John S. Robertson

Richard Barthelmess plays "Bilge" Smith, a hard-fisted merchant sailor who puts into a sleepy New England port and falls for Connie Martin (Dorothy Mackaill), the town dressmaker, in this silent adaptation of Hubert Osborne's 1922 Broadway play. Directed by John S. Robertson for Barthelmess's own Inspiration Pictures, it mixes roughhouse comedy — including a memorably chaotic shipboard brawl — with a tender romance about two lonely people from very different worlds. The story proved durable: RKO remade it a decade later as the Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers musical Follow the Fleet (1936). As a work published before 1930, it is in the public domain in the United States.

Comedy · Romance · Silent

A 1929 American synchronized sound romantic drama from MGM directed by John S. Robertson, starring Greta Garbo, Nils Asther, and Johnny Mack Brown. Based on the 1928 novel by Adela Rogers St. Johns, the film follows Arden Stuart (Garbo), a socialite who believes in a "single standard" of conduct applying equally to men and women. She rejects a marriage proposal from Tommy Hewlett and embarks on a romance with Packy Cannon, an ex-prizefighter turned artist, sailing with him to the South Seas. When Packy leaves her, she returns to marry Tommy — but Packy's return tests her resolve. The film features a synchronized musical score with sound effects but no audible dialogue. Early uncredited appearances include Robert Montgomery and Joel McCrea.

Drama · Romance