Le harpon

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 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.

In the late 19th Century, aged Quaker Charles Morgan (William Walcott) owns a whaler, but no longer goes out on it. Unfortunately, the, ah, nefarious Siggs wants to marry Morgan's daughter Patience (Marguerite Courtot), but she's in love with the, um, good, wonderfull childhood friend Allan (Raymond McKee), but her father won't let her marry a non whaler so he... um... well... allright. If you don't know what's going to happen, you must be a hermit. And quite a hermit.

The story of the silent historical "drama" is so old and cliched people living in the stone age would have been bored and found it predictable. It's fast paced, but so stunningly predictable that it's extraordinarily boring. It's hard to stick through its 83 minutes that seem to last forever. And there aren't even any interesting complications

However, there are two good things that almost redeem the film. First, there are the historical scenes. The whaling scenes, while they take too long to get to, are very well made and detailed. The scenes at home were done in a real Quaker village and seem extremely authentic. The mutiny is great. And the scene where a whale is dragging around a smaller ship, pulling it over near surfing-height waves is awesome and thrilling.

The second thing that's good is a supporting cast member. This was Clara Bow's first film, and she is excellent. While the rest of the cast is good enough, she puts them too shame in a small role. If only it had been bigger. Much bigger...

So, every now and then, it's fun.

So, do I recomend it? Of course, if you couldn't possibly ever stand a silent film, avoid this like the plague. It will merely confirm your suspision that silent films stunk. Watch one like Battleship Potemkin instead. On the other hand, if you're a die-hard Clara Bow fan or interesting in late 19th-century whaling techniques, see this if you can. But don't look for anything you haven't seen before. Or that many things that are particularly interesting. Just watch Clara Bow when she comes on.

Rating: * * (out of four)

It's worth observing at the top that this is a film where some aspects have not aged well. Not that there's any scale to such things, yet that there's some needless racist language employed, which is rather dumbfounding in the moment, might be one of the least bothersome facets. There's no missing the prominent title card in the first moments that proudly declares "Produced in New Bedford, Massachusetts by The Whaling Film Corporation"; shilling for corporations, and dressing the propaganda of repugnant values in more palatable vestiges, has clearly been a part of cinema from its earliest years. That's to say nothing of how the glorification of whaling, written into the story itself, comes off very differently one hundred years later. Moreover, even if we accept that the expression of further antiquated values is a reflection of the story's setting in the mid-nineteenth century and not the world of the 1920s, the picture leans awfully hard into affirmation of an excruciating patriarchal worldview: men choosing what women can or cannot do, or who they can marry, regardless of their wishes; bluntly valuing male children over girls; infantilizing and patronizing women. Even recognizing that for better or worse such fare of more dubious elements is a part of revisiting the silent era, there were also choices made in the construction of the feature - including some moments that were inessential to the whole - that surely mark this as nothing to change the mind of those who have difficulty engaging with older movies.

In fairness, with all this having been said, by and large 'Down to the sea in ships' is overall well done. Paul H. Allen and A. G. Penrod's cinematography is plainly admirable, especially in those lengthy sequences shot at sea. Though swimming in familiar waters, the broad strokes of the narrative are duly compelling and enjoyable. Though ill-gotten, I can't say the resources at the production's disposal weren't appreciable, for the spotlighted ship is gorgeous in and of itself, and the sets and costume design are lovely. Those stunts and effects that are employed look fantastic, and along with Elmer Clifton's vivid orchestration of scenes, an earnest sense of adventure is thusly infused into this drama. The cast give strong performances, with Marguerite Courtot standing out most as beleaguered Patience, and Raymond McKee not far behind as male love interest Allan; the picture is also noteworthy as only the second ever role of screen icon Clara Bow. Clifton also at times illustrates a keen eye for shot composition that adds a slight sense of artistry to it all. In fact, though the unsavory components here must be discussed, the strength of the film-making and storytelling is such that I think the title is better and more worthwhile than not. It may not be anything particularly special among its kin, but in general the excellence of the craft is never in question. The viewing experience is one to which an asterisk must necessarily be attached, yet for those who love what the silent era has to offer and who can abide the difficulties on hand, it still stands fairly well on its own merits.

True, even the most stout of cinephiles may be sidelined by one other glaring flaw on hand. A central whaling sequence drags on so long, far beyond the needs of the script, that I genuinely fell asleep in the middle of it (albeit with the foresight to pause). I can't help but think of the ten-minute sandstorm sequence in 'Hercules against the moon men,' mercilessly mocked in 'Mystery Science Theater 3000' as "DEEP HURTING," for sure enough the noted scene here is right about ten minutes long, too - a considerable fraction of the runtime. This sequence could have been trimmed quite a bit while losing nothing, and it goes without saying that strictly speaking the brunt of the tale would have been left intact even if some of the less welcome aspects had been altered to a small degree. That one can readily see room for improvement shows the limitations of the feature, and its weaknesses. Still, when all is said and done, 'Down to the sea in ships' remains a surviving silent film that deserves remembrance - for that survival alone, for what it does well, and definitely for what it does not. It bears repeating that this is suggested only for those who are already enamored of the era, but at that, if one happens to come across it, it's ably entertaining and also interesting as a study of where it fits into contemporary culture. Don't go out of your way for it, but one way or another it's worth a look.

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.