Forfaiture (1937)
Directed by Marcel L'Herbier

Film Review

Forfaiture is a noteworthy remake of Cecil B DeMille's 1915 silent film The Cheat, with the majestic Sessue Hayakawa reprising the central male role.  Marcel L'Herbier's approach to filmmaking could hardly be further from DeMille's, and consequently this film is far darker, somewhat more atmospheric than the original, and with a noticeably greater emphasis on character.  As in many of L'Herbier's early films, there is striking a sense of scale, reflected in the grand palace interiors, the bustling Oriental street scenes and widespread use of location sequences, more than satisfying the public appetite for adventure-melodrama in exotic locations.  This contrasts with use of confined, under-lit shadowy interiors, which help to convey a sense of trauma and imprisonment, reflecting the increasingly desperate mood of the film's heroine.   Most memorable is the harrowing death sequence at the end of the film - a scene that is filmed with an almost visceral relish, and which still has the power to mesmerise and shock its audience.

Film Synopsis

As the engineer Pierre Moret devotes himself to working on a major road construction project in Mongolia, his wife Denise lends her support to charity work in the little town that has become her new home.  One day, the young woman allows herself to be lured  into a busy gambling den.  Here, carried away by the febrile atmosphere of the place, she begins placing a few bets, and in next to no time she has throw away all the money she has.  The shame of this discovery compels Denise to request a loan from the rich and powerful Prince Hu-Long.

Unbeknown to the French woman, the prince has fallen deeply in love with her and wants nothing more than to possess her.  Instead of a loan, he gives her a large sum of money as a gift.  Unwittingly, Denise gladly accepts the money, but when she realises her mistake she hastily tries to return it - too late.  By taking the money from the prince, she knows now that she has made herself his property.  There is only one way that Denise can free herself from this pact, and that is by killing the prince...