The Cheat is a 1915 American silent drama film directed by Cecil B. DeMille.
Edith Hardy, a spoiled socialite, finds herself in a desperate situation when her husband’s investments go south. Desperate for money, she embezzles funds from the Red Cross to gamble on a friend’s advice. When the gamble fails, she turns to a wealthy and mysterious businessman, Hishuru Tori, for a loan, agreeing to a terrible price. Her world unravels as she’s forced to confront the consequences of her actions, leading to a dramatic courtroom climax where the truth is finally revealed.

credits
Directed by Cecil B. DeMille (uncredited)
Written by Hector Turnbull
Jeanie MacPherson
Produced by Cecil B. DeMille, Jesse L. Lasky
Starring Sessue Hayakawa. Fannie Ward, Jack Dean
Cinematography Alvin Wyckoff
Edited by Cecil B. DeMille
Music by Robert Israel (1994)
Production company Jesse Lasky Feature Plays
Distributed by Paramount Pictures
Release dates
December 13, 1915 (initial release)
November 24, 1918 (re-release)
Running time 59 minutes
Country United States
Languages Silent
English intertitles