WHERE EAST IS EAST (1929)
Article #244 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing date: 11-15-2001
Posting date: 3-31-2002

A trapper of wild animals for circuses discovers his daughter loves the son of one of his customers. However, the son meets the girl’s mother (who has been estranged from the trapper for years), who tries to steal him away. The trapper does all he can to prevent this from happening.

The book that I am currently using to create my viewing list contains a few listings that really don’t belong to the realm of fantastic cinema, but I’ve decided to retain those listings in my viewing system, if for no other reason than to explore a little the criteria for placing movies in a particular category. This exotic (it takes place in Indochina) soap opera/melodrama ends up in the horror movie classification for only two reasons that I can make out; the presence of Lon Chaney as the trapper (in another fine performance; I especially like the scenes with his daughter), and the existence of a gorilla that comes into play in the final act of the drama (though it is disappointing seeing Browning once again relying on a big ape for his deus ex machina just a few years after THE UNHOLY THREE). It’s not bad for what it is, but if you’re expecting a horror movie, you’ll be disappointed.