18 of 19 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Masterpiece!, August 6, 1999
By A Customer
This review is from: Cheat [VHS] (VHS Tape)
I'd seen the name of Fannie Ward in the yellowing pages of several histories of Hollywood. In this brilliant masterpiece, she shows what phenomenal talent was available for silent movies back in l915. As Edith Hardy, she uncannily conveys the portrait of a shallow, striking, arrogant socialite (some historians argue that Ward didn't have to really stretch to create this character). Sesue Hayakawa matches her genius every step of the way as the sensual, mysterious Oriental boyfriend who believes in putting his white-hot brand on everything he possesses--even Fannie Ward, when she refuses to give him what he wants. The ravishing photography, sets, decor, styles make this a fascinating curio from Cecil B. DeMille. Reportedly, DeMille chose Fannie Ward as his star after studying her at a party where she was surrounded by swains, hypnotized by her beauty. Although well in her 40s when she made The Cheat, she created her own make-up which DeMille was horrified with but which came out on the screen to stunning effect. Curiously, Bette Davis based her character of "Fannie Trellis" on Fannie Ward in the tearjerker, "Mr. Skeffington" in l944. Producers denied this was so but Davis is supposed to have watched all of Fannie Ward's old movies, studying her mannerisms, her walk, her body language. Watching "The Cheat" and then "Mr. Skeffington" is a spellbinding treat. You see one true legendary beauty (whose list of lovers was extraordinary)and then see her transformation in the hands of a genius like Davis--and the effect is phenomenal. "The Cheat" should be watched by everyone fascinated by early movie-making. After nearly 85 years, "The Cheat" looks as fresh and striking as it did when it thrilled women still encased in corsets, huge frame hats, dresses which covered their ankles, from boondocks in the South to big cities like Chicago.
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4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
DeMille's Greed, December 9, 2005
This review is from: Cheat [VHS] (VHS Tape)
The Cheat is one of Cecil B. deMille's better films. It is about a greedy woman (Fannie Ward) who invests money from a Red Cross charity drive into a company that goes bust. Her husband (Jack Dean) has been working to raise funds for his money-hungry wife, but his investments don't pay off until it is too late for her. She goes to a friend (Sessue Hayakawa) who turns out to be less-than-amicable; he lends her the money under the condition that she become his property. He brands her with his seal, causing her to shoot him. Her husband comes to the rescue and takes the blame for her actions.
Sessue Hayakawa is appropriately sinister and aggressive; he is not likable.
Fannie Ward plays the greedy, innocently pretty wife. She is good at using subtle emotions fit for the movie screen but in times of crisis she gives way to the more stereotypical stage gestures silent films are known for.
Jack Dean is a sweet man, handsome enough and very likable. The audience sympathizes with him.
The print is average. There are plenty of artifacts that could have been fixed. However, the print does not hinder the scenery, especially the gorgeous shots of the Japanese garden.
This film is accompanied by a short called A Girl's Folly. There is no correlation between this short and the subject of The Cheat, but it is highly entertaining. A Girl's Folly is about filmmaking in the late teens. A girl stumbles upon a group making a film and mistakes them for the real thing, freaks out and ruins the film. Then she tries to become an actress. The title cards are fun and accompanied by cute pictures. This film is in better condition than The Cheat, but it has deteriorated a bit over time.
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