For me, this comes a close second to "Underworld" in Sternberg's films: the twists and turns of the melodramatic plot become ultimately a little too much for me to swallow (a twist too far?), and I found some of the camera devices simply distracting, but even so the film is more or less won by virtue of the impressive acting from all concerned. Betty Compson (who was soon to receive a well-deserved Oscar nomination for her role in the part-talkie "The Barker") stands out as the fragile, cynical girl who has "had too many good times" already but allows herself to believe in the possibility of redemption; Baclanova is memorable as the petty officer's deserted wife, while George Bancroft is a cheerful, callous but not unkindly Colossus of a stoker. The weary, sensitive features of Gustav von Seyffertitz, in a small role as the threadbare Bible-basher who ministers to this godless 'flock', also make a strong impression. The film is almost all atmosphere, but it is atmosphere well-done.
45 Reviews
"I want steam, not talk!"
Steffi_P7 February 2010
One of the less obvious differences between sound and silent pictures, is that whereas in a sound picture the director will set up a scene, prep the actors and then call action, in a silent the director could (and usually would) continue to direct even while the cameras were rolling. Of course it's hard to tell how much this difference affected the finished product in real terms. However, with a director like Joseph "von" Sternberg, who demanded a complete (and indeed tyrannical) control over every aspect of the image, the ability to carry on shouting at his cast and crew right through the take was probably a considerable bonus in fine-tuning his elaborate visual style.
With Docks of New York being a late silent, it has more or less as much fluidity of movement and camera angle as your average sound flick. However there is an extreme complexity in the movement of a kind that you only really saw in Sternberg's silents. Take for example those lengthy dolly shots through the bar, with extras moving across the shot as the camera goes in or out. Those movements across the screen look haphazard, but they are carefully timed to complement the camera movement and give a rising tide of franticness. To arrange everyone so precisely there must have been almost as much activity behind the camera as in front of it. You could do a shot like that in a talkie, but it would require copious reheasing, and I don't think that's something they tended to bother with in the early sound era, what with the all the other obstacles they had to overcome. It's certainly true that Sternberg used to spend most of his set-up time sorting out the lighting schemes, rather than giving any detailed priming to his cast.
Sternberg's layered patterns of movement not only add to the aesthetic quality of this picture, but they enhance its atmosphere. The barroom scenes in particular have a spectacularly chaotic feel to them. The fact that every edge of the room is filled by a mass of moving bodies makes it impossible to figure out the size and layout of the place. But for all his visual lavishness, Sternberg himself admitted to caring little about stories, and as a result the narrative gets a little lost amidst all the shadows. This is even given the fact that Docks of New York is overburdened by intertitles.
Sternberg had also yet to fully develop his stylised and dappled lighting patterns that can be seen in his talkies. Here that's a good thing, because it means his camera shows the actors up a little better. And there are some fine performances here worth capturing. George Bancroft gives a superbly realist turn, looking every inch the rough but basically good-hearted stoker. Betty Compson is also nicely subtle, in a slow and measured performance with plenty of under-the-surface emoting. An honourable mention should go to Clyde Cook, who plays Bancroft's buddy Steve. Cook was an Australian slapstick comic, once the star of his own shorts but by this time doing supporting work in features. He is perhaps a little too clownish for the sombre tone of Docks of New York, but entertaining to watch and capable of a spot of straight acting when the occasion demands.
The oevre of Herr Sternberg can generally be summed up as pretty to look at but dramatically unengaging. As a silent picture, where the director can put his all into the image without having to worry about the business of dialogue, Docks of New York is just that little bit prettier to look at. And yet as one lacking in a strong narrative drive it is also that little bit more dramatically unengaging. It's a shame, because this is potentially one of the most poignant tales he ever dealt with. Bancroft and Compson recognise this, and play it appropriately, but the director remains a hard-boiled cynic who knows a few camera tricks.
With Docks of New York being a late silent, it has more or less as much fluidity of movement and camera angle as your average sound flick. However there is an extreme complexity in the movement of a kind that you only really saw in Sternberg's silents. Take for example those lengthy dolly shots through the bar, with extras moving across the shot as the camera goes in or out. Those movements across the screen look haphazard, but they are carefully timed to complement the camera movement and give a rising tide of franticness. To arrange everyone so precisely there must have been almost as much activity behind the camera as in front of it. You could do a shot like that in a talkie, but it would require copious reheasing, and I don't think that's something they tended to bother with in the early sound era, what with the all the other obstacles they had to overcome. It's certainly true that Sternberg used to spend most of his set-up time sorting out the lighting schemes, rather than giving any detailed priming to his cast.
Sternberg's layered patterns of movement not only add to the aesthetic quality of this picture, but they enhance its atmosphere. The barroom scenes in particular have a spectacularly chaotic feel to them. The fact that every edge of the room is filled by a mass of moving bodies makes it impossible to figure out the size and layout of the place. But for all his visual lavishness, Sternberg himself admitted to caring little about stories, and as a result the narrative gets a little lost amidst all the shadows. This is even given the fact that Docks of New York is overburdened by intertitles.
Sternberg had also yet to fully develop his stylised and dappled lighting patterns that can be seen in his talkies. Here that's a good thing, because it means his camera shows the actors up a little better. And there are some fine performances here worth capturing. George Bancroft gives a superbly realist turn, looking every inch the rough but basically good-hearted stoker. Betty Compson is also nicely subtle, in a slow and measured performance with plenty of under-the-surface emoting. An honourable mention should go to Clyde Cook, who plays Bancroft's buddy Steve. Cook was an Australian slapstick comic, once the star of his own shorts but by this time doing supporting work in features. He is perhaps a little too clownish for the sombre tone of Docks of New York, but entertaining to watch and capable of a spot of straight acting when the occasion demands.
The oevre of Herr Sternberg can generally be summed up as pretty to look at but dramatically unengaging. As a silent picture, where the director can put his all into the image without having to worry about the business of dialogue, Docks of New York is just that little bit prettier to look at. And yet as one lacking in a strong narrative drive it is also that little bit more dramatically unengaging. It's a shame, because this is potentially one of the most poignant tales he ever dealt with. Bancroft and Compson recognise this, and play it appropriately, but the director remains a hard-boiled cynic who knows a few camera tricks.
