Review of The Docks of New York (1928) by Kenneth L — 06 Sep 2013

Although it doesn't have the biggest reputation today, Josef Von Sternberg's 1928 film The Docks of New York is actually a masterpiece of silent cinema. It's got a fairly simple, melodramatic story, but it builds on that foundation with extremely good direction, production values, and performances. I hadn't heard anything about it before I saw it, but I loved it.

The story, set in a dockside slum in New York, follows a blue-collar sailor (George Bancroft) who, on shore after docking from his latest job, saves a prostitute who tries to drown herself (Betty Compson). After she recovers, the pair impulsively decide to get married right there in the seedy bar where most of the movie is set. Melodrama ensues.

Josef Von Sternberg's command of camera movement and mise-en-scene are stunning in this movie. It's an incredibly atmospheric work - everything from the decor to the lighting and smoke works to make you feel as if you were standing in the middle of this world. There are a few scenes where we see the characters in front of us, but can see a great deal of action unfolding behind the camera in the mirror above the characters. It's not necessary for the story, but realizing that you're watching things unfold both in front of and behind the camera provides the movie with a more thorough sense of immersion than even today's 3-D movies can provide. The movie uses every trick in the silent-cinema book to get you involved in its story and its world, and the effort pays off. This is one of the greatest unsung movies of the silent era.