Lord Jim

Silent film based on the Joseph Conrad novel, it's the story of Jim (played by Percy Marmont), newly assigned as first officer aboard a ship carrying a cargo of 800 people from a foreign land, all under the command of a gruff, mean, surly sea captain (Noah Beery). Jim is an upstanding man, white-suited, opposed to drink - he just doesn't fit in with the captain and other officers. When the ship hits a rock and appears to be sinking, Captain and crew prepare to abandon ship on one of the few lifeboats available, leaving 800 people to die. Jim is shocked, but under panic is coaxed into jumping overboard into the departing lifeboat. Well, the ship ends up being rescued and all aboard are saved - Jim and the other crew become outcasts and infamous cowards, Jim's position is canceled. But he is given a second chance by a sympathetic man and sent to help at a trading post in a remote island village. There he becomes known as "Tuan Jim" - Lord Jim, beloved by all including the only white woman in the village, Jewel (Shirley Mason), a long-haired beauty who runs around dressed in sarong and bare feet.

I found this film to be excellent, and though it is hard to sympathize with a character who makes such dumb mistakes as Jim, I just loved the performance given by Percy Marmont in this part - he is perfectly cast, gives a sensitive, affecting portrayal of the main character, and is rather attractive to boot. Shirley Mason, sister of silent era actress Viola Dana, is also an attractive looking actress, though I didn't think her acting ability in this was quite up to snub - by the way, she is so very tiny standing next to Percy Marmont, he really towers over her! Noah Beery is, as usual, perfect playing this sort of rough and gnarly bad man. A first-rate silent era film.