A silent film that you'll forget is silent.
Grapeape-213 February 1999
Warning: Spoilers
Long before Renoir or Welles experimented with depth of field, Sternberg was employing it in his silent films, and perhaps most beautifully in The Docks of New York. The mise-en-scene is so incredible in this movie that many critics accuse the movie of being overly concerned with imagery, and less concerned with plot. The plot is simple, yet it allows Sternberg to concentrate on what he appears to be most concerned with--developing character psychology. One is reminded of the rich characters in Greed when watching this film, yet the sense of despair is underplayed in Docks creating a much more subtle film than Stroheim's.
Many critics claim that Docks shows a near-perfect mastery of silent technique. Yet, the film remains somewhat obscure because it was released in 1928, when the novelty of the first "talkies" was overshadowing silent films such as Docks. If you are at all interested in film history or just plain good films see The Docks of New York.
Many critics claim that Docks shows a near-perfect mastery of silent technique. Yet, the film remains somewhat obscure because it was released in 1928, when the novelty of the first "talkies" was overshadowing silent films such as Docks. If you are at all interested in film history or just plain good films see The Docks of New York.
Another great silent from 1928
rbyers11 August 2004
Warning: Spoilers
One of the fascinating things about the movie to me was that, before he fetishized Dietrich, Sternberg's erotic sensibility seems broader. The opening scene of the men in the boiler room of a ship, wiping oil and coal dust from their gleaming skin, is one of the few times that he dwells on the male body that I can recall. And George Bancroft's swaggering, boisterous Bill is the most virile male I've seen in any of Sternberg's movies -- other than Bancroft as Bull Weed in UNDERWORLD from the year before. Of course, once Betty Compson splashes into the story, the camera loves her world-weary, wry beauty, and Sternberg constantly reminds us that she's naked under her clothing. As in his later, sound films, the settings are also sensual and full of complicated textures, reflections, and depth, with some great dockside shots in a foggy night.
The story itself is a fairly simple, but it has a warmth and genuine (or even sentimental) sympathy for love that is perhaps lost in the power struggles of Sternberg's Dietrich films. All four major characters are strongly drawn, rough-hewn, and well-played. Along with Bancroft and Compson, Olga Baclanova (of FREAKS fame) is also especially good as a sailor's bitter, abandoned wife. The dialogue in the intertitles is full of hard-boiled gems, as when the wedding ceremony is rendered, "If any of you eggs know why these heels shouldn't get hitched, speak now or forever after hold your trap!"
Kevin Brownlow says in THE PARADE'S GONE BY that THE DOCKS OF NEW YORK is Sternberg's finest film, and it may be so. I love the Dietrich films, and the bizarre SHANGHAI GESTURE, but DOCKS stands out for the sweet grittiness.
The story itself is a fairly simple, but it has a warmth and genuine (or even sentimental) sympathy for love that is perhaps lost in the power struggles of Sternberg's Dietrich films. All four major characters are strongly drawn, rough-hewn, and well-played. Along with Bancroft and Compson, Olga Baclanova (of FREAKS fame) is also especially good as a sailor's bitter, abandoned wife. The dialogue in the intertitles is full of hard-boiled gems, as when the wedding ceremony is rendered, "If any of you eggs know why these heels shouldn't get hitched, speak now or forever after hold your trap!"
Kevin Brownlow says in THE PARADE'S GONE BY that THE DOCKS OF NEW YORK is Sternberg's finest film, and it may be so. I love the Dietrich films, and the bizarre SHANGHAI GESTURE, but DOCKS stands out for the sweet grittiness.
Wonderful, engaging film
filmnutz10 June 2002
Warning: Spoilers
I thoroughly enjoyed "The Docks of New York." Betty Compson's portrayal of a disillusioned prostitute is riveting and clearly shows why she appeared in as many silent films as she did. She truly was a great silent star. She is good to look at and I found myself very much caring about what happened to her character. It is no wonder her image appeared on so many postcards and photographs from the 1920s. I think she was a bigger star during the silent era than most people today realize.
George Bancroft swaggers convincingly throughout. His is a strong, no-nonsense presence. Clyde Cook, known mostly for his many silent comedy films, is convincing as Bancroft's apprehensive and harried pal. Mitchell Lewis, as the third engineer who desires Compson, is appropriately menacing. Olga Baclanova, as his estranged wife, is also quite good.
The scenes in the boiler room of the ship well evoke the hazards and hardships of what must have been back-breaking labor.
The tavern scenes are raucous and animated and clearly depict the more tawdry aspects of such places. The juxtaposition of this setting, with its boisterous, cynical patrons and the hopeful act of marriage that takes place there, is masterful.
Favorite scene: On the morning after their "marriage" Compson offers to sew Bancroft's torn shirt pocket before he goes off to sea but can't see to thread the needle through her tears. He threads the needle for her; she then kneels between his legs and sews the pocket. The intimacy of this act, and the emotions it generates in both, is far more powerful than what we imagine took place in their bed the night before.
Great stuff!
George Bancroft swaggers convincingly throughout. His is a strong, no-nonsense presence. Clyde Cook, known mostly for his many silent comedy films, is convincing as Bancroft's apprehensive and harried pal. Mitchell Lewis, as the third engineer who desires Compson, is appropriately menacing. Olga Baclanova, as his estranged wife, is also quite good.
The scenes in the boiler room of the ship well evoke the hazards and hardships of what must have been back-breaking labor.
The tavern scenes are raucous and animated and clearly depict the more tawdry aspects of such places. The juxtaposition of this setting, with its boisterous, cynical patrons and the hopeful act of marriage that takes place there, is masterful.
Favorite scene: On the morning after their "marriage" Compson offers to sew Bancroft's torn shirt pocket before he goes off to sea but can't see to thread the needle through her tears. He threads the needle for her; she then kneels between his legs and sews the pocket. The intimacy of this act, and the emotions it generates in both, is far more powerful than what we imagine took place in their bed the night before.
Great stuff!
