China Slaver


China Slaver is a 1929 American pre-Code action film produced by Trinity Pictures. Directed by Frank Mattison and written by Cecil Hill and L. V. Jefferson based on a story by Calvin Holivey and Rupert Hughes, the film features a cast that includes Sôjin Kamiyama, Albert Valentino, Iris Yamaoka, Ben Wilson, Jimmy Aubrey, and James Leong. The storyline involves a Chinese spy who is sent to infiltrate a remote island that is suspected to have become a hotbed of narcotics and white slavery under the rule of a tyrannical Chinese criminal. The film received generally lukewarm reviews from critics, although Sojin's performance in particular was praised.

Cast

Production

The project was first announced in December 1928, after Albert Valentino announced his participation in the film alongside Sojin; Trinity Pictures acquired distribution rights, with the film's release date set at January 25, 1929. Touting its noteworthy cast, the film was marketed as "the year's most exciting melodrama".

Reception

A reviewer for Photoplay described China Slaver as a "rather ragged production attempting epical heights", but "handicapped by an overly-fantastic story and amateur direction." However, he also lauded Sojin for his "excellent" and "inscrutable" performance.