The Toll of the Sea | 1922 | Drama

Title: The Toll of the Sea | 1922 | Drama Director: Chester M. Franklin Studio: Technicolor Motion Picture Corporation / Metro Pictures Corporation Starring: Anna May Wong, Kenneth Harlan, Beatrice Bentley Based on: Original screenplay by Frances Marion Release Date: November 26 1922 (premiere); general release January 22 1923 Runtime: Approximately 53 minutes Format: Silent black and white / early two-strip Technicolor sequences Country: United States Language: Silent with English intertitles Genres: Drama Romance --- Chapters: 00:00:00 Lotus Flower on the shore 00:10:00 Rescue of the American sailor 00:20:00 Blossoming romance 00:30:00 Marriage and promises 00:40:00 Return to the United States 00:50:00 Abandonment and emotional toll --- Summary: The Toll of the Sea is a 1922 American silent drama notable as one of the earliest Hollywood features filmed in two-strip Technicolor. The story follows Lotus Flower, a young Chinese woman who rescues an American sailor and marries him according to local custom. After he returns to the United States without her, Lotus Flower waits faithfully, raising their son and enduring social pressure and heartbreak. The narrative explores themes of love, cultural conflict, and the emotional cost of broken promises. --- Background: Directed by Chester M. Franklin and written by Frances Marion, The Toll of the Sea was the second Technicolor feature ever made and the first color motion picture widely shown without requiring special projection equipment. The film marked Anna May Wong’s first leading role, helping establish her career in Hollywood. --- Trivia: The film was one of the earliest color features produced in Hollywood using an early Technicolor process. Anna May Wong’s performance as Lotus Flower was her first leading role and gained critical attention. The Toll of the Sea was restored by the UCLA Film and Television Archive, though the final two reels originally shot in Technicolor were missing and later recreated. The story is a variation on *Madame Butterfly*, set in China rather than Japan, emphasizing cross-cultural romance and tragedy. --- Public Domain / Rights: Original Release: November 26 1922 / January 22 1923 Original Studio / Distributor: Technicolor Motion Picture Corporation / Metro Pictures Corporation Copyright Status: Public Domain Renewal: Unknown --- Hashtags: #TheTollOfTheSea #AnnaMayWong #Technicolor #1922Film #SilentDrama #ClassicCinema #PublicDomain