Decent film with some good moments
km_dickson9 September 2005
It's the fine directing and good performances that really make the film worth watching. The story is interesting enough, covering one night ashore in the life of ship stoker, Bill Roberts (George Bancroft), and the mysterious beauty he meets (Betty Compson). Bancroft is all masculinity as Roberts, a man who won't let anything or anyone stand in the way of what he wants. He meets his match, though, in Compson, who is all sex appeal as Mea, the seductive but troubled blonde with a dark past. These two are backed up with good supporting performances from the rest of the cast, the only exception being Olga Baclanova, who hams it up more than necessary. Director Josef Von Sternberg handles the ensemble cast well, giving each character importance. He also does a good job of portraying and letting us experience the seedy life they live. Nonetheless, some of the main characters aren't fleshed out enough for us to understand their actions. The film also tries too hard at times to be shocking and edgy. All in all, it's not the best film ever, but it has enough good qualities to be enjoyable.
A masterpiece
mik-193 January 2005
Of course, no waterfront in the world was ever as deliciously seedy as set designer Hans Dreier's in this amazingly atmospheric and evocative masterpiece of late silent cinema. The story is rather tawdry, cheapish even, but plots are very rarely the point of a movie anyway, and Josef von Sternberg has made the perfect film out of next to nothing.
'The Docks of New York' is about a rough and ready stoker, Bill (George Bancroft), on leave for the night. He goes to the Sandbar and gets into a brawl with Hymn-Book Harry (the ever sleazy Gustav von Seyffertitz), and on the way back saves a young girl, Mae the tough kookie (Betty Compson) from drowning herself. Slowly they sorta kinda fall in love and he marries her on the spur of the moment, but what will they do the next morning when Bill is supposed to sail off again? The most astonishing thing about 'The Docks of New York' is its subtlety. We have no heroes or simplified villains here, just people who have had a hard time all their lives and are reluctant to be redeemed. The concept of love in this sneering, loud-mouthed environment is completely alien. "I hope you have better luck than me", says Olga Baclanova's character to Mae on her way to the slammer, "but I doubt it". It is Baclanova who says on the subject of decency that she was decent "before I got married".
It goes without saying that the film is acted as naturalistically as anything we see today, that Compson & Bancroft absolutely shine as the unlikely lovers, grittily played and with no sentimentality. The lighting is superb, photography stupendous, direction acute, and the edition you are most likely to see looks fabulous.
'The Docks of New York' is about a rough and ready stoker, Bill (George Bancroft), on leave for the night. He goes to the Sandbar and gets into a brawl with Hymn-Book Harry (the ever sleazy Gustav von Seyffertitz), and on the way back saves a young girl, Mae the tough kookie (Betty Compson) from drowning herself. Slowly they sorta kinda fall in love and he marries her on the spur of the moment, but what will they do the next morning when Bill is supposed to sail off again? The most astonishing thing about 'The Docks of New York' is its subtlety. We have no heroes or simplified villains here, just people who have had a hard time all their lives and are reluctant to be redeemed. The concept of love in this sneering, loud-mouthed environment is completely alien. "I hope you have better luck than me", says Olga Baclanova's character to Mae on her way to the slammer, "but I doubt it". It is Baclanova who says on the subject of decency that she was decent "before I got married".
It goes without saying that the film is acted as naturalistically as anything we see today, that Compson & Bancroft absolutely shine as the unlikely lovers, grittily played and with no sentimentality. The lighting is superb, photography stupendous, direction acute, and the edition you are most likely to see looks fabulous.
A melodrama on the docks
ricardojorgeramalho23 November 2022
Sternberg, still silent, signs an interesting melodrama for the picturesque realism with which tries to portray the docks' nightlife of New York City. Almost centenary this is also an interesting film for those who like to watch cinema from a historical perspective. Not entirely convincing as a realistic expression of port life at the time (there is too much spectacle in the virility of sailors and too much glamor in the figure of prostitutes) yet it is a document that expresses a moralistic mentality in the way these socially disadvantaged environments were looked at. An interesting work, although not exactly essential or striking in the director's career.
The power of silent cinema
MissSimonetta17 January 2016
Docks of New York (1928) is a prime example of the power of silent film at its height. After 1928, the medium would be crushed underneath the rise of sound technology, which was a shame considering how technically dazzling and sophisticated they had become by the latter half of the 1920s.
The film is a character study of a rough stoker and a suicidal woman. The two fall in love after he rescues her from an attempt to take her own life, though there is a chance they may be separated by the stoker's aversion to commitment and responsibility. The characters are all flawed, compelling people, each one brought to life with subtle performances from the leading actors. The atmosphere is appropriately seedy and dark, with chiaroscuro lighting and crowded spaces. It's a slow film, one that will not please those who prefer more plot or action, but it is worth your time, showcasing silent cinema at its loftiest heights. It is films like Docks of New York which make one wish the silent era had lingered on a little while longer.
The film is a character study of a rough stoker and a suicidal woman. The two fall in love after he rescues her from an attempt to take her own life, though there is a chance they may be separated by the stoker's aversion to commitment and responsibility. The characters are all flawed, compelling people, each one brought to life with subtle performances from the leading actors. The atmosphere is appropriately seedy and dark, with chiaroscuro lighting and crowded spaces. It's a slow film, one that will not please those who prefer more plot or action, but it is worth your time, showcasing silent cinema at its loftiest heights. It is films like Docks of New York which make one wish the silent era had lingered on a little while longer.
A temporary love of one night changes the life permanently. Josef Sternberg's most skilled work.
SAMTHEBESTEST18 January 2021
The Docks Of New York (1928) :
Brief Review -
A temporary love of one night changes the life permanently. Josef Sternberg's most skilled work. The Docks Of New York may not drive you crazy with eternal love segments or overdramatic romance or too much of philosophy of married life but it has a sublime impact coming from the quick done story. A blue-collar worker on New York's depressed waterfront finds his life changed after he saves a woman attempting suicide. Without falling in love they get married the same night and don't give much importance to the future, however, they do realise the responsibility and ethics once forever. Unlike other silent films of same time this one is far more advanced in acting section. George Bancroft and Betty Compson give performances that make you forget that you are watching a silent film. Such is the Power of theirs acts that they make the characters look talkative and alive even without sound. The credit for the same should go to the intertitles as they are brilliantly written. Not to forget the great cinematography catching the right frame, correct angles and perfect facial expressions of the actors. A film with a positive message and positive theme never feels bad or dull at all and if it gives the right message without spoiling that positivity then there is nothing more to ask for. It all comes together very well and that's exactly what happens with The Docks Of New York. Probably, this is Josef von Sternberg most skilled work i have seen. His crafting of the subject and storytelling details in such a short runtime are damn impressive. The only thing it lacks is the repeat value because there is no extreme romance and no generous scenes so once you finish watching it, you know everything about it. There is nothing much to enjoy in the second viewing. Nevertheless, it's a great film, no doubts.
