Her American Husband (1918)
Drama | 27 January 1918
The 1 Dec 1917 Motion Picture News announced that filming was in progress under the provisional title, Mr. Butterfly. The scenario was inspired by the 1898 short story, Madame Butterfly, by John Luther Long.
As stated in the 8 Dec 1917 Motion Picture News, location filming was expected to begin the following week in San Diego, CA, at the site of a Japanese garden. Meanwhile, at Ince-Triangle Studios in Culver City, CA, the costume department was reportedly “overworked” in its rush to create a wardrobe for the production. The 15 Dec 1917 Motion Picture News noted that sets were under construction to avoid interruptions in the schedule when the company returned. Among the more elaborate sets was an “Oriental palace” built inside a glass stage, according to the 29 Dec 1917 Moving Picture World. The article also stated that the garden in San Diego was undergoing renovations, requiring the company to move to a similar location in Sierra Madre, CA.
Although the cast featured several Japanese-American actors, the role of “Cherry Blossom” went to Caucasian actress Teddy Sampson, based on her portrayal of a Japanese maiden in The Fox Woman (1915, see entry).
The 5 Jan 1918 Moving Picture World announced that principal photography had been completed and editing was underway. As reported in the 12 Jan 1918 issues of Motion Picture News and Moving Picture World, the end of production was celebrated with a traditional Japanese dinner party hosted by cast members Thomas Kurihara, Jack ...
The 1 Dec 1917 Motion Picture News announced that filming was in progress under the provisional title, Mr. Butterfly. The scenario was inspired by the 1898 short story, Madame Butterfly, by John Luther Long.
As stated in the 8 Dec 1917 Motion Picture News, location filming was expected to begin the following week in San Diego, CA, at the site of a Japanese garden. Meanwhile, at Ince-Triangle Studios in Culver City, CA, the costume department was reportedly “overworked” in its rush to create a wardrobe for the production. The 15 Dec 1917 Motion Picture News noted that sets were under construction to avoid interruptions in the schedule when the company returned. Among the more elaborate sets was an “Oriental palace” built inside a glass stage, according to the 29 Dec 1917 Moving Picture World. The article also stated that the garden in San Diego was undergoing renovations, requiring the company to move to a similar location in Sierra Madre, CA.
Although the cast featured several Japanese-American actors, the role of “Cherry Blossom” went to Caucasian actress Teddy Sampson, based on her portrayal of a Japanese maiden in The Fox Woman (1915, see entry).
The 5 Jan 1918 Moving Picture World announced that principal photography had been completed and editing was underway. As reported in the 12 Jan 1918 issues of Motion Picture News and Moving Picture World, the end of production was celebrated with a traditional Japanese dinner party hosted by cast members Thomas Kurihara, Jack Abbe, and Misao Seki, all members of the Japanese Photoplay Association of Los Angeles. The event, held at an unidentified café, was attended by members of the cast and crew, along with actors Yukio Aoyama, Goro Kino, and Henry Ketani, among others.
Despite glowing reviews in the 25 Jan 1918 Var and Apr 1918 Photoplay, box-office reports in the 23 Mar 1918 Motion Picture News revealed that audience attendance was only average.
The National Film Preservation Board (NFPB) included this film on its list of Lost U.S. Silent Feature Films as of February 2021.
Herbert Franklyn, the son of a wealthy dealer of imported goods, refuses to curb his appetite for gaiety and women, forcing his fiancée, Miriam Faversham, to end their engagement. During the firm's annual trip to Japan, Herbert meets Cherry Blossom, whose father, Tokimasa, wishes her to marry a westerner. Despite her love for Kato Nakamura, Cherry Blossom obeys her father and departs for New Rochelle, NY, with her new husband. Soon after their arrival, Herbert resumes his old habits, neglecting his lonely bride. Kato has a vision of Cherry Blossom's unhappiness and arrives in the U.S. with Tokimasa, who strangles Herbert and later commits ...
Herbert Franklyn, the son of a wealthy dealer of imported goods, refuses to curb his appetite for gaiety and women, forcing his fiancée, Miriam Faversham, to end their engagement. During the firm's annual trip to Japan, Herbert meets Cherry Blossom, whose father, Tokimasa, wishes her to marry a westerner. Despite her love for Kato Nakamura, Cherry Blossom obeys her father and departs for New Rochelle, NY, with her new husband. Soon after their arrival, Herbert resumes his old habits, neglecting his lonely bride. Kato has a vision of Cherry Blossom's unhappiness and arrives in the U.S. with Tokimasa, who strangles Herbert and later commits suicide.
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