Morane le marin

On the sailing vessel the Lady Letty, we meet Moran (Dorothy Dalton), a Norwegian tomboy, reared as a seaman, who wears pants and works the ship right alongside the men. In San Francisco on Nob Hill lives rich and handsome Ramon (Valentino), idol of the débutantes, who spends his time throwing house parties and sailing on yachts. One day he's late for one of his yacht parties and gets himself shanghaied by a ship full of sea-outlaws. Forced to become Second Mate on a voyage headed towards Mexico, Ramon seems to take a shine to being shipboard and changes rapidly from dandy to able-bodied seaman, and before you know it he's happily swabbing the decks and looking gorgeous in white sleeveless t-shirt. Meanwhile, sailing in the same waters is the Lady Letty which suddenly catches on fire, and the outlaws go aboard to loot it, coming back with nothing but rum and a "loco sailor" - actually Moran dressed as a boy, brought over by Ramon who tries to keep her hidden away from the evil Captain. Now Ramon seems to develop a crush on Moran, but this may not work out for him - see, she wishes she were born a boy!

This film is packed with lots of shipboard action, fights, etc. - a bit too much for my taste actually. There is also a plot element that seems a little odd to me and that is the fact that Ramon seems so happy being on the ship with bad men who kidnapped him and are committing crimes. I am also not sure I like the match between Valentino and the woman, I kind of like them better as just "mates". The mainly sepia-tinted print shown on TCM looked okay, a tiny bit washed-out here and there but pretty good as a whole, and featured an excellent music score that matched the action well. For me, Valentino is the main reason to see this - he looks stunningly handsome in all of his scenes - sigh! I like Dorothy Dalton too, well cast in her tomboy part. Worth seeing for the beauty of Valentino alone.

Rudolph Valentino's name would not for long be beneath another player's as it is in Moran Of The Lady Letty. Dorothy Dalton is first billed in this film which casts Rudy as a young playboy who gets Shanghaied aboard a modern day pirate ship skippered by Walter Long.

He's quite the pampered one Rudy is, but some experience with this crew and their evil skipper is enough to toughen anyone up. Later on sound successors to the Valentino image like Robert Taylor and Tyrone Power both of whom did sound remakes of Valentino roles were also deliberately given action material like this to broaden their appeal.

Even without sound Valentino's charisma comes through over 90 years after this film was released. Walter Long who played many a brutish, thuggish villainous role is at his best doing his thing in this film.

Moran Of The Lady Letty is a good introduction to the films of and the legend that was Rudolph Valentino.

He was rich. She was not. He had no goals, no ambitions, no cares. Yet he recognizes that he is missing something. She sails the oceans and knows how to work and enjoys what she does. Then Ramon is shanghaied. There he learns to work and how to fight. In the process he admits to being the happiest he has ever been. Then through a series of misfortunes the Lady Letty is taken by the smugglers and Moran is taken as a prisoner. Ramon becomes her protector and to care for her. Finally Moran comes to care for Ramon. Then the question--what happens when they return to port?

Like so many good movies there are many levels to this one. It is a well crafted movie that moves at a strong pace yet goes beyond being just a love story and an action movie. It is also a very good study in what is important in life. This is definitely a movie that can be enjoyed more than once.

Finally, Rudolph Valentino is excellent as an action actor. The climax is loaded with exciting action!

In a Norwegian port, Dorothy Dalton (as Moran Sternersen aka "Moran of the Lady Letty") sets sail for San Francisco. "Born on the deep end and rocked to sleep by storms," Ms. Dalton, "came of a long line of sea-faring men." Dalton knows her way around a ship. Her father, Charles Brinley (as Eilert Sternersen) is her Captain; he loves only his ship, and his motherless daughter. Meanwhile, Rudolph Valentino (as Ramon Laredo aka "Lillee of the Vallee") misses a yacht bound for the same city. "Cradled in luxury," Mr. Valentino, "came to earth, heir to the aimless life of a rich man's son." Seeking other means of transport, Valentino is shanghaied on a ship of smugglers, captained by Walter Long (as "Frisco" Kitchell). He becomes quite taken with the adventure.

When Dalton's ship, the "Lady Letty", is felled by a cargo fire, Valentino rescues Dalton, and the unlikely duo fall in love. Although Valentino has become an accepted shipmate, a confrontation with the villainous Mr. Long becomes increasingly likely; especially, as Long lusts after Dalton.

"Moran of the Lady Letty" effectively contrasts Dalton's masculinity (her character is the "tomboy") with Valentino's femininity (his character is the "sissy"); and, they have a comfortable on-screen chemistry. As an actor, Valentino was often burdened by star persona; but, here, he is refreshingly natural. Although she is not relatively well-remembered, this was a good role for star Dalton. Villain Long, a great character actor, has one of his better parts. And, George Melford directed very effectively; the film's ending fight, between Valentino and Long, is a thriller. Before that, pay attention for the culmination of Long's shipping mission - when partner Cecil Holland (as Pancho) sees Long's boat arriving, he tells a wench, "Go on - get cleaned up!"

******* Moran of the Lady Letty (2/5/22) George Melford ~ Dorothy Dalton, Rudolph Valentino, Walter Long

"Ramon" (Rudolph Valentino) is a spoilt little rich boy, bored of his life of banal glittering soirées with glamorous wallflowers. Shortly after we meet him, though, he is praying for that peaceable life after he finds himself coming to on a freighter carrying coal. This cargo was notoriously risky as it was prone to catching fire and producing a lethal gas and when, dead on cue, this happens - the cowardly crew abandon the ship leaving him behind. Luckily (or not?) the ship is soon boarded by another crew which leaves him and his surviving shipmate "Moran" (Dorothy Dalton) at the mercy of the ruthless "Capt. Kitchell" (Walter Long) who's aptly nicknamed "Slippery"! What we now realise is that the tomboyish "Moran" isn't actually a boy at all and as if that's not enough to pack into this barely one hour long feature, there's some treasure to be claimed too. Tempers fray and "KItchell" and "Ramon" look set for a bit of fisticuffs. I quite enjoyed this adventure film, if only because it shows Valentino in a more assertive role and Long is really quite effective, too, as the nasty creature who quite plausibly epitomised many of those jobbing sea captains who had scant regard for the laws of salvage or men! Dalton also turns in a plucky contribution and though it's all a little predictable, there are still some entertainingly staged scenes to keep it from sinking.