I had never heard of The Dragon Painter and decided to watch it. I'm glad I did. It is a beautiful film, almost devoid of the clichés of silent-era acting (broad mannerisms, excessive mugging, etc) that make many silent films so comical to audiences today.
The lead actor is Sessue Hayakawa, who many film fans may remember as the Pirate Captain in the Disney version of Swiss Family Robinson or from Bridge on the River Kwai. Here he delivers a great performance as a "mad" artist that is at times comical and tragic.
The cinematography and art direction are wonderful, as is the soundtrack.
If I have one complaint it is that the inter-titles play too long on the screen. But this is a minor quibble.
A simple tale of madness, loss, redemption and ultimately love, I can't recommend this film highly enough.
