Down to the Sea in Ships

This film is about whaling - so immediately there is a problem for contemporary audiences who find the practice abhorrent. But once you get beyond that you have to appreciate the bravery of the whalers, and of the actor Raymond McKee and the camera crew! The climactic whaling sequence appears to be completely genuine - with the star in the thick of the action. If there is any trick photography here it is well ahead of its time, because nothing looks phony at all. You really feel you are there on that little boat being pulled along by a giant sperm whale. How the shots were achieved I cannot imagine - the story of the making of this film must be fascinating.

Less spectacular is the love story that provides the plot framework for the whaling sequences. Marguerite Courtet, as the tragic Quaker heroine is completely up-staged by the frenetic energy of the 17 year old Clara Bow in her film debut. Clara is a delight - and reveals the charisma that would soon make her a legend. Raymond McKee is good in the lead and very handsome - and, as I said before, really put his life at risk.

The entire film, both on sea and land, is magnificently photographed, with great use of light and shadow, and very advanced camera movement. Elmer Clifton directs with a sure hand, and the result is a hugely entertaining and often spectacular epic.

DOWN TO THE SEA IN SHIPS (Hodkinson Studios, 1922), presented and personally directed by Elmer Clifton, produced in New Bedford, Massachusetts, by the Whaling Film Corporation, Wholesome Film Service Inc., the New England Distributor, bears no resemblance to the 20th Century-Fox 1949 whaling saga starring Richard Widmark, Dean Stockwell and Lionel Barrymore, except in title only. As much as this could have been an earlier screen treatment to the latter seafaring adventure, the titles are the same but the storyline is not. No doubt the romantic leading players to this 1922 production, Marguerite Courtot and Raymond McKee, have little or no significance to anyone today, but for historical purposes, other than its authentic whaling expeditions and actual location shooting, it's reputation rests solely as the film that launched the career of future film star Clara Bow (1905-1965), making her motion picture debut.

With the predictable but satisfying plot about separated lovers (Courtot and McKee) and a scheming villain (J. Thornton Baston), DOWN TO THE SEA IN SHIPS is a worthy silent film that captures the technical ingenuity of the day and the life of whaling men, at times told in documentary style. Director Elmer Clifton even imposes quotes through title cards from Herman Melville's classic whaling novel, "Moby Dick" as well as the literary works of Richard Henry Dana (author of "Two Years Before the Mast"). Many historical landmarks of New Bedford are featured, including the Apponegansett Meeting House, built in 1790, along with gardens from the museum of the Old Dartmouth Historical Society focused towards the end. Scenes such as these are sure to marvel even those present day residents of New Bedford, but it's the whaling sequences, then and now, that are highlights, along with one realistic shark attack sequence, which, naturally, did not cause any actors involved to become human sacrificed as shark bait

Though not up to the standards of today's technology of movie making, DOWN TO THE SEA IN SHIPS goes on record as the sort of adventure story predating many of those seafaring epics popular in later years. Instead of studio bound sets with rear projection scenes, along with model ships floating in giant tanks, it's been reported that everything about this production was filmed on location. Speaking of location shooting, when DOWN TO THE SEA IN SHIPS was presented on public television as part of its 12-week series of THE SILENT YEARS (1975), its host, Lillian Gish, who normally profiled her insight about the upcoming film inside a studio room, did her presentation on the actual site of the vessel used for this 1922 production in New Bedford, Massachusetts. She did go on in saying that while the movie lacked marquee names, it produced an unlikely star appearing in a small role, Clara Bow. An interesting introduction to the gal whose many films represented the jazz era during the roaring twenties, by which she was usually cast as an independent modern woman, immortalized as The "IT" Girl by 1927. This is where this Brooklyn, N.Y., gal got her start. Many felt Clara Bow stole the show from her leading players. Aside from her tomboyish performance which pitted her in a fist fight with another boy, she was equally memorable as the stowaway sporting a man's suit and top hat. Marguerite Courtot, who at times resembles a dark-haired Lillian Gish, particularly during the early portion of the story, interacts well with her co-star, Raymond McKee, whom she actually married by the time production was completed. McKee, who has more screen time than his leading lady, is the actual star of the film, as the bold young man taken out to sea where he conquers everything possible in order to try and win back the girl he loves. With a handful of silent films lost and gone forever, DOWN TO THE SEA IN SHIPS is fortunate to have survived, making this the only known Marguerite Courtot movie in circulation today.

Director Elmer Clifton, who got his start under D.W. Griffith, obviously brings forth certain factors made famous by this pioneer director, such as a flashback showing the young lovers, Patience and Dexter, as children, in which Patience tries to help little Dexter to pull out a loose tooth from his mouth with a string; along with close ups and super imposing shots. One scene worth mentioning finds now adult Dexter, standing on the mast as the wind is blowing through his curly hair, looking out to sea and envisioning the image of Patience into the clouds, something similarly used in Michael Curtiz's seafaring adventure of CAPTAIN BLOOD (Warners, 1935) where Errol Flynn as Peter Blood looks out to sea with the super imposing of his lady love, Arabella (Olivia De Havilland). Quite effective on both counts.

