The Flame Of Love

Also known as Hai Tang, The Flame Of Love was the first talkie for Chinese-American screen legend Anna May Wong. The film, despite excellent performances by all the lead cast, turns out to be somewhat of a flickering flame courtesy of too many musical interludes and wooden dialogue more suited to a stage performance.

Anna May Wong plays Hai Tang, an exotic performer and dancer in pre-revolution Russia. She and the dashing Lieutenant Boris Boriskoff (John Longden) are secretly and deeply in love, though unfortunately the jealous and scheming Yvette (Mona Goya), who too has set her eyes on Boris, tries every trick in the book to ruin the romance. Even more unfortunately, the film was made during a time when Hollywood’s proscription of love scenes between Asian and Caucasian actors not only deprived the talented Wong of leading roles, but also of on-screen kissing with her film partner… thus the strong love between Hai Tang and Lieutenant Boris appears to be less strong as the two never actually kiss but have to make do with looking deep into each others eyes.

That aside, and offering musical numbers that only serve to distract from the unfolding drama instead of emphasising it, the film is on a fine pace, and Wong’s exquisite dance routines are simply enchanting. Trouble arrives when the pompous Russian Grand Duke (Georg H. Schnell) witnesses one of Wong’s performances and fancies her for dessert so to speak. Not knowing that Boris and Hai Tang are lovers, he orders the young lieutenant, who is his senior officer, to bring Hai Tang to his quarters. Boris reluctantly obeys, and Hai Tang accepts the invite to avoid bringing her lover into trouble with his superior. After too much drink, however, the old lecher, who at first behaves in a gentleman-like manner, tries to seduce Hai Tang. Her servant Wang Hu (Lay On), who happens to be her brother, defends his sister by shooting at the Grand Duke. Despite not wounding him mortally, Wang Hu gets arrested and is sentenced to death. In despair, Boris hatches a plan to flee with her, but the Grand Duke has other plans. He now knows that the two are lovers, and he promises to pardon Wang Hu’s life if she submits to be seduced by the Grand Duke, and further promises to leave Russia for good and never see Boris again. Forced to make a decision, Hai Tang decides to save her brother’s life, but her decision has tragic consequences…

Flame of Love is presented here in a brand-new transfer from the original film elements, in its as-exhibited theatrical aspect ratio. Special features include Image Gallery and Instant Play facility.