Across to Singapore

This is a good silent film, with high MGM production values, good acting, story and direction – to me the 84 minutes running time flew by.

Ramon Navarro and Joan Crawford are young lovers Joel and Priscilla who are unexpectedly and unintentionally thwarted by his chunky big brother Cap'n Mark played by Ernest Torrence suddenly being publicly announced as being betrothed to her. From the playful opening scenes at the shipwreck, jolly dinner party and rites of passage (for Joel) bar-room brawl it gets serious, coinciding with a pivotal voyage to Singapore on the Nathan Ross. The other two brothers are summarily dismissed from the plot by Noah getting washed overboard in a storm and Matthew lost with the Sea Robin. The only bit I didn't like was Mark crazy with drink in Singapore – presumably not still moping about Priscilla because Joel had smoothed it over on board the ship, but the implication it was caused by guilt over his six month relationship with Anna May Wong who was meant to be seen as a lesser mortal by the highly moral white audience. Favourite bits: the juvenile scenes by Joel at the dinner party; the storm scenes; the very realistic climactic fight scene; the main players' conflicting emotions as the plot unravels. The print saved is generally good but can be a bit dodgy - only just pre-combustion in places, but bearable if you get into the story.

Well worth watching for all sorts of reasons – if nothing else for Novarro and Crawford and MGM being young and full of life and promise.

The story is well known and has been made often. Two brothers in love with the same woman. Of course, the one she is betrothed to is NOT the one she loves.

The only remaining copy of this film was saved and restored right before it disintegrated; so the viewing can be a bit blotchy, especially towards the end.

Joan Crawford is still learning her craft and does a lot of the silent-star grimacing that so often accompanies the over-acting damsel-in-distress routine of the 20's. She is definitely miscast in the role of a milquetoast girl who won't speak her mind to the right people. But it is interesting to watch her as she puts her best foot forwards, as always.

Ramon Novarro is the real STAR of this movie. There are abundant close-ups and he really does have a timeless magic. His boyishness and earnest attitude seems very real and is completely endearing. His character is well-cast and his is the only believable role aside from the villain ship-mate played by Jim Mason.

Ernest Torrence has the best role for an actor with opportunities galore to chew the scenery ... and he DOES with gusto. Much too old for the part he is playing, his saving grace is that he IS a likeable curmudgeon and the viewer may choose to overlook his miscasting.

If you love Novarro, don't miss this. If you love Crawford, check her out as she attends MGM's acting class 101. If you love sea dramas, this is just ok. As a silent film, it's watchable and mildly entertaining, but no great classic.

"Taste the iron, you crummy lubbers!" as the final ship board fight begins This film moves along plot wise, They, director and production team, really worked on this one, with tons of scene set-ups and good close ups with great smooth editing throughout, that add to feeling of story line rather than being so accurate to the master shot. Check out the ship, rigging and attire: 19th century 3 master and rope laden, so real all the way throughout the film. Great ship at sea storm sequences is great action, making it one for a highlite reel of 20's great movie sequences of action. I was getting seasick. Yes other reviews posted here are quite accurate: acting comments & story from book, plot holes (funny comment sinking & not leaving port) , terrible print (TCM Aug/31 showing) yes a bit like watching thru a porthole in storm, but only adds authenticity to date of making for me, etc. Piano scoring intelligent but a bit relentless. But if you enjoy this sort of realness, this movie is a gem.

