''Bits of Life'' is a 1921

American American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United States of America ** American ancestry, pe ...

film produced and directed by

Marshall Neilan Marshall Ambrose "Mickey" Neilan (April 11, 1891 – October 27, 1958) was an American actor. Early life Born in San Bernardino, California, Neilan was known by most as "Mickey." Following the death of his father, the eleven-year-old Mickey N ...

. The cast included

Lon Chaney Leonidas Frank "Lon" Chaney (April 1, 1883 – August 26, 1930) was an American actor. He is regarded as one of the most versatile and powerful actors of cinema, renowned for his characterizations of tortured, often grotesque and affli ...

and

Noah Beery, Sr. Noah Nicholas Beery (January 17, 1882 – April 1, 1946) was an American actor who appeared in films from 1913 until his death in 1946. He was the older brother of Academy Award-winning actor Wallace Beery as well as the father of prominen ...

For her performance in this film,

Anna May Wong Wong Liu Tsong (January 3, 1905 – February 3, 1961), known professionally as Anna May Wong, was an American actress, considered the first Chinese-American movie star in Hollywood, as well as the first Chinese-American actress to gain intern ...

received her first screen credit. It is notable as an early

anthology film An anthology film (also known as an omnibus film, package film, or portmanteau film) is a single film consisting of several shorter films, each complete in itself and distinguished from the other, though frequently tied together by a single theme ...

, comprising four short stories: “The Bad Samaritan” by Thomas McMorrow, “The Man Who Heard Everything” by Walter Trumbull, “Hop” by Hugh Wiley, and “The Intrigue” by Marshall Neilan. The four stories were unrelated, shot with different casts, by different directors, and at different times. The poster called the format "The Magazine Idea brought to the screen". (Chaney only appeared in the "Hop" episode.) The film's tagline was "The Social World! The Underworld! and San Francisco's Chinatown!". Portions of the film were shot in San Francisco and at the Goldwyn Studios. The film premiered on Aug. 9, 1921 at the Raymond Theatre in Pasadena, California. Buster Keaton, Marshal Neilan and Charles Chaplin attended the premiere. The film went into general release on Sept. 26, 1921. ''Bits of Life'' is considered

lost Lost may refer to getting lost, or to: Geography *Lost, Aberdeenshire, a hamlet in Scotland * Lake Okeechobee Scenic Trail, or LOST, a hiking and cycling trail in Florida, US History *Abbreviation of lost work, any work which is known to have bee ...

. A still exists showing Chaney in his asian makeup, strangling

Plot

The film is an anthology composed of four stories: "The Bad Samaritan", "The Man Who Heard Everything", "Hop", and "The Intrigue".

The Bad Samaritan

After an abusive childhood, Tom Levitt (Rockliffe Fellows) becomes a criminal. He meets a friend who has just been released from prison, who asks to borrow some money to help him leave town. Tom steals a wallet from a local pickpocket and gives his friend the cash within it. Later, Tom overhears a sermon about "The Good Samaritan" from a street preacher and decides to do a good deed for someone himself. He comes upon a man who has just been mugged and helps the man report the incident to the police. One of the officers notices the stolen wallet in Tom's possession, and he is arrested and convicted of stealing it. "That's what I get for being a Good Samaritan", he reflects in his jail cell.

The Man Who Heard Everything

Ed Johnson is a deaf barber who is married and feels comfortable with his life, in spite of his affliction. Ed is given a device that allows him to hear normally, and he is initially overjoyed. But soon he hears things that his friends are saying about him behind his back, and even learns that his wife has been cheating on him. Ed smashes the device and returns to his world of silence.

Hop

Chin Gow's father rejoiced when he was born, for boys brought good luck, whereas girl babies bring only misery. Three of Chin's sisters had been thrown into the Canton river at birth, and this barbaric custom horrified the young boy. When Chin (Lon Chaney) reaches manhood, he moves to San Francisco where he opens a dozen opium dens. He falls in love with Toy Sing (Anna May Wong) and wins her hand in marriage only after tricking her into believing he has quit the opium trade. Returning from a long trip to New York, he learns that Toy Sing has given birth to a daughter in his absence. He nearly strangles his wife to death when he learns that she has given him a girl baby. He threatens to slay the child, but first he goes into the next room to calm himself down with some opium. A friend arrives with a crucifix sent by the local priest as a good luck symbol. The friend nails it to the wall with a long spike and is shocked to see blood dripping down the wall. Racing to the next room, they discover that Chin Gow in his opium-induced coma had been leaning against the wall, and the spike was driven into the back of his skull, killing him instantly.

