Way for a Sailor

WAY FOR A SAILOR (Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer, 1930), directed by Sam Wood, is not so much a movie about Navy recruits during peacetime, but a comedy-drama dealing with Merchant Marines. Considered to be the worst movie to star John Gilbert, having never seen his entire filmography, silent, talkie or otherwise, it would be hard to determine which films to be his worst. Taken from the book by Albert Richard Wetjen, it's far from masterful as Gilbert's silent war-drama, THE BIG PARADE (1925), yet with Wallace Beery sharing billing over the title with Gilbert, the film did much to establish Beery on the rise to stardom as it did with Gilbert on his way to decline. I give Gilbert credit for trying to reinvent himself with roles that might have given him a career boost. Without the chemistry he had with Greta Garbo, or possibly a super production sound remake of THE BIG PARADE for 1930 to compete with Universal's classic war-drama, ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT, it appears WAY FOR A SAILOR would be the best the studio had to offer an actor with a reasonably fine speaking voice to be falling out of favor by this time with both his public and critics.

Opening title: "The Merchant Marine - AFLOAT ... a sweating loyal crew transporting food, machinery, mail, medicines, the very needs of life ... to half of the world. ASHORE: A rollicking pay-spending, 'love 'em and leave em' gang." The story opens with the daily routine of Merchant Marine buddies, Jack Burley (John Gilbert), Tripod (Wallace Beery) and Ginger (Jim Tully) who, after months of hard work afloat, take leave on land. They come to Singapore where the trio and others find themselves in barroom brawls, gambling and women. The same routine follows on ship before taking shore leave in London where more of the same occurs. Jack tries to make an impression with Joan (Leila Hyams), a clerk at a shipping office. She ignores him only to eventually take to Jack now in his civilian clothes and becoming his wife. Believing Jack has given up his Tripod, Ginger and his rollicking sea life to work on land does Joan begin to be aware of Jack having second thoughts. Others in the cast include Polly Moran (Polly); Doris Lloyd (Flossie); and Sojin (Proprietor of Shanghai House). Look quickly for future film star, Ray Milland, playing a Canadian officer. He is more identifiable through his voice than his physical appearance.

WAY FOR A SAILOR may be a bit overlong at 85 minutes, but whether it would have been acceptable at shorter length is uncertain. Playing in the Victor McLaglen and Edmund Lowe mode from their WHAT PRICE GLORY? (Fox, 1926) success and its three sequels, it's a wonder whether WAY FOR A SAILOR might have improved having Chester Morris in the role played by John Gilbert instead. Even in support, Beery gets the best attention down to his amusing conclusion. Leila Hyams is fine as Gilbert's girl, but the Ginger part, played by the unknown Jim Tully, might have added some character has Cliff Edwards was used instead. Though Gilbert (sans mustache here) did improve his stature in latter talkies as DOWNSTAIRS (1932), and a final reunion with his popular co-star, Greta Garbo starring in QUEEN CHRISTINA (1933), it was too late for the magic power Gilbert once established on the silent screen a decade ago to be rectified. Had he lived to assume the John Halliday part in the Marlene Dietrich and Gary Cooper starrer of DESIRE (Paramount, 1936), maybe Gilbert might have proven favorable through his second phase of his career in secondary character parts that would be of more interest to the audience than the leading players. Sadly, it wasn't meant to be.

Being one of the very few John Gilbert movies to play on late night commercial television prior to 1970, WAY FOR A SAILOR's availability for viewing comes either on DVD format or occasional broadcasts on Turner Classic Movies. (**)

Here comes the Merchant Marine, the toughest seamen afloat. Sailing into every sea, a job in every port, a girl in every bar. Out of the way there! Here they come, up from the docks, looking for some shore leave. Look out! Make WAY FOR A SAILOR!

According to cinematic legend, all the talkie MGM films starring John Gilbert were dreadful - the result of a bitter hatred between Gilbert (the highest paid star in Hollywood, with a $1.5 million contract) & studio boss Louis B. Mayer. A determination on Gilbert's part to fulfill the contract, and a campaign instituted by Mayer to destroy Gilbert's career - including spreading the rumor that Gilbert's voice was `high & feminine', culminated in several unwatchable movies.

Not entirely true. The Studio had a huge financial investment in Jack Gilbert and was not going to completely cut its own throat by showcasing him in nothing but dreck. Of the 8 talkies in which he appeared as solo star (1929 - HIS GLORIOUS NIGHT; 1930 - REDEMPTION; WAY FOR A SAILOR; 1931 - GENTLEMAN'S FATE; THE PHANTOM OF PARIS; WEST OF BROADWAY; 1932 - DOWNSTAIRS; 1933 - FAST WORKERS) most were certainly rather ghastly. WAY FOR A SAILOR falls into that unfortunate category.

Gilbert tries hard throughout the film, but it never comes together. Atmospherics are of the `B Movie' variety, and while the rescue at sea sequence is exciting, it's not enough to save the film. Even wonderful Wallace Beery, bluff & hearty, can't pull it off, though he certainly is entertaining & manages to steal every scene he's in. And lovely Leila Hyams is boring, thanks mostly to a lackluster script.