RATING - 7/10*
By - #samthebestest
A temporary love of one night changes the life permanently. Josef Sternberg's most skilled work. The Docks Of New York may not drive you crazy with eternal love segments or overdramatic romance or too much of philosophy of married life but it has a sublime impact coming from the quick done story. A blue-collar worker on New York's depressed waterfront finds his life changed after he saves a woman attempting suicide. Without falling in love they get married the same night and don't give much importance to the future, however, they do realise the responsibility and ethics once forever. Unlike other silent films of same time this one is far more advanced in acting section. George Bancroft and Betty Compson give performances that make you forget that you are watching a silent film. Such is the Power of theirs acts that they make the characters look talkative and alive even without sound. The credit for the same should go to the intertitles as they are brilliantly written. Not to forget the great cinematography catching the right frame, correct angles and perfect facial expressions of the actors. A film with a positive message and positive theme never feels bad or dull at all and if it gives the right message without spoiling that positivity then there is nothing more to ask for. It all comes together very well and that's exactly what happens with The Docks Of New York. Probably, this is Josef von Sternberg most skilled work i have seen. His crafting of the subject and storytelling details in such a short runtime are damn impressive. The only thing it lacks is the repeat value because there is no extreme romance and no generous scenes so once you finish watching it, you know everything about it. There is nothing much to enjoy in the second viewing. Nevertheless, it's a great film, no doubts.
RATING - 7/10*
By - #samthebestest
Joseph von Sternberg's greatest film!
Pat-548 October 1998
Warning: Spoilers
Intense drama that has a story line so strong that after awhile you forget the film is silent. Performances by George Bancroft and Betty Compson are brilliant. Curious that this film is not better known or praised more by critics. A true example of how artistic silent films became right before the advent of sound.
down low romance
SnoopyStyle6 July 2015
Warning: Spoilers
Bill Roberts is a stoker on a ship. While in port for one night, he finds prostitute Mae attempting to drown herself. He rescues her and steal some clothes for her. They spend the night at the bar. He tries to convince her that life is worth living and marries her. She abandons the life of prostitution. She hates that he's going back to his ship and struggles against her suicidal thoughts. He can't take his job and jumps ship. He returns to find Mae has been arrested. She gets sentenced 30 days for the stolen clothes. He arrives in time to take the blame. He gets 60 days and she vows to wait for him. It's a tough romance of two people with very little who find salvation with each other. It's simple but touching. The style isn't too melodramatic and the acting is surprisingly natural. I wouldn't call it gritty but it has a sense of the downtrodden.
Von Cold
pacolopezpersonal-2205719 August 2017
Film that tells a story to which could have been extracted much more benefit. aesthetically very influenced by the German expressionist movement. The result is a cold movie that does not leave much memory. Even some point are not clear enough such as the reasons why the girl protagonist tries to commit suicide. It seems a training of Von Sternberg, (not to be confused with Von Stroheim) -Too much German "Von" aristocratic in Hollywood those days- Anyway this movie looks like an essay for his farther works.
Well-Crafted, Well-Acted, Good Atmosphere
Snow Leopard18 August 2004
There are quite a few strengths that make this silent melodrama work so well. It has a well-crafted story that moves at a good pace and efficiently uses each minute of screen time. It is very well-acted, especially by George Bancroft and Betty Compson. Compson's performance, in particular, deserves much more praise and recognition than it has received, either at the time or now. Finally, the dockside atmosphere is interesting and convincing, besides being an integral part of the story.
Bancroft has a role that is particularly well-suited to him, and he does a fine job in the part. Compson has a challenging role, since she must make her character attractive yet lonely and miserable, and somewhat disreputable yet completely sympathetic, for the story to work. She gives an excellent performance in every respect, and Bancroft plays off of her character quite well. There are some fine moments in which their characters' rough edges contend with their own gentler and nobler instincts. Thus the unlikely attachment between the two not only works well, but draws you in and makes you care about them quite a bit.
The supporting cast gives good performances as well, with Olga Baclanova especially good in a role that is essential to the story. Mitchell Lewis is suitably brutish as the heavy, and Clyde Cook is quite believable as Bancroft's nervous pal.
Josef von Sternberg also tied together all of these strengths in an efficient and effective package, making every scene count and making you feel as if you were there on the docks with the characters. It's a fine melodrama by any standard, and is well worth seeing for anyone who enjoys silent movies.
Bancroft has a role that is particularly well-suited to him, and he does a fine job in the part. Compson has a challenging role, since she must make her character attractive yet lonely and miserable, and somewhat disreputable yet completely sympathetic, for the story to work. She gives an excellent performance in every respect, and Bancroft plays off of her character quite well. There are some fine moments in which their characters' rough edges contend with their own gentler and nobler instincts. Thus the unlikely attachment between the two not only works well, but draws you in and makes you care about them quite a bit.
The supporting cast gives good performances as well, with Olga Baclanova especially good in a role that is essential to the story. Mitchell Lewis is suitably brutish as the heavy, and Clyde Cook is quite believable as Bancroft's nervous pal.
Josef von Sternberg also tied together all of these strengths in an efficient and effective package, making every scene count and making you feel as if you were there on the docks with the characters. It's a fine melodrama by any standard, and is well worth seeing for anyone who enjoys silent movies.
Love in the old New York.
Boba_Fett11388 November 2007
It was great to see the old New York of the '20's in this movie, only though it's just in a couple of establishment-shots. It still looked so much different of course, with a totally different skyline, without as many and such high skyscrapers as there are this present day.
The build-up of the movie and its drama is done very well. It has a sort of dark and depressing, dirty atmosphere, which suits the movie its time period and themes. The story also all enhances this. I really liked the story, also not in the least that it isn't just another standard written love-story. I also liked how tings came together at the end. The movie really reached a right and satisfying conclusion. The movie however as a whole is a bit too short though perhaps to let all of its drama work out as effective as it perhaps could had. Nevertheless the themes in the movies still work out efficient enough and shows that "The Docks of New York" was a quite edgy and unusual movie for its time.