Ramon Novarro (as Joel) is the youngest of the seafaring Shore family. While older brother Ernest Torrence (as Mark) is off on a long voyage, Mr. Novarro falls for fetching Joan Crawford (as Pricilla). Upon returning, Mr. Torrence is revealed to have also fallen for the bewitching Ms. Crawford - and, eventually, the brothers become rivals. Crawford prefers Novarro, but her father "betrothes" her to Torrence. Before their wedded bliss begins, however, the Shore brothers must make a trip to Singapore; it's Novarro's first voyage with older brothers, after proving himself in a barroom brawl. While sailing "Across to Singapore", a fierce storm blasts the Shore brothers' "Nathan Ross" ship - with tragic results…

Actually, this is a version of "All the Brothers Were Valiant". Perhaps the title was changed because one brother clearly dominates (Novarro), and only one other figures prominently (Torrence). Although there are four Shore brothers, you won't see much of the others, valiant or otherwise. It's odd MGM re-made this story in 1928; it was seen relatively recently, in 1923, with Malcolm McGregor, Lon Chaney, and Billie Dove as Joel, Mark, and Pricilla. AND, there was no sound version until 1953, with Robert Taylor, Stewart Granger, and Ann Blyth in the principal roles.

Novarro performs very well, especially enjoy his scene with Crawford, when she boards the ship to bid farewell, before his maiden voyage. It's also one of Crawford's best scenes, and the lower "Nathan Ross" set is beautifully detailed. Anna May Wong also performs very well; though uncredited, she is the best supporting player. Note Ms. May Wong's excellent introduction (during the first trip to Singapore) - she relates her dissatisfaction with her man, and her desire for Mark, with a few simple gestures. May Wong is superb, and should have been included in the film's credits. James Mason (not the later actor) is fine as the villain.

There are some problems with the story. The whole "betrothed" issue is confusing to me, and may be to others. I also don't understand why an experienced sailor like Mark Shore immediately goes below and gets drunk; perhaps, he saw little brother with Crawford earlier on? I wondered how Mark Shore could order a certain character killed, and, seconds later reverse said order. Though a fine actor, I had some trouble accepting Torrence in this role - I expected him to be the villain, due to his other indelible portrayals.

A big MGM production, with a lot of excitement, and a fine cast. The voyages of the "Nathan Ross" are particularly exciting… great storm, and great ending. This is a film that was "saved" in the nick of time, however, and some of the film is sadly deteriorated; happily, it is still enjoyable.

******** Across to Singapore (1928) William Nigh ~ Ramon Novarro, Joan Crawford, Ernest Torrence

Buoyed by the strength of its cast, for the first 55 minutes or so this is a pretty decent silent film, featuring two brothers (Ramon Novarro and Ernest Torrence) in a love triangle with a young woman (Joan Crawford). Novarro is magnetic and was at the height of his stardom, Crawford a pretty young thing just about to hit it big (albeit in very different types of roles), and Torrance perfectly cast as the hulking seaman. The brothers sail off to Singapore and face misadventures along the way, including a storm while rounding Cape Horn, the special effects for which are well done for the era.

While I liked the performances from the principals, I confess what brought me to the film was Anna May Wong, who briefly appears (uncredited) as a Singaporean prostitute. The role is unfortunate but typical of those she was relegated to by Hollywood and I wish she had been getting the parts she deserved, but the sassy little flick of her hair while strutting away from a guy hitting on her at roughly 45:15 is one of my favorite moments in her filmography. In the biography he wrote of Wong, Graham Russell Gao Hodges says that preserved stills from the original footage reveal that passionate scenes between Wong and Novarro wound up on the cutting room floor, which is a damn shame (and somewhat surprising, since what we see has her ardor directed at Torrence's character ... it seems a machete was taken to the action out in Singapore, which may explain the film's narrative issues). Increasingly upset at these types of parts and unable to get a romantic type leading role because of the taboo against miscegenation, Wong left America the same year to make films in Europe for a few years.

Unfortunately, the film really fades in its final half hour, starting with an unexpected revelation when a repeat visit is made out to Singapore. Without spoiling it, I will just say it's an unfair turn of events because it defies what we've seen and been told before, and the characters then continue on without surprise or explanation. The film starts lagging and gets highly melodramatic in a fight sequence that's tiresome by the time we get around to it. It's a little unfortunate the script and storytelling didn't match the star power here, but it's worth taking a look.