Look fast and you'll spot Doris Lloyd & the inimitable Polly Moran, both enjoyable as dockside floozies (Polly wields a mean mallet). Movie mavens will recognize Sojin as the Oriental procurer; quick-eyed viewers may spot an uncredited Ray Milland as a ship's officer.

Finally, about The Voice. There was nothing at all strange or unnaturally high about Gilbert's voice. As a matter of fact, it was of medium range & rather cultured & refined. Which was the crux of the problem, of course. While it is possible that no voice could have ever matched the perfect one viewers heard in their minds while watching his strong, virile silent roles, the reality was very different from what they wanted to hear (imagine Robert Montgomery's voice coming out of Clark Gable's mouth.) Gilbert was doomed from his first scene in his debut talkie; his war with Mayer only intensified the agony. He would die in 1936, forgotten by most of his former fans, at the age of only 36.

...but let me warn you that the first half hour of this 85 minute film is a long hard slog. Gilbert plays "Jack", a sailor on a commercial line, who seems to have some kind of beef with fellow sailor "Tripod" (Wallace Beery), although the origin of this rift is never revealed. The boat lands, the sailors are on leave, and there is drunken brawl after drunken brawl for no reason. Someone will just insult someone else or break a bottle over someone's head for apparently no reason. Then everybody starts fighting. This got repetitive, plus the dawn of sound soundtrack is so bad that trying to hear these players speak, during storms, out of doors, in crowded bars, is nearly impossible. I had to rewind several times to get what was even going on. The bright spot in this part of the film - Polly Moran showing up all disheveled in a bar carrying a mallet of all things. Considering how rowdy things got and how quickly they got rowdy, maybe she was smart to be carrying a mallet after all.

During the next hour things improve considerably as the ship lands in London and we meet the object of Jack's affection, Joan (Leila Hyams), a clerk in the shipping company office. She wants nothing to do with him because he is a sailor. Hyams could have come off as snooty in this role, but she doesn't, even without an exact explanation of her rejection. I felt that she might have been hurt or lied to by a sailor before, or she might have seen that happen, enough that she is simply not going to consider a sailor as a suitor. The point is, she plays the part vulnerable and it works. Likewise, Gilbert's character, though rough around the edges, is actually likable. He wants to marry the girl, so his intentions are honorable. He just thinks that lying is OK in the pursuit of this honorable intention. It's at this point the first half hour of the film - which has seemed pointless up to now - begins to make sense. It shows the rough and tumble kind of temporary port to port life Jack is accustomed to and helps explain his actions. He borrows money from the other sailors, buys a suit, and gives Joan a total lie of a story about him quitting the sea and getting a job in the shipping office. Now on the surface this seems despicable, but then you think back to the first half hour and remember in Jack's world the end justifies the means. How does this work out? Watch and find out.

I'd say it is worth it to see that John Gilbert did understand how to act and project a character in the talkies, and also this film gives a supporting role to Wallace Beery that he was just made to play before MGM pretty much promoted him to leading man status after Min and Bill came out later in 1930.

Jack (John Gilbert), Tripod (Wallace Beery), and Ginger (Jim Tully) are merchant marines living the lives of hard-scrabbled, hard-partying sailors. Back in London, Jack falls for shipping clerk Joan (Leila Hyams) nicknamed the Eskimo, but she has seen it all from the sailors.

This is John Gilbert's second talkie. He does fine, but it's Wallace Beery who steals the show. Gilbert is one of those silent movie stars who failed to make the talkie transition. In a way, one can see how he's losing out to guys like Beery. To be fair, Beery is in his elements. Somehow, Gilbert's screen presence isn't quite as large and I'm sure that the audience at that time felt him to be a man of another era.

John Gilbert has been hammered for the alleged quality of his voice since his first sound film HIS GLORIOUS NIGHT (1929). Which was a disaster in MANY ways. This film shows this for the lie that it is. There is nothing wrong with his voice. He had regular speaking voice with good intonations at the correct time. Nor does he 'ham it up' with silent film pantomime. His acting style is natural and suited for the sound medium.

The film features a strong supporting cast which includes Wallace Beery and the attractive Leila Hymans. In a minor role as a 'Brothel Manager' is character actor, Sojin. There is plenty of action and romance. This film has a gritty early 1930's realism very much in the style of WARNER BROTHERS, enhanced by the M.G.M. special effects department who used the Williams 'Traveling Matte Process' too good effect. Something they had been familiar with since BEN-HUR (1925). This integrated live action plates with com-posited filmed action sequences. Occasionally though you can pick up where the 'matte' bled through and the composite failed.

The film is of good quality and a solid 'B' film. These were important in filling out the Studio's schedule of fifty (50+) plus features a year. In the early years of the 'Great Depression' even major stars made such films. ANNA Christie (1930) was of no better quality. The difference, Louis B. Mayer backed Greta Garbo, unlike Gilbert whose career he wished to destroy. The plot of this film would be recycled just one (1) year later with Mr. Mayer's new 'fair haired boy' Clark Gable. Seemed the material worked for you when the Studio backed you up.