The movie gets mostly carried by its two main leads, played by George Bancroft and Betty Compson. Both are such compelling characters, greatly and charismatically portrayed by the two main actors, each in their own way. But a complaint would be that's hard at times to always care for the characters. Bill Roberts is one tough hard guy that smacks things around and punches people in the face. And Mae also obviously has some issues and a dark past.
The movie was professionally directed and with some excellent camera-work, that also uses some early moving shots. This also really added up to the movie its quality and atmosphere.
A great unique little film from the silent era!
9/10
http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/
The build-up of the movie and its drama is done very well. It has a sort of dark and depressing, dirty atmosphere, which suits the movie its time period and themes. The story also all enhances this. I really liked the story, also not in the least that it isn't just another standard written love-story. I also liked how tings came together at the end. The movie really reached a right and satisfying conclusion. The movie however as a whole is a bit too short though perhaps to let all of its drama work out as effective as it perhaps could had. Nevertheless the themes in the movies still work out efficient enough and shows that "The Docks of New York" was a quite edgy and unusual movie for its time.
The movie gets mostly carried by its two main leads, played by George Bancroft and Betty Compson. Both are such compelling characters, greatly and charismatically portrayed by the two main actors, each in their own way. But a complaint would be that's hard at times to always care for the characters. Bill Roberts is one tough hard guy that smacks things around and punches people in the face. And Mae also obviously has some issues and a dark past.
The movie was professionally directed and with some excellent camera-work, that also uses some early moving shots. This also really added up to the movie its quality and atmosphere.
A great unique little film from the silent era!
9/10
http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/
Mighty George Bancroft!!!
kidboots9 February 2012
Warning: Spoilers
Initially it was very easy to forget you were watching a narrative film and to just imagine it was a documentary maker's homage to the seedier docklands of New York. Down in the ship's boiler room - George Bancroft and Clyde Cook didn't seem like actors, they actually looked like stokers, dreaming of going ashore. And the eerie silhouette of the girl on the pier - then the splash!! I really think that "The Docks of New York" is a triumph of von Sternberg's visual artistry. Mists and shadows, especially compelling was the scene when Bancroft carried the bedraggled Compson along the waterfront to her shabby room.
Just as he had given Evelyn Brent's career a new lease of life, von Sternberg proceeded to do the same thing for Betty Compson. Although "The Docks of New York" was advertised as her comeback picture, according to Betty, she had never been away. In a chapter devoted to her in "From Hollywood" by DeWitt Bodeen, he chronicles her ups and downs of the twenties. She divorced her husband, director James Cruze, and was immediately besieged by creditors (to do with his bankruptcy). She then realised most of the major studios thought she was a has been but instead of taking it to heart, she went over to Chadwick, a poverty row studio and worked so hard she got back into shape and once again had the big studios bidding for her services. Another actor von Sternberg rescued was George Bancroft, who spent most of the 20s as a Western badman albeit with a hearty laugh. First casting him as the charismatic gangster in "Underworld" then as the burly stoker, Bill Roberts, in "The Docks of New York". Bancroft was larger than life!!!
The story is simple, Roberts rescues a prostitute after she has thrown herself in the river. Initially hoping to paint the town red before departing the next morning, he takes a shine to Mae's vulnerableness and convinces her a good time is better than a watery grave. After carousing at the dockside tavern Bill gets carried away and proposes to Mae and after much coaxing she accepts - but she is serious as is the parson "Hymn Book Harry" (Gustav Von Seyffertitz) whose withering look upon those assembled tells you just what he thinks of them. Come the morning Bill is preparing to leave, treating the whole thing as a joke, but back on the ship......
The music is wonderful with an orchestral score that has a real feel for the gritty reality of the docks - it also incorporates popular songs of the day "A Bird in a Gilded Cage", "The Sidewalks of New York" etc. I should have realised it was the brilliant Robert Israel, my favourite composer of silent film scores.
Making just as much of a dazzling impression is Baclanova as a distinctly unglamorous waterside worker. She is married to Bill's brutish boss, but tells Mae "I was decent too - until I got married"!!!
Just as he had given Evelyn Brent's career a new lease of life, von Sternberg proceeded to do the same thing for Betty Compson. Although "The Docks of New York" was advertised as her comeback picture, according to Betty, she had never been away. In a chapter devoted to her in "From Hollywood" by DeWitt Bodeen, he chronicles her ups and downs of the twenties. She divorced her husband, director James Cruze, and was immediately besieged by creditors (to do with his bankruptcy). She then realised most of the major studios thought she was a has been but instead of taking it to heart, she went over to Chadwick, a poverty row studio and worked so hard she got back into shape and once again had the big studios bidding for her services. Another actor von Sternberg rescued was George Bancroft, who spent most of the 20s as a Western badman albeit with a hearty laugh. First casting him as the charismatic gangster in "Underworld" then as the burly stoker, Bill Roberts, in "The Docks of New York". Bancroft was larger than life!!!
The story is simple, Roberts rescues a prostitute after she has thrown herself in the river. Initially hoping to paint the town red before departing the next morning, he takes a shine to Mae's vulnerableness and convinces her a good time is better than a watery grave. After carousing at the dockside tavern Bill gets carried away and proposes to Mae and after much coaxing she accepts - but she is serious as is the parson "Hymn Book Harry" (Gustav Von Seyffertitz) whose withering look upon those assembled tells you just what he thinks of them. Come the morning Bill is preparing to leave, treating the whole thing as a joke, but back on the ship......
The music is wonderful with an orchestral score that has a real feel for the gritty reality of the docks - it also incorporates popular songs of the day "A Bird in a Gilded Cage", "The Sidewalks of New York" etc. I should have realised it was the brilliant Robert Israel, my favourite composer of silent film scores.
Making just as much of a dazzling impression is Baclanova as a distinctly unglamorous waterside worker. She is married to Bill's brutish boss, but tells Mae "I was decent too - until I got married"!!!
