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.
