The Dragon Painter

The Dragon Painter is a 1919 English language silent romance drama film. It is based on the novel of the same name, written by Mary McNeil Fenollosa. It stars Sessue Hayakawa as a mentally disturbed young painter who believes that his fiance, Hayakawas wife Tsuru Aoki, is a princess who has been captured and turned into a dragon. It was directed by William Worthington and filmed in Yosemite Valley, Yosemite National Park, California, USA.

Tatsu Hayakawa is a young painter who lives within the mountains of Hakawa, Japan, doing a series of paintings and disposing of them upon completion, shouting to the gods to return his fiance, a princess whom he believed was turned into a dragon. Tatsu then heads to a nearby village, demanding some paper from the locals. His unusual behavior catches the attention of a man named Uchida Fujita, a friend of the famous painter Kano Indara Peil, Sr., who seeks someone to be Indaras prodigy as Indara has no son to be his heir and continue the family bloodline of paintings.One day, one of Tatsus discarded paintings comes into Uchidas possession. Amazed at the artwork, Uchida invites Tatsu to Tokyo, claiming that Indara knows the whereabouts of his lost princess. When Tatsu arrives, his wild behavior surprises Indara and causes a ruckus, until Indara presents the lost princess, whom he explains is in the form of his only daughter, Umeko Aoki. Tatsu demands Umekos hand in marriage, which Indara agrees, on the condition that Tatsu be his son and disciple to carry on the Indara name. ........

Source: Wikipedia