This early Cecil B. DeMille film (credited only as producer) is interesting in the first place because of its use of editing and lighting. Although the camera is mostly static (with the notable exception of a long pan on the jury members in the trial scene), the rapid alternation of shots, from wide shots to close ups, allows a very dynamic narrative. Lighting is very expressive, in particular the use of shadows and chiaroscuro. The characters are a bit of a caricature: the frivolous woman, the greedy and gentleman-like stoke-broker, and the evil Japanese/Burmese, calculating and ruthless.
This film is also an example of early Hollywood anti-Japanese racism. There is one common point between the representation of black men in The Birth of a Nation and the Asian anti-hero of The Cheat: they are obsessed with the possession of white women. There was so much protest from the influential Japanese associations in America that a re-release of the film was done in 1918 with the change of a few inter-titles (this is the version of the hyper-link above). The villain who was initially a wealthy ivory merchant called Hishuru Tori, became the Burmese Haka Arakau. The date on the documents showed in the film (checks, newspaper) were also updated from 1915 to 1918. Apparently Hollywood didn't care what the Burmese thought.
This film is also an example of early Hollywood anti-Japanese racism. There is one common point between the representation of black men in The Birth of a Nation and the Asian anti-hero of The Cheat: they are obsessed with the possession of white women. There was so much protest from the influential Japanese associations in America that a re-release of the film was done in 1918 with the change of a few inter-titles (this is the version of the hyper-link above). The villain who was initially a wealthy ivory merchant called Hishuru Tori, became the Burmese Haka Arakau. The date on the documents showed in the film (checks, newspaper) were also updated from 1915 to 1918. Apparently Hollywood didn't care what the Burmese thought.