The Illustrious Prince (1919) : distribution, intrigue et streaming

Released in 1919, The Illustrious Prince is a drame and romance film directed by William Worthington, running about 50 minutes.

What it’s about. The Japanese Prince Maiyo is in London to avenge the death of his father who years earlier committed hara-kiri because he had been financially ruined by an English swindler. The Prince warns his friend, the Duke of Devenham, that the Count de la Mar is attempting to seduce the Duke's bored American wife, and then is told by his servant Soto that the Count is the man who killed his father. During a foggy night, the Count, planning to elope with the Duchess, is killed in a taxi with the sword that the Prince's father used to kill himself. Although the American sister of the Duke, Penelope Morse, who loves the Prince, pleads with him to leave before being arrested, he will not perform such a cowardly act. After Soto confesses murdering the Count because he wronged his daughter years ago, the Prince is freed, but because of the racial barrier, he bids a sad farewell to Penelope and leaves.

Who’s in it. The Illustrious Prince stars Sessue Hayakawa as Prince Maiyo, Mabel Ballin as Penelope Morse, Harry Lonsdale as The Duke of Devenham and Beverly Travers as The Duchess, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 8.0/10, The Illustrious Prince sits among the best-reviewed titles in the catalogue.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch The Illustrious Prince page.

If you liked it. Fans of The Illustrious Prince tend to enjoy Les Évadés, Le Parrain, La Liste de Schindler and Le Parrain, 2e partie.