The Intrigue

Reginald Vanderbrook (John Bowers) is on a yachting trip around the world when he meets a beautiful native girl on an island stopover. He follows her through the streets into a Hindu temple where some East Indian men call her "Princess". Suddenly a group of Hindus surround him and are about to kill him. But Reginald wakes up to find himself sitting in a dentist's chair, having a tooth pulled. The whole adventure turns out to be just a dream induced by anesthesia.

Cast

Wesley Barry Wesley Barry (August 10, 1907 – April 11, 1994) was an American actor, director, and producer. Barry began his career as a child actor in silent motion pictures and later became a producer and director of both film and television. As a direc ...

as Tom Levitt (as a child) *

Rockliffe Fellowes Rockliffe St. Patrick Fellowes (17 March 1884 – 28 January 1950),''Who Was Who on Screen'' c.1977 by Evelyn Mack Truitt..Retrieved 22 June 2018 was a Canadian actor born in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada. He starred in films such as '' Regenerat ...

as Tom Levitt (as an adult) *

as Chin Gow *

as Toy Sing, Chin Chow's Wife *

as Hindoo * John Bowers as Dentist's Patient * Teddy Sampson *

Dorothy Mackaill Dorothy Mackaill (March 4, 1903 – August 12, 1990) was a British-American actress, most active during the silent-film era and into the pre-Code era of the early 1930s. Early life Born in Sculcoates, Kingston upon Hull in 1903 (although she ...

Edythe Chapman Edythe Chapman (October 8, 1863 – October 15, 1948) was an American stage and silent film actress. Career Born in Rochester, New York, Chapman began her stage career as early as 1898 when she appeared in New York City in ''The Charity Bal ...

* Frederick Burton *

James Bradbury Jr. James Bradbury Jr. (October 5, 1894 – January 21, 1936) was an American character actor in supporting roles in films of the 1920s and 1930s. Biography The son of veteran character actor James Bradbury (1857–1940), New York-born Bradbury Jr ...

Tammany Young Tammany Young (September 9, 1886 – April 26, 1936) was an American stage and film actor. Early life Born in New York City, Young appeared on Broadway in ''The Front Page'' (1928) by Ben Hecht and ''The New Yorkers'' (1930) by Herbert Fields ...

Harriet Hammond Harriet Hammond (October 20, 1899 – September 23, 1991) was an American actress of the silent era. She appeared in more than 40 films between 1918 and 1930. Hammond, who was appearing in prominent roles in the Mack Sennett comedy feature ...

* James Neill * Scott Welsh * Harriet Richmond

Critics' Comments

"Director Marshal Neilan introduces a decided novelty to the screen in this film, made up of four short stories, all of which were too good to lose, but none of sufficient length to make a full feature in itself. Lon Chaney gives one of his wonderfully artistic character sketches as Chin Gow." ---Exhibitors Trade Review "HOP is the third number. In this, Lon Chaney does another of his remarkable character impersonations...The manner in which fate squares matters is novel and dramatic." ---Moving Picture World "Marshal Neilan has put over a real novelty in making a full-length feature out of a succession of detached stories, all of the utmost compactness and punch. Here are six reels of picture drama that fairly vibrate with action, suspense and surprise. Lon Chaney here plays another of those sensational roles of villainy." ---Variety "Certainly unworthy of Neilan, from whom we are entitled to expect more. People walked out literally by the dozens." ---Moving Picture World "Although without any particular cinematographic quality, all of the pictures are well made, like animated photographs, and the acting is above average. Lon Chaney as the Chinese of the third story gives a striking performance." ---The New York Times

References

External links

* * {{Marshall Neilan 1921 films 1921 drama films Silent American drama films American silent feature films American anthology films American black-and-white films Films directed by Marshall Neilan Films directed by James Flood First National Pictures films Lost American films 1921 lost films Lost drama films 1920s American films