SONG (1928)

Special Features: U.S. Premiere of New 4K Restoration | Introduction by film historian Farran Smith Nehme | Live musical accompaniment by Makia Matsumura

[SCHMUTZIGES GELD]
Chinese-American actress Anna May Wong had to leave Hollywood and relocate to Europe to secure the leading roles she was so often denied at home. SONG (also released as SHOW LIFE) marks the first of her three collaborations with German director Richard Eichberg — a key turning point in her career. In this new digital restoration, the film reveals the richness of its visual storytelling. The dingy, cramped boarding houses and bars sharply contrast with the sleek, spacious nightclubs that overlook the city, underscoring the film’s commentary on class and social mobility. Wong plays Song, a homeless, drifting woman rescued from an assault by Jack (Heinrich George), a cabaret performer who brings her into his act as a knife-thrower. Though Song proves devoted, Jack remains fixated on a ballerina who has long since moved on to wealthier pastures. As he chases lost love and schemes for money, a series of complications — that would work only in a silent film — ultimately lead Jack to recognize Song’s quiet loyalty and strength. Wong delivers a beautifully nuanced performance, one that showcases the depth and emotional complexity she was rarely allowed to explore in Hollywood’s limited, stereotyped roles. SONG is both a moving melodrama and a testament to Anna May Wong’s talents as an international star. DIR/PROD Richard Eichberg; SCR Helen Gosewish, Adolph Lantz, from the novel “Dirty Money” by Karl Vollmöller. UK/Germany, 1928, b&w, 104 min. Silent with English intertitles. NOT RATED

Restored by Filmmuseum Düsseldorf.

Also part of the 2025 Silent Cinema Showcase.

Run Time: 104 Minutes

Opening Date: Sunday, November 09, 2025

Genre: Drama

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