Poorly scripted, wonderfully atmospheric
thinbeach7 December 2015
Warning: Spoilers
With one night in town while the ship is at port, we follow our lead stoker into a world of bars, brutes, brawls and bawdiness, where the only objective is to have a good time, all else be damned, which you get the sense has happened many times before, at many cities around the world, whenever they get a night at port. When a young woman attempts suicide by jumping into the water, our stoker dives in to save her, and thus begins a very unromantic love tale. Being who he is, this is seen only as an opportunity to bed her, and being promiscuous herself, she is only too happy to go along with it.
In a strange twist that doesn't make a lot of sense, they decide to get married then and there in the bar, and lo and behold, a paster just happens to be in the vicinity, and lo and behold, he just happens to agree to the ceremony, despite being opposed to the idea, and despite their not having the license! Apparently everyone considers this a great deal of fun - well, I guess they're all drunk!
The next day we are supposed to get the idea the two of them have changed their ways, and this hasty, illegal, drunken marriage was actually the best thing for them. He leaves her to get back on the ship, before suddenly deciding the stoking life is not for him anymore, and swims back to shore. In the meantime she has been arrested for the possession of clothes he stole for her, but is saved by his reappearance and admittance of guilt, and they are for sure going to live happily ever after, just as soon as he's served his stint in jail.
Poor as the story is, I still highly recommend 'The Docks of New York' on account of the first 30 odd minutes, by which point the plot hasn't yet completely disintegrated, and are some of the most beautiful put to film. The fire steamed boat, the smokey bar and the misty dock create a wonderfully hazy atmosphere, seducing us into this messy world far more convincingly than the characters seduce each other. If only they had ended it then, it would have been a classic.
In a strange twist that doesn't make a lot of sense, they decide to get married then and there in the bar, and lo and behold, a paster just happens to be in the vicinity, and lo and behold, he just happens to agree to the ceremony, despite being opposed to the idea, and despite their not having the license! Apparently everyone considers this a great deal of fun - well, I guess they're all drunk!
The next day we are supposed to get the idea the two of them have changed their ways, and this hasty, illegal, drunken marriage was actually the best thing for them. He leaves her to get back on the ship, before suddenly deciding the stoking life is not for him anymore, and swims back to shore. In the meantime she has been arrested for the possession of clothes he stole for her, but is saved by his reappearance and admittance of guilt, and they are for sure going to live happily ever after, just as soon as he's served his stint in jail.
Poor as the story is, I still highly recommend 'The Docks of New York' on account of the first 30 odd minutes, by which point the plot hasn't yet completely disintegrated, and are some of the most beautiful put to film. The fire steamed boat, the smokey bar and the misty dock create a wonderfully hazy atmosphere, seducing us into this messy world far more convincingly than the characters seduce each other. If only they had ended it then, it would have been a classic.
Another Classic from Josef von Sternberg.
SameirAli31 January 2017
Josef von Sternberg is a director not very well known among the normal audience. He is a legend to be learned thoroughly.
The movie is about a ship worker called Bill. He has just one night to spend ashore. He finds a young lady, Mae, trying to commit suicide in the sea. He helps her and takes to the near by bar. Later Bill asks her to marry him on an instant. The bar then gets ready for the wedding at that night. The rest you should watch and enjoy!.
It is hard to believe that the entire movie was shot on a Hollywood sound stage. The set was so perfect to be made up. Josef von Sternberg is always an expert at it.
If you are a movie freak, this movie should be added to the watch list. A worth watch.
#KiduMovie
The movie is about a ship worker called Bill. He has just one night to spend ashore. He finds a young lady, Mae, trying to commit suicide in the sea. He helps her and takes to the near by bar. Later Bill asks her to marry him on an instant. The bar then gets ready for the wedding at that night. The rest you should watch and enjoy!.
It is hard to believe that the entire movie was shot on a Hollywood sound stage. The set was so perfect to be made up. Josef von Sternberg is always an expert at it.
If you are a movie freak, this movie should be added to the watch list. A worth watch.
#KiduMovie
The Docks of New York
jboothmillard9 April 2017
Warning: Spoilers
I was interested to read, after finding this silent film in the book 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die, that it flopped, due to the earlier release of The Jazz Singer, the first talkie, nevertheless this picture has been rediscovered and is recognised as one of the last few great non-speaking films, directed by Josef von Sternberg (The Blue Angel, Shanghai Express). Basically Bill Roberts (George Bancroft) works as a stoker on a coal-red barge, his ship has just pulled into port in New York City, the crew are given one night for shore leave. While the ship was pulling in, Bill saves the life of beautiful prostitute Mae (Betty Compson) from drowning, she was attempting suicide as she lost all her money, had almost no clothing and felt remorse about her life up to then. Bill steals some clothes for Mae to wear and invites her out of a "good night", they go together to a bustling wharf pub. While there Bill almost gets into a fight with one of the pub-goers, after only a short time of knowing each other, Bill spontaneously proposes marriage to her, and to prove he is serious he asks the minister invited to conduct it, to make it legitimate. Mae is surprised by this quick but heartwarming gesture, but she is the disappointed the next morning when he must return to the ship, he says to her that he couldn't be serious about staying with her and fulfilling his marriage vows, because his job keeps him at sea. The ship sets out to sea, but Bill makes a decision before it leaves the city harbour, following events, he cannot leave Mae, so he swims ashore to find her. Going to a tavern, a patron directs him to the local Night Court, Mae is accused of stealing the clothes that had in fact been stolen for her. The judge sentences Mae to spend 30 days in jail, but Bill shows up in time to confess that it was in fact him that stole the clothes. The irritated judge gives him 60 days in jail for theft, Bill says to Mae that he will do the time for her, as Bill is taken away Mae pledges to "wait forever" for him. Also starring Olga Baclanova as Lou, Clyde Cook as "Sugar" Steve, Mitchell Lewis as Andy the Third Engineer and Gustav von Seyffertitz as "Hymn Book" Harry. It is a slightly odd fast-paced love story, a ship worker falling for a street walker who he rescued from the waters, but the inevitable events that occur make for interesting watching, there is some memorable imagery, a worthwhile silent drama. Very good!
Romantic fatalism on the docks
TheLittleSongbird17 July 2020
There were three main reasons for seeing 'The Docks of New York', there is always at least one main reason for me that draws me into watching any film. One was my high appreciation for silent films. Two was the idea for the story, which did sound fantastic. Three was Josef von Sternberg, who did many good and above films with one of his regular stars being Marlene Dietrich. His best films, with 'Shanghai Express', 'The Devil is a Woman' and 'The Scarlet Empress' being a few examples, are wonderful even.