DOWN TO THE SEA IN SHIPS can be see occasionally on Turner Classic Movies' "Silent Sunday Nights" accompanied by William Perry piano scoring from the Paul Killian collection, the exact print used through the distribution of Blackhawk Video, and the 1975 presentation of THE SILENT YEARS. Running time being 83 minutes, it's possible it might have been a lot longer, considering a couple of noticeable abrupt cuts, such as the crew departing the vessel to go on land to bring in the supply of food and wood, Dot running through the beaches and throwing pebbles to watch the birds fly away, to suddenly go to the next sequence with crew heading out to sea to harpoon whales.

DOWN TO THE SEA IN SHIPS could be a rough voyage to some contemporary viewers, and a whale of a time for others. Available on video cassette and later DVD from Kino International, it continues to be part of the Clara Bow collection, for whom this movie is truly dedicated. (*** whales)

This creaky old warhorse of a film is still eminently watchable more than 80 years after it was made.

Yes, it's a silent film of the 20's with all the ills they were heir to. The comic posturing of the actors, the overly dramatic piano accompaniment, and the simplistic plot twists necessitated by title cards. Still the basic story holds up well and the film is interesting through out. Yet with a certain amount of `willing suspension of disbelief' you find yourself caring about the characters more than you would expect.

There are some elements that make a modern audience squeamish, the whole brutal process of whaling, the slaughter of a dolphin as food, and the almost formulaic use of blacks and Native Americans in demeaning roles but those were different times. In some ways these add to the reasons that one should watch this film today, not so much as an entertainment vehicle, but as a time capsule.

Finally, this film is worth watching, as it was the first film to feature Clara Bow. The camera loves her and she adds an element of naturalness to the otherwise overly stilted acting and has moments of brilliance that would make you feel that she'd be right at home in a present day movie.

A domineering father has told patience Morgan that she cannot marry a man that is neither a Quaker nor a whaleman. Scenes in the Quaker meetinghouse explain that marriage outside the sect is punished by expulsion and ostracism. But she loves her childhood sweetheart Allan Dexter – recently returned from college. What is a girl to do?

Meanwhile, back in the office, villains plot to seize one of Father Morgan's ships and sail it to gold country. When one of the henchmen (Samuel Siggs) takes a liking to Patience, the fiends shanghai Allan and take him off to sea and never expect him to return. Siggs then masquerades as a Quaker and a whaleman and convinces Father Morgan to give his daughter's hand in marriage (`Make him a good wife').

The scenes in which Patience shows her love for Allan (by play acting with dolls) are sweet and show her capabilities to the fullest. Clara Bow has some good scenes early on but her small part appears to fade out as the film progresses.

There are some rather interesting scenes of life in New Bedford in the mid-19th Century. The town crier both spreads the news of a returning ship and the rumored departure of our hero to parts West. Life aboard the ship is not as harsh as portrayed by Dana in `Two Years Before the Mast' but is fraught with danger. Close ups of the crew as they mutiny are excellent. There are ample quotes from Melville and Dana to complement the story.

There are a couple of lengthy scenes that are better described as travelogues and not necessary for the story. The scenes with sharks and whales are probably real and not simulated. Dozens of pelicans diving to catch fish were probably a novelty to many viewers of the time. The storm at sea is probably about as technically advanced as it could be.

This is not a great movie, but if you are interested in sea stories or whaling, then you should watch it. It is the product of an independent film company (The Whaling Film Co.), was distributed by Wholesome Film Services, Inc., and had its debut in Providence, Rhode Island.

This DVD double feature of Clara Bow at the beginning and during the thick of her career gives us a fascinating glimpse of one of the most popular silent stars. DOWN TO THE SEA IN SHIPS (1922) was shot when Clara was only 16 by D. W. Griffith protege' Elmer Clifton. Her part is only a supporting one but you can clearly see the star potential there. The main focus of this film is not the romance between the two leads but rather the detailed scenes of New Bedford whalers plying their trade. This makes the film a fascinating historical document which is not for the squeamish as it contains actual and graphic footage of the killing and dismembering of whales. What you see is MOBY DICK for real. This print taken from the Killiam Collection is in good shape although it seems a little fast at times. It is much better than the old VHS version put out by Critic"s Choice some years back.

PARISIAN LOVE (1925) was made only 3 years later but what a difference in Clara's appearance. Here she is the star and fully displays the vivacious charm and charisma that made her so popular. The story of French Apache lovers and their benefactor is a little hard to follow probably due to some missing footage and features some rather curious interplay between the male leads. The sets of Parisian garrets are marvelous and Lillian Leighton steals the show as a Marie Dressler like matriarch at a swanky party. This DVD copy was taken from the only surviving print which was discovered in 1998 and restored by the UCLA Film and Television Archive. All in all an interesting combination of 1920's style romance with rugged documentary style footage and the chance to see Clara Bow develop from a Mary Pickford like tomboy into a full fledged star. Yet another fine job from Kino International in their ongoing series of silent film presentations on DVD...For more reviews visit The Capsule Critic.