During the first half of this film, I was very impressed. I thought that I might end up rating it very high. The story in the last half ended up being disappointingly silly though. Too bad.
From the outset, I loved the characters and varied scenes. There was Crawford and Novarro in youthful play, a great reunion of brothers and family, and some fun bar room fighting.
Novarro was almost Buster Keaton-like at times. For instance after the bar room brawl when he drapes a passed-out sailor over his shoulder, then punches him aside to show his 3 brothers how tough he is. They were impressed!
Torrence is great as the oldest brother who still owns his young sibling Novarro enough to put him off to bed after dinner by unceremoniously carrying him upstairs to the bedroom.
Even though it is an early Crawford film, she shows some excellent facial expression to reveal her underlying emotion. This was essential in silents. She could be disarmingly flirty when surprising Novarro with a kiss, but then flip to moderate disdain when approached in a clinch by Torrence. His facial expression is equally appropriate by looking quizzical at Crawford's response to his advance. Just what the heck is she thinking????
I was very impressed with the sea storm scenes onboard the ship Nathan Ross. The danger of a violent storm was impressively displayed and more realistic than many films of that time(or even some later).
Once the ship arrives in Singapore, another well-acted performance hits the screen. In a local bar, Anna May Wong quickly dumps her guy and latches on to oldest brother Torrence. I can't believe she didn't make the screen credits.
After this, the story gets more contrived and silly. Torrence hams up his perpetual drunken stupor over Crawford. Novarro somehow wants to dish off the love of his life in deference to his older brother. After returning home in irons for deserting his brother in a fight he can't convince his father that it is his accuser who has lied. It gets more ridiculous at the very end but the credibility is not there as it is at the beginning of the film.
I won't spoil it. Watch it for yourself.
Overall I still found this film very fun to watch. I loved the acting. I liked all the early scenes. Too bad the last parts didn't carry it at the end.
From the outset, I loved the characters and varied scenes. There was Crawford and Novarro in youthful play, a great reunion of brothers and family, and some fun bar room fighting.
Novarro was almost Buster Keaton-like at times. For instance after the bar room brawl when he drapes a passed-out sailor over his shoulder, then punches him aside to show his 3 brothers how tough he is. They were impressed!
Torrence is great as the oldest brother who still owns his young sibling Novarro enough to put him off to bed after dinner by unceremoniously carrying him upstairs to the bedroom.
Even though it is an early Crawford film, she shows some excellent facial expression to reveal her underlying emotion. This was essential in silents. She could be disarmingly flirty when surprising Novarro with a kiss, but then flip to moderate disdain when approached in a clinch by Torrence. His facial expression is equally appropriate by looking quizzical at Crawford's response to his advance. Just what the heck is she thinking????
I was very impressed with the sea storm scenes onboard the ship Nathan Ross. The danger of a violent storm was impressively displayed and more realistic than many films of that time(or even some later).
Once the ship arrives in Singapore, another well-acted performance hits the screen. In a local bar, Anna May Wong quickly dumps her guy and latches on to oldest brother Torrence. I can't believe she didn't make the screen credits.
After this, the story gets more contrived and silly. Torrence hams up his perpetual drunken stupor over Crawford. Novarro somehow wants to dish off the love of his life in deference to his older brother. After returning home in irons for deserting his brother in a fight he can't convince his father that it is his accuser who has lied. It gets more ridiculous at the very end but the credibility is not there as it is at the beginning of the film.
I won't spoil it. Watch it for yourself.
Overall I still found this film very fun to watch. I loved the acting. I liked all the early scenes. Too bad the last parts didn't carry it at the end.