For me, 'The Docks of New York' is up there as nearly one of Sternberg's best. As well as one of his most overlooked, though it is regarded highly by many today it is still underseen. It is a real shame that 'The Docks of New York' was a flop at the time, and it was nothing to do with its quality. It was in my view to do with timing, which was not fair to 'The Docks of New York'. Releasing it at the same time as the more ground-breaking 'The Jazz Singer' (despite that film being more historically significant for being the first talkie, this for me is the better film) was a bad and near-suicidal move.
Perhaps the film could have been longer which would have allowed a few of the plot developments to breathe more.
Other than that, 'The Docks of New York' is near-essential viewing and highly recommended if one wants to see what the fuss about Sternberg is about. His direction is typically accomplished and passionately engaged with the material, making a seedy setting look stunning which is not always easy to do. One of the greatest things about 'The Docks of New York' is how it looks, one of the most beautiful looking late silent films to exist in my view. The setting is seedy yet handsome and the cinematography is both luminous and atmospheric, the best imagery looking stunning.
Just as good is the highly effective use of light and shadow, which was a common distinctive thing in Sternberg's films. Absolutely loved the attention to visual detail in this film. The music is haunting enough and at least fits. The story is simple but never dull, thanks to some nice twists and turns that keeps one guessing without losing cohesion and the great chemistry between the leads. Which has tension and one can feel the attraction between them. Just as they do feel the uncompromising grit of the story's atmosphere. It is melodramatic yes but doesn't go overboard on the suds.
All the cast do great, with Olga Baclanova being especially classy in support. George Bancroft has a swaggering intensity but the most challenging role belongs to Betty Compson, and along with Sternberg and the production values her searing performance is the heart, driving force and shining light of the film.
Concluding, really great. 9/10
For me, 'The Docks of New York' is up there as nearly one of Sternberg's best. As well as one of his most overlooked, though it is regarded highly by many today it is still underseen. It is a real shame that 'The Docks of New York' was a flop at the time, and it was nothing to do with its quality. It was in my view to do with timing, which was not fair to 'The Docks of New York'. Releasing it at the same time as the more ground-breaking 'The Jazz Singer' (despite that film being more historically significant for being the first talkie, this for me is the better film) was a bad and near-suicidal move.
Perhaps the film could have been longer which would have allowed a few of the plot developments to breathe more.
Other than that, 'The Docks of New York' is near-essential viewing and highly recommended if one wants to see what the fuss about Sternberg is about. His direction is typically accomplished and passionately engaged with the material, making a seedy setting look stunning which is not always easy to do. One of the greatest things about 'The Docks of New York' is how it looks, one of the most beautiful looking late silent films to exist in my view. The setting is seedy yet handsome and the cinematography is both luminous and atmospheric, the best imagery looking stunning.
Just as good is the highly effective use of light and shadow, which was a common distinctive thing in Sternberg's films. Absolutely loved the attention to visual detail in this film. The music is haunting enough and at least fits. The story is simple but never dull, thanks to some nice twists and turns that keeps one guessing without losing cohesion and the great chemistry between the leads. Which has tension and one can feel the attraction between them. Just as they do feel the uncompromising grit of the story's atmosphere. It is melodramatic yes but doesn't go overboard on the suds.
All the cast do great, with Olga Baclanova being especially classy in support. George Bancroft has a swaggering intensity but the most challenging role belongs to Betty Compson, and along with Sternberg and the production values her searing performance is the heart, driving force and shining light of the film.
Concluding, really great. 9/10
Beautifully shot. Worth a watch!
sean-ramsden27 April 2020
The Docks Of New York was made in 1928, a year after The Jazz Singer introduced sound into the movies. The Docks Of New York is a good film, it is an interesting story that is somewhat simple and easy to follow.
This film is most of all beautifully shot. Shots that come to mind are the close up of the water as we see the reflection of a woman jumping into the sea. The shot then blurs, which is similar to a shot that appears nearer the end of the film. A point of view shot from the girl as she tries to thread a needle. The shot blurs, representing the tears filling her eyes and maybe even representing her thinking back to her suicide attempt. This is a beautiful scene and we truly feel for the characters. Altogether, this is a good film, not one of the best from the silent era, but one that is definitely worth a watch
This film is most of all beautifully shot. Shots that come to mind are the close up of the water as we see the reflection of a woman jumping into the sea. The shot then blurs, which is similar to a shot that appears nearer the end of the film. A point of view shot from the girl as she tries to thread a needle. The shot blurs, representing the tears filling her eyes and maybe even representing her thinking back to her suicide attempt. This is a beautiful scene and we truly feel for the characters. Altogether, this is a good film, not one of the best from the silent era, but one that is definitely worth a watch
Atmospheric and gritty
gbill-7487718 October 2020
A brawny sailor takes one night of shore leave on the rough and tumble docks of New York, and on his way to a riotous den of iniquity, saves a young woman from drowning herself. Despite his coarseness and her "loose" past, the two take a liking to one another; as he puts it, "I've sailed the seven seas, but I never saw a craft as trim as you." In the spur of the moment they decide to get married, though it's unclear just how official it is given no license and the fact that his ship leaves the next morning.
Josef von Sternberg does a great job creating the mood of this place with his use of shadows and reflections, and the way he tells the story is fantastic. The characters are dark and believable, and the film doesn't degenerate into cloying sweetness. George Bancroft plays the sailor very well, with a sense of strength and confidence but not meanness, and Betty Compson shows great vulnerability as the woman, someone beaten down by the world and the men who've used her. Neither think anyone would ever want to marry them. In a nice parallel plot line, another of the ship's crew (Mitchell Lewis) comes ashore as well, only to find his estranged wife (Olga Baclanova) whooping it up with another man.
Aside from the suicide attempt, drunken partying, and brawling in the film, it's not shy about alluding to sex and what these sailors do while on shore leave. We see the lewd graffiti on their ship, a full-length nude woman tattooed to the guy's forearm, and it's clear that after the brief wedding ceremony, he's going to have his way with her for the rest of the night (the teary eyes of Baclanova really show this during a hug and a kiss with Compson). After being mocked by the crowd, the priest brings a semblance of morality reminding them they're "gathered together in the sight of God," which leads to a great shot of quieted face through the smoke of the room. The question is whether the two characters can redeem themselves, and given the dark commentary about the other marriage which has failed, von Sternberg kept me guessing. The way he shoots many of the scenes toward the end is wonderful, and none better than that pull away final shot.
