The Forbidden City
About The Forbidden City
San San, a mandarin's daughter, secretly marries John Worden, an assistant secretary at the American consulate. While he is away, her father offers her to the emperor's harem. When officials learn she is pregnant, she is sentenced to death. In the later reels Norma Talmadge plays Toy, the grown daughter of that marriage, who goes to the Philippines looking for her father.
Cast & crew
More about The Forbidden City
Joseph M. Schenck produced and presented it. Mary Murillo wrote the scenario from a story by George Scarborough. Select Pictures distributed it. Filmed in August and early September 1917. Copyright LP13000, October 6, 1918.
Themes
Look
H. Lyman Broening and Edward Wynard shared the photography.
Preservation
A 35mm positive is at the Library of Congress. A 16mm reduction positive is in the EmGee holdings at the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum.
Notes
- Talmadge plays both San San and Toy. Thomas Meighan plays John Worden.
- E. Alyn Warren plays Wong Li. L. Rogers Lytton plays the emperor. Reid Hamilton plays Lieutenant Philip Halbert.
- AFI lists a general release of September 30, 1918, and a New York opening on October 6.
- Advertised as A Tale of a Forbidden City.
- H. Lyman Broening and Edward Wynard photographed it. Willard M. Rineck was technical director.
- Prints are at the Library of Congress and in the Niles Essanay Silent Film Museum's EmGee collection.
Scenes
- San San's father offers her to the emperor while Worden is away.
- Talmadge returns as Toy, searching the Philippines for her father.
Also available
- Internet Archive (THEFORBIDDENCITY1918NormaTalmadge)
- Library of Congress (35mm positive)
