In the classic silent film The Cheat (1915), Sessue Hayakawa plays Tori, a successful Japanese fine arts dealer and ivory broker in New York, who attempts to seduce Edith, a flighty young “smart set” married society woman. In a scene that is shocking for its violence even today, during his attempted rape of Edith, Tori presses a red-hot iron brand onto her alabaster skin until it sizzles. The depiction of Tori's brutality and sexuality was enhanced by his subtle facial expression resembling a noh mask, the exotic Japanese decor of his private chambers that is the scene of the sexual assault, and the powerful chiaroscuro lighting of the scene. The Cheat was a hit in America and Europe and sensationalized Hayakawa's image as a sadist whose gentle demeanor and refined manners concealed his true character.
While the film accorded Hayakawa superstar status as the first non-Caucasian matinee idol in Hollywood,...