Josef von Sternberg does a great job creating the mood of this place with his use of shadows and reflections, and the way he tells the story is fantastic. The characters are dark and believable, and the film doesn't degenerate into cloying sweetness. George Bancroft plays the sailor very well, with a sense of strength and confidence but not meanness, and Betty Compson shows great vulnerability as the woman, someone beaten down by the world and the men who've used her. Neither think anyone would ever want to marry them. In a nice parallel plot line, another of the ship's crew (Mitchell Lewis) comes ashore as well, only to find his estranged wife (Olga Baclanova) whooping it up with another man.
Aside from the suicide attempt, drunken partying, and brawling in the film, it's not shy about alluding to sex and what these sailors do while on shore leave. We see the lewd graffiti on their ship, a full-length nude woman tattooed to the guy's forearm, and it's clear that after the brief wedding ceremony, he's going to have his way with her for the rest of the night (the teary eyes of Baclanova really show this during a hug and a kiss with Compson). After being mocked by the crowd, the priest brings a semblance of morality reminding them they're "gathered together in the sight of God," which leads to a great shot of quieted face through the smoke of the room. The question is whether the two characters can redeem themselves, and given the dark commentary about the other marriage which has failed, von Sternberg kept me guessing. The way he shoots many of the scenes toward the end is wonderful, and none better than that pull away final shot.
Preposterous story lets down some great performances
AaronIgay31 October 2013
I didn't know anything about George Bancroft 48 hours ago, but after watching him star in two films in as many days, I'm impressed enough to seek out more of his work. Betty Compson was also terrific in a film that I can't easily fit in any category. I set out to watch it for the cinematography which puts it in the proto-noir category but I quickly found myself interested in what the actors were doing in the shadows and fog of this silent film. Unfortunately the story itself was something out of a Laurel & Hardy comedy but without the slapstick and jokes to help us suspend our disbelief. But you'll probably enjoy it, it's better than your average date movie.
Terrific Vision and Atmosphere
Michael_Elliott2 September 2010
Docks of New York, The (1928)
*** 1/2 (out of 4)
Impressive melodrama benefits from some strong performances and some terrific visuals. The film tells the story of Bill Roberts (George Bancroft) a man who lives down on the docks who ends up saving a woman (Betty Compson) from killing herself. Over the period of a day he saves her life, then the two get to know one another before getting married hours later but neither of them know what the future might hold. The plot of this film is pretty simple and in many ways it's not too original but that doesn't hamper the film too much as director von Sternberg has such an amazing eye that each scene contains something fresh even if the story in that scene isn't anything new. I'm not sure how much a better story would have helped overall but it might have benefited in a few ways including the two actually falling for one another. In many ways this film plays out like a lonely males fantasy of him just happening to save a beautiful woman and then she gives him a chance of winning her heart. Being made years before the Code went into full effect allowed the director to show off some darker moments to both characters as it's made clear in a very funny scene that neither person are virgins and that they've both had their share of wild moments. What's most impressive about the direction here is his visual style, which is easily the most impressive that I've seen from him. Just take a look at the scene where Bill saves the woman. The fog is laid on very thick making the scene come off almost like a fantasy sequence and the way von Sternberg edits the thing makes it seem like some sort of strange dreamland. The way the girl is seen, pulled from the water and eventually carried home are all shot very darkly with very little light and what light there is comes mainly from the reflections off the fog. I loved the way von Sternberg shot the scene where the woman comes to and is introduced to the man who saved her. I loved where the camera was placed and how the lighting once again plays a very important part. The atmosphere is a very thick one as you can feel how dirty the docks are and all the people there seem like the type you'd actually find living and working there. Bancroft delivers a very good performance in a role he has no problem playing. The toughness of the character is very believable with Bancroft in the role but he also handles the more quiet and tender moments. Compson has the harder of the two roles as her character is much darker but she has no problem making us care for her. The two don't look like the types who would be together but their performances are so good and the two act so well together that they make us believe. While the film is far from flawless it's well worth watching for the performances and directing.
*** 1/2 (out of 4)
Impressive melodrama benefits from some strong performances and some terrific visuals. The film tells the story of Bill Roberts (George Bancroft) a man who lives down on the docks who ends up saving a woman (Betty Compson) from killing herself. Over the period of a day he saves her life, then the two get to know one another before getting married hours later but neither of them know what the future might hold. The plot of this film is pretty simple and in many ways it's not too original but that doesn't hamper the film too much as director von Sternberg has such an amazing eye that each scene contains something fresh even if the story in that scene isn't anything new. I'm not sure how much a better story would have helped overall but it might have benefited in a few ways including the two actually falling for one another. In many ways this film plays out like a lonely males fantasy of him just happening to save a beautiful woman and then she gives him a chance of winning her heart. Being made years before the Code went into full effect allowed the director to show off some darker moments to both characters as it's made clear in a very funny scene that neither person are virgins and that they've both had their share of wild moments. What's most impressive about the direction here is his visual style, which is easily the most impressive that I've seen from him. Just take a look at the scene where Bill saves the woman. The fog is laid on very thick making the scene come off almost like a fantasy sequence and the way von Sternberg edits the thing makes it seem like some sort of strange dreamland. The way the girl is seen, pulled from the water and eventually carried home are all shot very darkly with very little light and what light there is comes mainly from the reflections off the fog. I loved the way von Sternberg shot the scene where the woman comes to and is introduced to the man who saved her. I loved where the camera was placed and how the lighting once again plays a very important part. The atmosphere is a very thick one as you can feel how dirty the docks are and all the people there seem like the type you'd actually find living and working there. Bancroft delivers a very good performance in a role he has no problem playing. The toughness of the character is very believable with Bancroft in the role but he also handles the more quiet and tender moments. Compson has the harder of the two roles as her character is much darker but she has no problem making us care for her. The two don't look like the types who would be together but their performances are so good and the two act so well together that they make us believe. While the film is far from flawless it's well worth watching for the performances and directing.
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