth watching--but just don't expect magic when it comes to seeing Ah Wing!

It's the perfect crime. The man of a thousand faces being outside the law. What could, go wrong with a movie, like that? Surprising, a lot! Directed by Tod Browning, this movie is under arrest, for being pretty mediocre. Made, during the height of Browning's alcoholism depression, and made before Lou Chaney's crowning achievement in 1923's The Hunchback of Notre Dame & 1925's The Phantom of the Opera, this movie, in my opinion, wasn't as good as their previous work in 1919's Wicked Darling. Don't get me wrong, it's not a horrible movie, at all. Honestly, I like that Outside the Law is considered to be one of the first psychologically driven films in the gangster genre. However, it also pretty forgettable to the point, that Browning had to remake it in 1930, just to make it, profitable. Outside the Law tells the story a gangster's daughter, Silky Moll AKA Molly Madden (Priscilla Dean), being forced back into a life of crime, after her reform mob-father, Silent Madden (Ralph Lewis) was put to jail, for a crime, he didn't commit. Driven by revenge, and with no money to support herself, she goes on a daring jewelry heist, against her father's rival, crime boss, Morgan Spencer (Melbourne MacDowell) and his henchman, Black Mike Sylva (Lon Chaney). She does all this, in order to marry the man, she loves, Dapper Bill Ballard (Wheeler Oakman), and start a new life with him. Can, Silky Moll, achieve her goal or will Black Mike Sylva gain the upper hand? Watch the movie to find out! Without spoiling the movie, too much, I found the plot to be, somewhat interesting, but really slow at parts. The film is also pretty jarring for its overall tone. One minute, the film is very violent with gunshots and blood being spill; the next minute, you got cute little kids and puppies trying to make warm the criminal's cold hearts. It really comes out of nowhere and never truly explain. It was so distracting. Every time, I saw the child on screen, I was left, wondering where is the kid's parents? Also, I was thinking, why does the little boy acted like the robbers, are his parents? How did this relationship, between the criminals and the neighbor kid, started? It's more confusing, than Confucius. There has to be, a different way to show, character arch than introducing a kid into the story, with little to no backstory. For a movie that preach a lot of Confucius teachings. It rather used, much of it. It wasn't really needed, whatsoever, in my opinion, since the movie would rather, put Christianity imagery, instead. A good example of this, was the scene where boy's kite takes the form of a cross in the shadows, rather than a Daoist symbol. It was pretty clear by that, that any of the Confucius subplot with Chang Lo (E. Alyn Warren) was going to take, an irrelevant backseat, to the main plot of the stolen jewels. Warren did alright with his limited screen time. He really looks the part, I have to say, but Lon Chaney as his Chinese henchman, Ah Wing wasn't that impressive with the make-up. The 'slant eye' effect with the over the top, buck tooth was a little too much for me, too handle. He looks very stereotypical offensive goofy, here, rather than looking convincing. He looks more realistic in 1922's Shadows, as a Chinese immigrant than he does as Ah Wing. Honestly, the whole Ah Wing character should had been cut from the film, as he rarely does anything to move the plot. Still, I do love that Outside the Law generally a very positive depiction of Chinese characters, compare to others films that portray them, as a Yellow Peril. While Chaney as Ah Wing was disappointing; Chaney as the villain, Black Mike Sylvia was not. You really get to see, how great, he was, at playing the bad guy. I love the murderous look on his eyes, and the sinister way, he smiles. Roles like this, are the reasons, why he regarded as one of the most versatile and powerful actors of early cinema. While, Lon Chaney might seem like the star; he wasn't. He barely in the film, much. Instead, the movie focus more on the acting chops of Priscilla Dean. While, her performance, might look upon as simplistic or campy to some, for me, she offer a terrific performance as Molly. I love her stubborn, but stern look. Remind me, so much of a young Drew Barrymore. Wheeler Oakman as Dapper Bill was also great. He has the characteristic of a young James Cagney in his prime. I really like his upbeat persona. For a silent film, the on screen intertitles used to narrate story points, wasn't really needed that much, during the action scenes. However, when there were some key dialogue scenes, the wording was way too short or vague. Some of the 1920s slangs words, used in the film, now, means different things. It was a bit jarring. For the most part, the film was pretty clear and visible, but there seem to be some obvious film damage during the climax of the movie, making it, somewhat barely watchable. I really hope, there is a copy of the film, that doesn't have this, but I doubt it. The visual quality of silent movies are often high of having film damaged, due to years of neglected. In addition, many prints may suffer from censorship cuts and missing frames and scenes, resulting in what may appear to be poor editing. This film has that. . Another problem is the lack of a film score. Very few film scores survive intact from the silent period. Sadly, the music that they often use, in these DVD copies, often, doesn't match, what is happening on screen. Overall: When it comes to a most wanted list of the greatest's Lou Chaney films. This movie isn't on my list, but it's still worth checking out.

OUTSIDE THE LAW, a very enjoyable, lively, suspenseful and occasionally funny (intentionally, I mean) crime melodrama about railroading, features Priscilla Dean, an average beauty with slightly objectionable nose, as the tough babe shortly detoured from her criminal endeavors by the Confucianist wisdom, and Lon Chaney doing two roles, and is of interest to those interested in silent thrillers and crime melodramas, Tod Browning, Mrs. Dean, or Chaney.

The bitchy Molly, played to the hilt by the enjoyable and piquant Mrs. Dean, seems the most interesting character in this movie.

Wheeler Oakman is mild, but interesting, with a good—guy modern look.

Chaney plays both the villain of the movie, and a Chinese servant. OUTSIDE THE LAW should be of interest not only to regular Chaney or Tod Browning _completists (two partially superposed crowds), but to any silent cinema fan; it looks like a very decent job, by an insufficiently honored maestro, Tod Browning, and also recommended by a handful of good performances.

Priscilla Dean was Universal's top female star of 1920 and was very much part of the Lon Chaney/Tod Browning team. She made nine features with Tod Browning as director, who knew how to showcase her unique personality, usually with her playing adventuresses and even thieves.

"Silent" Maddern (Ralph Lewis) and his daughter "Silky" Moll (Dean) are two shady characters slowly being reformed by wise Chang Lo but when Maddern is framed by Black Mike (Lon Chaney), "Silky" turns from the teachings of Lo and back to her lawless ways - just what Black Mike had hoped for. He plans to get her involved in a jewel robbery and double cross her but he hasn't counted on love - the love that "Dapper" Bill (Wheeler Oakman, Dean's husband at the time) has for "Silky". He informs her of the plans but rather than pull out she convinces Bill to help her pull a double cross.

Hiding out in "Knob Hill", Bill is going stir crazy and befriends the little boy down the hall where together they build a kite. The little boy (played by Stanley Goethals) brings about their redemption, well Bill's anyway as "Silky" finds the little boy very easy to resist!! The movie does get a bit bogged down in sentimentality (crying children, cute puppies) but fortunately Mike returns for some very realistic fight scenes at the close. Chaney was apparently given permission to play his part to the limit and his "Black Mike" character alternated between business like ruthlessness and uncontrollable violence best seen in the film's climatic gun battle, that escalated to fists and furniture. It was terribly realistic - even "Silky" Moll was in there throwing punches. She wasn't shy about drawing her gun either.

Chaney further enhanced his reputation by playing Ah Wing, a kind hearted student of Chang Lo's Confucious philosophy - conveying all his emotions with the movement of his eyes. Priscilla Dean really needs to be rediscovered - she had such an expressive face. In the scene where she is hugging the little boy (yes, she finally yields) her eyes express the whole range of emotions from unbending toughness to a dawning of maternal affection, all in the same take. Also look for Anna May Wong in a small uncredited bit with a group of girls.

Highly Recommended.

Lon Chaney continues to head the list of more-or-less silent movie players who continue to enjoy more than a modest degree of popularity today. Alpha have released two of his features, Outside the Law (1920) and The Trap (1922) on one DVD.

The first - aside from some decomposition at the climax of the last reel - is in absolutely immaculate condition and presents Lon in two roles: a ruthless thug and a Chinese servant.

Fascinating as Lon is, however, the principal male role is taken by Wheeler Oakman, of all people, who handles the part rather well. The star of the film, Priscilla Dean, is badly served by the wardrobe department, but is convincing none the less. Tod Browning has directed with a sure hand and manages to keep interest at a high level despite the slow-paced plot.

The Trap, on the other hand, is absolute rubbish, although it does present ever-reliable Alan Hale in a typical role as the heavy. Chaney himself obviously took advantage of weak director, Robert Thornby, to present the hammiest performance of his entire career. Although filmed on a miniscule budget, the original movie may have had some photographic appeal, thanks to the skills of Virgil Miller, but there's no way to tell in the surviving, extremely dupey 3/10 print.

While Lon Chaney was best remembered for Horror films, he actually made a lot more crime dramas. And this is among his best. Directed by Tod Browning, and teamed again with the incredibly talented Priscilla Dean, this becomes a very memorable film that seems to work as a sister movie to the trio's previous movie, The Wicked Darling. Browning's unique style packed with symbolism, Dean's balancing between a life of good or evil, and Chaney's sinister presence are all heavily in both movies. And while I personally prefer the first movie, this one is easily on par with it, and many could definitely enjoy it more, and I get why. Everything that made The Wicked Darling good seems amplified here, I just feel the earlier one has a bit more charm to it. Dean is downright gorgeous here, and once again succeeds in keeping up with Chaney's superb acting. And while many may expect Ah Wing to be the film's highlight due to Chaney's makeup status, I'm honestly more fascinated with his Black Mike character, the film's villain. Black Mike is cunning, charming, pure evil, possibly insane, and even swipes tips off the tables at restaurants! The fiend! And Chaney delivers with perfection. Sadly, a chunk of the film is in poor condition due to aging and being a lost film for a long time. And it's all during action sequences. While that is disappointing, it's also fortunate, as the film's plot is definitely the driving force, and missing it would certainly lessen the quality. I also have to give props to Stanley Goethals, the little boy in the movie. While his character's purpose is a bit forced, he does it incredibly well, and I just love his seemingly unbreakable hold that melts the hearts of criminals. Funny enough, he would do this move on Chaney a little later in The Trap. Any kid that can reform both Priscilla Dean and Lon Chaney is an unstoppable force. Too bad he's not around to give out hugs today.

--Wes Wall.

Anyway, every movie directed by Tod Browning and starring Lon Chaney were worth - and not worse !! - any movie. Even those not from Tod Browning were too. Lon Chaney was for me the best actor from the silent era, more than Rudolph Valentino who was just handsome, but his performance however were not at the scale of Chaney's. This one is unavoidable for those who like Lon Chaney. Here, as usual, he plays a downbeat character, he is not the pure positive hero in the American way. And the fight in the end is purely awesome in terms of editing. I was so amazed !!! Was this the result of a restore job or what? A true gem to be seen at once.